Casa Del Turista

The terrace restaurant is what made the place special for me when I visited four years ago, and I’ve now been back for a second visit. The view from up there is beautiful, and it’s a nice atmosphere to work or have a drink with friends. The hotel is good, with fair prices, okay room sizes, a spacious lobby I liked, and a big backyard. I had hoped to see more changes over the last four years, though. Restaurant service needs work: my juice took over 30 minutes, and the pizza was disappointing. I think the place would be crowded if the restaurant service improved.

I came back for another stay, and it’s still great. After a long day on dirt and tar roads, it’s nice to unwind on the rooftop and get a good night’s rest. On my first visit, I found friendly, helpful staff, good food, and a good mix of local and international people to meet. It’s a budget-friendly place in Mbale. There’s limited secure parking, and the building is old and worn in places, but it’s clean and comfortable.

It’s okay for the price if you’re stuck, but I’d look elsewhere because prices have jumped 40% since last year. There’s not really parking unless you count the street. We got one towel and a tiny bar of soap, with nothing else available. Food service was a bit slow, though the staff were nice. The room was okay, but the view was bad and the lighting too dim.

The shared indoor spaces and recently renovated rooftop seating make it easy to meet people, and the staff were always ready to help. They stored our bags while we went to climb Mt Elgon and dropped us at the bus park when we left. The location is great, the staff are lovely, and the rooms are very clean with hot showers. The food was fresh and tasty, especially the veg curry!