Where to stay in Kampala
One of the most important questions you’ll have when visiting Kampala is where to stay in Kampala?
Kampala is a city built on hills and there are various areas in Kampala where you could stay depending on what you are looking to do in Kampala and your budget.
Visiting Kampala city as a tourist
If you are visiting Kampala as a tourist, what is your budget?
If you are a high spender and want to be located in the city center, the best area to stay in Kampala is Nakasero. Nakasero is placed centrally in Kampala and several of the large hotels such as Sheraton, Serena and our hotel, Prestige Hotel Suites, are located in Nakasero. From Nakasero, it is easy to get to several places in the city center and there are plenty of restaurants located nearby. Considering Kampala traffic, it is a good idea to stay in the city center.
If you are a high spender and would prefer to be located slightly away from the hustle and bustle of the main city center, but would like easy reach to the city center, Kololo is another area you could consider. Kololo has some nice hotels such as Golden Tulip and Fairway. The issue with Kololo is that whilst it has several bars and restaurants in its vicinity, there is a danger of noise from the bars during the night hours.
If you are a budget spender, there are several other areas you could consider such as Bukoto, Ntinda, Naguru, Makindye, Muyenga where you would be able to rent homestays/houses and apartments. These places are not that far from the city center as such (apart from Makindye/Muyenga – these are quite far) but the traffic makes it so. You could easily spend an hour or more travelling to the city from these areas because traffic in Kampala is pretty bad.
As a tourist, where you stay may not be much of an issue as you may be in Kampala for only a day or two.
Visiting Kampala city on business
If you are a business traveller, then it is best to be located close to the city center. Ofcourse, this depends on where most of your meetings will be taking place.
Most business travellers prefer to stay in Nakasero and then Kololo. Several large companies and institutions are centrally located, conferences are mainly held at Serena and offices are packed within the central business district i.e. in Nakasero.
If you are working with an NGO, then you may not need to be centrally located. Once again, this depends on where you will be spending most of your time. If you are working in the city and you have a low budget, consider Bukoto, Ntinda, Naguru. If you have a higher budget, Kololo and Nakasero are good options. Trust us, having to travel everyday in Kampala traffic is something you do not want to do.
If you are working further out towards Entebbe, you may choose to stay in Makindye/Muyenga/Kasubi.
Where to stay in Kampala
We hope this guide on where to stay in Kampala is helpful. If you would like more information on any of the above areas or other areas we have not mentioned, feel free to leave a comment. We will advise you on the pros and cons from an insider’s point of view!