Before we checked into the AKL, the kids and I walked every trail looking at ALL the savannah views from each side of both wings (while DH took at LONG nap in the car!). After viewing them all, our universal preference was for (and this is what I faxed in):
Zebra Trail, Arusha Savannah View, bunkbeds, NS, with a room number of X503 or better. I asked for 3rd floor as a first preference, and 4th as the second.
If you look at a resort map, you'll see this puts you facing the "interior" savannah, and into the second "building". We received 4th floor, which was wonderful, although we'd like to try 3rd as well. We had a wonderful view of zebras, giraffes, bongos as well as other animals, but were far enough out that we weren't watching people. We were right by the "second" elevator--and on the side of Mara and the pool. We thought this was the most perfect location in AKL.
We had thought we would like the 2nd floor, but realized for us we wanted to see more of the "sweep" of the Savannah.
IMO the Savannahs on the sides of the lodge, although with interesting animals, were not as enchanting (i.e. being able to see the fences at the edge of them and some maintenance vehicles on one of them)