About
Masindi Hotel is located on Butiaba Road in the town of Masindi in western Uganda, approximately 214 kilometers northwest of Kampala. Situated roughly 20 kilometers from Murchison Falls National Park, the property serves as a major gateway for travelers visiting Uganda's largest national park and the surrounding Budongo Forest region.Established in 1923 by the East Africa Railways and Harbours Company, Masindi Hotel is Uganda's oldest hotel and holds official National Heritage status. During the early 20th century, Masindi functioned as a primary trade transit point for goods moving between the Northern Congo, Southern Sudan, Lake Albert, and the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa. The hotel has hosted several high-profile historical figures, including author Ernest Hemingway, who spent time recuperating at the hotel in 1954 following two consecutive plane crashes in the area, as well as actors Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn during the filming of The African Queen. Following Uganda's independence, the hotel was managed by the state-owned Uganda Hotels chain before being privatized in 2000 and undergoing extensive restorations that retained its colonial architectural style.The accommodation options range from standard single, double, and triple guest rooms to a VIP suite with a distinct sitting room, a multi-bedroom family cottage with a kitchen and private patio, and dedicated campsite facilities featuring hot showers. Guest services include the Kabalega Restaurant, which serves local Ugandan, Asian, Indian, and international dishes, as well as the historic Hemingway Bar. The surrounding grounds and gardens harbor indigenous flora, offering birdwatching opportunities at The Birder's Block and frequent sightings of resident monkeys.
