Jinja Nile Resort is not all that...

As the gate is swung open, your sight will immediately be caught by the peaceful mighty River Nile. That’s the major attraction for Jinja Nile Resort, one of the town’s major hotels.

The reception tells of fair grandeur with beautiful chandeliers, and wall decor. The receptionists are warm and welcoming. In fact, they see to it that guests are led to their accommodation facilities.

The cottages are beautiful from the outside but it is the inside where a guest could find fault, at least that’s where I felt the money’s worth was not equivalent to what is provided. I opened the doors, switched on the lights and there was a check-in scene of cockroaches running around on the beautiful cream leather seats.

Immediately, I’m driven to imagine that this room had not been inhabited for a while. For a price which comes close to half a million shillings there was a television set giving off something close to rickety sound. Of course management can do better with plasma flat screens, if they are not to come off as stingy.

Time to cool off
After a fairly long journey of shake-ups owing to rough terrain after several working visits in Jinja and its suburbs, one would yearn for a good shower preferably in a warm bathtub but alas. All there was, was a small shower cubicle. Before I could step in, I could hear a friend complaining about lack of running water. Another voiced his concern on having only hot water running in his shower.

Feeling a little lucky, I turned on the taps to brush my teeth and hey, I can feel the water bouncing off the floor down under and onto my feet. There was a plumbing problem. And when I settled to have a shower, I realised that there was need to cautiously run the shower or else I risked turning the bathroom into a pool of water.

Meal time
Time to eat offered its experience. The food is sumptuous though there was fault with presentation. Two waiters looked happy but they seemed to double as chefs because of the partly dingy attire and shoes that had seen one too many stitches.

The fruits served were something between ripe and raw. Watermelon which is naturally red was mostly a shade of red and white. After a bite in the semi-ready melon you would want to go slow on pineapple.

Bedtime
After the shortfalls, the bed was fairly fresh, with white bed sheets and pillows. There was Wi-Fi too and a fridge that did not offer variety. There was only a bottle of mineral water. The alternative was a cup of tea from a percolator.

The following bright morning, the eyes nibbled on well-maintained lawns and flower beds that demarcated walkways at the resort. From a distance, the crystal blue swimming pool was inviting.

Still, the search for what makes Jinja Nile Resort pricey still puzzles me. I have spent less money in facilities that offer more than this resort.
May be management attaches the prices to the fact that the the facility has a beautiful view of the mighty River Nile.

Did you know?
According to the resort’s site,www.madahotels.com, Jinja Nile Resort rests on the banks of this magnificent river and offers magnificent views of the Nile and the rich fauna that it attracts, offering services for both the business traveller and holiday maker.
Jinja Nile resort was voted best weekend getaway and best country hotel in Uganda by Travel News magazine in the year 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.