This is a report on my experience at the Sheraton Kamapala - I haven't seen anything on this hotel posted here recently.

The hotel layout is a very typical for a oasis in a developing country capital (although Uganda, I learned, is not quite considered "developing" like its neighbor Kenya, but rather "heavily indebted")

It is on a compound surrounded by attractive open space. The facilities are all a significant distance from the street, but I'm not sure if it meets corporate/NGO requirements as "blast-resistant" if that applies to you.

I had been in Kenya on a research project in a small village for a month with no running water or electricity before coming to Kampala. Arriving at night, I check into a small hotel advertising internet for $25 a night. But with no apart from the lobby lights, the router doesn't work. I got a meal, and bit into the most rancid tilapia I have tasted. It was seriously nar-nar. No electricty for a day means no refrigeration

That night I felt the lights go on, but the power is back off by the time I wake up. I really need internet to prepare for a meeting the next day, so I resolve to go to the Sheraton and if the rate is too high just use points.

The lobby is incredible. Keep in mind the EWR four points would have been impressive to me at that time, but this property really managed to accomplish a tastful Ikea-meets-Out of Africa motif downstairs. There are six or so front desk clerks, all seem to be designated "Trainee".

I ask the rate. He responds with something in the USD $300+range.

I ask about using points for the room. He responds that I can use any currency to pay at checkout. I say not pounds, starpoints. Still no comprehension. He thinks I am the dummest mzungo he's seen yet today, but graciously walks me through the process. I give him credit card, he gives me room key, then on check out I pay the cashier.

"No, Sheraton points". Free room. Frequent flyer miles. Points that I have gotten from staying at other Sheratons..."

He excuses himself, and returns with a list.

USD, GBP, EUR, AUS$, NZD, Rand...all are accepted. I give up and decide to call the starwood hotline.

I asked about a SPG 50 - the rack is an insane $1500 US per night. Hotel is Cat 2, its a weekend but they have cash and points. I make the res, just for 2 nights, (but am already here on my fifth). In less than five minutes of int'l phone time, I have a confirmation number.

Same gentleman at check in. No problem, issues the keys.

Next morning I go down to the front desk to ask about extending my stay. No problem, they say. I make sure its for the same rate. they look and are totally perplexified. They call an office somewhere - its hard to tell if the person on the other end was also confused.

"Your rate is $1500 plus 25 pounds". Super! For those just a little more stupid that those paying the $1500 rack, you can pay an extra $50 in another currency for good measure.

I figure the computers will get it right at check-out. Then ask about free breakfast, trying to allude to my gold status - which they have no comprehension of - and then say I am a VIP. More deliberation. No, no free breafast based on my rate. They show me on the printout of everyone's name and where it would indicate free breakfast if free breakfast was included in my rate. But because I was paying 5x the normal rate plus an extra 25 lbs they say I can go get it, even though i'm not entitled.

This was more humorous than frustrating, I should be clear - it was not unpleasant. The room was great - the bed was a low-grade pillowtop which must cost a fortune in east affrica. The rest of the furnishings were totally new looking - no scratches or knicks - with the it looking exactly as if it came out of a Hilton in 1984. Bathroom too. New carpet in rooms and hallways. Hallways are styled with the faux-mahogony wood paneling from floor to ceiling, like the late Ms. Astor may have had in he bedroom.

Pool is super, with adjoining bar area. Room service was excellent and about $15 US for an appetizer and entree all inclusive - very filling and better value than either pub grub downstairs or full service restaurant.

Emirates and BA flight attendants were staying at times. Filled with the NGOs and Missionary crowd who share in our dedication to healing the continent one Land Rover at at time. (seriously, while nairobi has its own self-made sinister vibe, parts of kampala seemed to profess the hope of relief agencies ending poverty through stunning architecture in their headquarters buildings).


One big big plus about the sheraton is the connection to the internets. Free in every room. For those in east africa you know that any outside connection is satellite-based and can be extremely slow. At even the better internet cafes, its hard to break 1 kB/s, and latency is extremeley high (i.e. skype with a 10 second delay)

But the sheraton has leased a portion of fixed intersat bandwidth and it was the highest I've experienced in east africa, ever. I could download a 500MB file at 30kB/s during the early morning hours, and only in the evening when people filled the public areas would it get congested (below 4kBs). Granted the high latency means it seem like one of Europe or NA's crappiest internet connections when just surfing, but its useable.

Note if you are reading this in 2009 or beyond, the problem of slow internets and high phone fees to east africa may already be solved because of the pending opening of an undersea cable to Yemen. At least in Kenya, the speed could become normalized overnight in major centers, with Uganda, Tanz and Rwanda poised to immediately benefit as well if they can work out the $$ with Kapn' Kenya.

And then they could use the Sat' bandwidth for HBO at this fine sheraton - where do the movies for "Movie Magic" come from? Its like soft-porn with all plot and no tna.