CHOGM hotels decorate city skyline
Nov 16, 2007
A fresh new look has finally emerged allover Kampala. The city skyline has been re-shaped and is looking beautifully different ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is an understatement.
By Alex Balimwikungu
A fresh new look has finally emerged allover Kampala. The city skyline has been re-shaped and is looking beautifully different ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is an understatement.
Within a small radius are hotels, motels or inns. Mid-century architecture that has for long typified Kampala is fast giving way to futuristic buildings; whose beauty has come to complement the tropical lushness.
On Acacia Avenue alone are two landmark structures within kissing-distance of each other. The Kampala Protea Hotel and Metropole Hotel, a few yards down the road have added to the splendour of the already elegant and serene Kitante Golf course.
The illusionary (small on the outside, expansive on the inside) Kampala Protea Hotel 70 luxurious Suite Hotel may not be that tall to hug the sky, but it sits on acres of space, making it hard to ignore.
The hotel has an enjoyable architecture that is more than the usual concrete blocks. It employs an innovative design that uses cutting-age technology. It has brown, smooth and tanned exterior walls that can only leave you wondering about the interior.
If the golf course’s lush greenery is not dazzling enough to warrant one’s attention as they drive by, the stylish 60-room Metropole Hotel will do. Not only does the hotel have the space and flexibility to hold big numbers of people, but also its design and roofing allows for fresh air and natural light that filters through the corridors and the washrooms.
“We intend to build a reputation for comfort, charm and friendly efficient service and we believe our guests, after getting a feel will return to our delightful retreat,†Rahul Sood, the manager, says.
The decor is a clever mix of old and new; art-deco furniture sits comfortably alongside stunning modern pieces. Rooms are contemporary, bright and welcoming, a sure way to provide relaxation that can soothe any stress.
Sood reckons that the hotel is the first in Africa with the Voice over Internet Protocol telephony for the guests. The hotel has Internet Protocol phones installed everywhere. It is wireless and guests can browse the high speed Internet anywhere.
That said, the Golf course Hotel is another marvel. The hotel is one of the grandest and historical landmarks.
I believe even some environmentalists who went up in arms during the hotel’s infancy days would get impressed by what greets them today.
Pointed and cylindrical roofs, large fountains and an expansive swimming pool in the middle of a canopy of trees all spell a ‘cool atmosphere’ befitting a queen.
Chinese architecture is most famous for the Great Wall of China. However, The Nanjing restaurant and Motel, on Impala Avenue in the plush Kololo suburb is an architectural marvel. It is proof that there is so much more to Chinese architecture than just that huge Chinese wall.
An aquatic theme runs through the hotel and its design is both visually and functionally cascading. It has a transparent glass ‘waterfall’ that lights the building as night falls. Calling it ‘large and extravagant’, ‘a pleasure to look at’ ‘breath-taking and ‘detailed to the last drop’ best describes, the Nanjing Motel.
In city centre is yet another awesome sight – the Royal Imperial Hotel.
Though said to be built in the road reserve, the hotel is really a spectacle.
It has no extraneous clutter, but the attention to detail is superb. The colours used on the hotel are beguiling and encourage the much clamoured for natural light.
A fresh new look has finally emerged allover Kampala. The city skyline has been re-shaped and is looking beautifully different ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is an understatement.
Within a small radius are hotels, motels or inns. Mid-century architecture that has for long typified Kampala is fast giving way to futuristic buildings; whose beauty has come to complement the tropical lushness.
On Acacia Avenue alone are two landmark structures within kissing-distance of each other. The Kampala Protea Hotel and Metropole Hotel, a few yards down the road have added to the splendour of the already elegant and serene Kitante Golf course.
The illusionary (small on the outside, expansive on the inside) Kampala Protea Hotel 70 luxurious Suite Hotel may not be that tall to hug the sky, but it sits on acres of space, making it hard to ignore.
The hotel has an enjoyable architecture that is more than the usual concrete blocks. It employs an innovative design that uses cutting-age technology. It has brown, smooth and tanned exterior walls that can only leave you wondering about the interior.
If the golf course’s lush greenery is not dazzling enough to warrant one’s attention as they drive by, the stylish 60-room Metropole Hotel will do. Not only does the hotel have the space and flexibility to hold big numbers of people, but also its design and roofing allows for fresh air and natural light that filters through the corridors and the washrooms.
“We intend to build a reputation for comfort, charm and friendly efficient service and we believe our guests, after getting a feel will return to our delightful retreat,†Rahul Sood, the manager, says.
The decor is a clever mix of old and new; art-deco furniture sits comfortably alongside stunning modern pieces. Rooms are contemporary, bright and welcoming, a sure way to provide relaxation that can soothe any stress.
Sood reckons that the hotel is the first in Africa with the Voice over Internet Protocol telephony for the guests. The hotel has Internet Protocol phones installed everywhere. It is wireless and guests can browse the high speed Internet anywhere.
That said, the Golf course Hotel is another marvel. The hotel is one of the grandest and historical landmarks.
I believe even some environmentalists who went up in arms during the hotel’s infancy days would get impressed by what greets them today.
Pointed and cylindrical roofs, large fountains and an expansive swimming pool in the middle of a canopy of trees all spell a ‘cool atmosphere’ befitting a queen.
Chinese architecture is most famous for the Great Wall of China. However, The Nanjing restaurant and Motel, on Impala Avenue in the plush Kololo suburb is an architectural marvel. It is proof that there is so much more to Chinese architecture than just that huge Chinese wall.
An aquatic theme runs through the hotel and its design is both visually and functionally cascading. It has a transparent glass ‘waterfall’ that lights the building as night falls. Calling it ‘large and extravagant’, ‘a pleasure to look at’ ‘breath-taking and ‘detailed to the last drop’ best describes, the Nanjing Motel.
In city centre is yet another awesome sight – the Royal Imperial Hotel.
Though said to be built in the road reserve, the hotel is really a spectacle.
It has no extraneous clutter, but the attention to detail is superb. The colours used on the hotel are beguiling and encourage the much clamoured for natural light.