Kampala, the capital city of Uganda has a variety of hotels that are spread evenly across the city and the surrounding areas. These include luxury facilities like five star hotels, mid-range/deluxe and budget hotels.
MUNYONYO COMMONWEALTH RESORT
The resort is located at plot 94, 411 and 412 Wavvamuno road, Salaama parish, Mulungu village, Munyonyo -Kampala city along the shores of Lake Victoria. It is 42 km from Entebbe airport and 12 km from Kampala city. It was established by Ruparelia Group of Company in 2001 as Speke resort Munyonyo to boost the leisure and business industry in the region. This facility was selected in 2007 to host the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting. After successfully hosting CHOGM, Speke resort emerged as one of the leading resorts in East Africa under the new brand name Commonwealth resort.
Rooms and Amenities
The resort has 477 luxury rooms that are divided into 9 categories. For instance, 292 deluxe rooms both single and double, 11 one-bedroom suites, 10 presidential rooms, 55 executive rooms, 55 executive suites and 4 presidential suites. Executive rooms and suites are interconnected that can make 55 presidential suites. These rooms offer views of Lake Victoria and tropical gardens of the resort. Munyonyo Speke resort offers room facilities which include; en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold showers, bath tubs, bathrobes, hairdryers, air conditioner and personal safe. For convenience purposes the resort offers in room services like cleaning and laundry services, iron and ironing board, mini bar, newspapers without guests leaving their rooms.
Restaurant and Bar
The facility has 5 restaurants which include; Nyanja on the ground floor of the main building offering a space for 108 guests and serves continental, African and Indian. The Lake grill restaurant offers dining in the open air looking at the lake. This spot is ideal for those who want to dine in groups, have picnics.
The Stables restaurant, sheltered on a grass-thatched roof at the rooftop offers buffet meals and can accommodate up to 320 people. The Lake terrace restaurant is located in the lobby area where you can have meals during check-in and check-out. Calabash is located at the mezzanine level(between ground and first floor) offering seats for 60 people. The restaurant is ideal for small cocktail functions.
The Pool side restaurant offers family friendly cuisines, burgers and tilapia fish. Within the resort there is Coffee At Last outlet mainly for pizza. These restaurants are supplemented by bars which include; Viking bar and Royal club. Viking bar offers games such as pool table, arcade and darts.
For readers and movie lovers, the bar has a book club where guests exchange books and movie night on Sundays. The bar offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines, beverages, snacks, African tea and coffee. The Royal club is ideal for guests who like privacy. Speke resort is surrounded by a wide range of accommodation facilities which include Cassia lodge, Casa Solada Hotel, Lake Victoria Serena Kigo, Kaazi resort beach and Forest resort Lweza.
Other Amenities at the Resort
The resort has an equestrian center that offers horse riding among other activities like boat rides on Lake Victoria, fishing and squash games. There are 24 conference rooms of which 5 are outdoor where a wide range of events such as exhibitions, meetings and weddings are hosted. Other facilities offered by the resort include; swimming pools, steam and sauna bath, spa services. Those intending to stay at Speke resort, reservations can be made at the reception or through tour operators.
Other facilities nearby
Banking services are available at I&M bank in Kabalagala, Stanbic bank ATM, Homeland forex bureau and Absa branch.
Medical services can be accessed from Mulago referral hospital in Kiruddu, Ritz medical center and Kiruddu referral hospital.
Nearby tourists attractions
There are various activities to do within and around the resort. The resort offers activities like ; acrobats, market fair, jazz band and children activities. Tourist attractions outside the resort include; Munyonyo martyrs shrine, Kibuli mosque, Kampala city tour, Uganda Wildlife conservation Education center and Mulungu fish point.
How to access the Resort
Speke resort Munyonyo can be accessed using road or water transport depending on the choice of the visitor. For instance, from Entebbe airport one can follow Kampala – Entebbe Road and branch off from Kajjansi via Munyonyo route. From Kampala city one can drive to Gaba road. By using water transport, one can access the resort from Mukono and Entebbe by taking a boat cruise up to the resort’s deck. Entrance fee to the resort depends on age. Adults pay UGsh 40,000 and 25,000 for children below 14 years per head. Non swimmers pay UGsh 25000 per person.
SHERATON HOTEL KAMPALA
Sheraton is a five star hotel situated in the south western slopes of Nakasero hill a few meters away from Kampala city center. The accommodation is one of the three five star hotels in Kampala belonging to the Marriott brand. This brand has established many other 5 star hotels all over the world which include; Protea, delta hotels, west hotels and resort, JW Marriott and Renaissance Hotels.
The facility was opened in 1967 and named Apolo hotel after Uganda’s prime minister Apollo Milton Obote. In 1971 when Obote was overthrown by Iddi Amin’s military coup the hotel acquired the name Kampala international hotel. After Obote’s return in 1980, the hotel regained its old name, Apolo hotel. After the liberation of the economy in 1987, Marriott brand won the rights of leasing the hotel for 25 years from the Government. The facility was restructured and named Sheraton Hotel on its reopening in 1991. It has maintained the status quo up to date. The hotel compounds were also renamed to Sheraton gardens, dropping the Jubilee park.
Rooms and amenities
The hotel offers luxury accommodation in all the 236 rooms of different categories including 5 suites. Each room contains en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold showers, bath tubs, hair dryers, robes, personal safe, AC, mosquito netted beds, in room services consisting of mini bars, newspapers, iron and ironing board. The hotel also provides facilities devoted especially to health, fitness, beauty, and relaxation. These include a gym, outdoor swimming pool, laundry, fitness center, gift shops and meeting spaces. Reservations can be made on the reception desk or through a tour operator.
Restaurant
Sheraton has 5 on-site restaurants which include; Victoria breakfast room, Park Square Cafe, Seven Seas restaurant, Temptations Bakery and Pastry Shop, Laterrase Garden Lounge and Paradise Grill, all offering continental meals. For Pastry lovers, the Temptation bakery and pastry offers all kinds of wheat products like muffins, pizzas, and event cakes. There is another branch in Kololo called Four points by Sheraton Hotel.
The facility contains 2 on-site fully-stocked bars which include the Equator bar and the Kyoga pool restaurant which have different spirits, premium liquor, alcoholic and non alcoholic wines. The hotel has spacious gardens where events can be hosted like weddings, live music bands, and birthdays. Sheraton hotel offers live band and music available every Friday from 6pm – 10pm at the Paradise restaurant.
Tourist attractions
Since Sheraton Hotel is within the Central Business District, there are different activities that can be done such as the Kampala city tour. This can be done as a guided walking or Boda-Boda tour to visit some of the close-by historical sites like the Parliamentary building, the National broadcasting service UBC, Uganda National Cultural center (National theater) and monuments like Independence monument below the Sheraton gardens, Constitutional monument at Kampala city square. Religious centers like; Old Kampala mosque (Gadaffi mosque), Lubaga and Namirembe cathedral. Marketplaces like; Nakasero food market, Normal gallery and Craft shops along Buganda road.
How to access Sheraton hotel
There are different routes one can use to reach the destination. For instance from Entebbe airport one can follow Express Highway to Mulago roundabout then via Yusuf Lule road. One can drive Entebbe – Kampala Road to the City center. Those from Jinja, one can follow Kampala -Jinja road and make a right turn at City square.
LAKE VICTORIA SERENA GOLF RESORT AND SPA
Located on the shores of Lake Victoria along Lweza-Kigo road, Serena resort is 30 km from Entebbe airport, 10 km from Kajjansi airstrip and 15 km from Kampala city. The resort sits on 275 acres of land. The premise has an 18 -hole golf course court, Helipad and a marina with boats. Serena Golf resort is a part of Serena Hotels and Resorts group, one of the world’s leading hospitality brands offering quality accommodation, conference solutions, cultural heritage, adventure and leisure tourism.
Rooms and amenities
Lake Victoria Serena resort and Spa offers luxury accommodation in 112 deluxe guest rooms, 8 executive and 2 presidential suites, all with the view of the lake. The In-room amenities for deluxe and executive suites include en-suite bathrooms that have cold and hot showers, hair dryers, bathrobes, slippers. Others include AC, one queen bed or twin, flat screen satellite TVs, mini bars, work desk and chair, private balcony and coffee making machines.
The executive has extra amenities like office space and living area and is ideal for business travelers. The presidential suites have king sized beds, furnished terrace, conference space, staff accommodation, reception, sitting room, private kitchen and kitchenette. Room rating depends on the nature of rooms. For instance; deluxe cost is $280, $361 for executive and $925 for presidential suites.
Restaurants and bar
The resort has two restaurants, that is to say Marina and Citadel. The Marina restaurant serves a la carte menu and hosts parties the whole week except on Fridays and Sundays. The Citadel restaurant offers international and Mediterranean cuisines. The Kigo bar has different kinds of drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines, tuscan wines, whiskies, cocktails, Ugandan tea, Italian espresso and cappuccinos, fruits and herb juices.
Tourist attractions nearby
There are various tourist attractions around Serena hotel for example; shoebill stork in Mabamba swamp, Sesse island, Ngamba island for chimpanzee viewing, Uganda reptile village, Uganda Wildlife Education Center (Entebbe zoo), Equator Entebbe, Bafrika creations for art gallery, Uganda martyrs’ shrine at Brother Amans and Mapeera church, Victoria mall for shopping and Entebbe botanical gardens. In addition there are banking or medical services that can be accessed in the nearby towns like Kajjansi, Lweza and Seguku
How to access the Serena Golf Resort
One can access the resort by the use of Kampala-Entebbe road and branch off from Lweza. Serena can also be accessed from Mukono using a boat.
Onomo Hotel
The Onomo hotel is located on Nakasero hill along 18A Akii Bua Road a few meters from Nakasero Hospital in Kampala capital city. Tucked amidst towering trees, the hotel offers a peaceful environment with a cool breeze from the surrounding forests and the Golf course.
Onomo hotel opened in 2021 by Onomo Hotels Group, one of the largest African business travel organizations currently operating 10 hotels in African destinations with a rapidly growing MICE industry including Kigali capital city of Rwanda. The Onomo hotel Kampala city is designed with a touch of authentic African hospitality. It offers 114 rooms, serviced apartments, conference and meeting rooms.
The poolside area is available for open space meetings and hosted the end of year party for the Uganda Tour operators in 2022. Onomo hotel conference rooms provide space for over 200 people and are equipped with natural lighting, high-speed Wi-Fi, video and LCD screen projection, integrated sound system, wireless microphone wire, and flipcharts. They have a dedicated reception and concierge service to assist with setting up and decorating the venues according to the type of meeting.
The cozy Saba restaurant and terrace offers unique and memorable food and drink experiences with its Afro-Fusion cooking style, which combines traditional African recipes and ingredients with food from other parts of the world. The restaurant is open 24-hours a day for breakfast, coffee, lunch, and dinner.
For smaller gatherings, the terrace is a great venue for events of up to 20 people such as birthday parties and bridal showers. For an exceptional guest experience, the hotel also provides live music, wine, cocktail, food tasting as well as fun card games.
For those intending to take excursions during their stay, most of Kampala’s top attractions and historical sites are in the vicinity of Onomo hotel such as Uganda national museum, golf course, Gaddafi mosque, and the UNESCO world heritage site Kasuibi royal tombs. Being centrally located it means that guests can access ancillary services such as medical, banking, shopping, yoga, gym, and spa, movie nights at places like Acacia Mall and Karuna Studio.
For comfortable stays, Onomo hotel guest rooms have queen size beds, working desk, AC, electronic safe, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, unlimited Wi-Fi, telephone/voicemail, minibar, 40-inch flat-screen TV with DSTV subscription package. Laundry service is an added bonus.
In the service apartment rooms guests will find a small kitchen containing cooking facilities such as microwave, cozy sitting area, and ensuite private bathrooms. The staff is available to assist in case of an emergency in your room you can call the reception center. Parking space is available for free and the hotel is monitored by CCTV cameras. You can make reservations directly or through a tour operator.
