Enjoy comfort and nature at Nyonyozi

Located in Kakoba, about three kilometres outside Mbarara City centre North, Nyonyozi Homes are perfect places to stay away from the crowded city centre that is always buzzing with blaring music and crammed crowds.

At the homes you can spend quality time with your family and friends but it is also more than just accommodation, you can make yourself delicious meals, have an outdoorsy feel in a  well-groomed orchard and enjoy chirping birds and fresh air. 

There, a guest can have a community tourism experience through a short trek in the vicinities with a guide.

Each three-bedroom apartment is fully furnished, plus a living room, washroom, laundry room and a kitchen that gives you and your family a private stay.  In this digital-paced world and some guests that have working trips which require an internet connection, the re is  Wi-Fi connection and and TV.  Each apartment goes for Shs 200,000 per  stay.

If you cannot prepare your own meal, there is a standby caretaker who takes your order of choice.

Privacy

At the time of our visit we found a family that had come from Kiruhura for Easter holidays but chose to stay here to avoid inconveniencing their families in the village.

“I have stayed in the diaspora for five years but I chose to come for Easter with my family but I have not yet built a home in my village.  Even then, I do not want to inconvenience my parents and siblings. We drive there once in a while and return here,” said Asaph Mutabazi, a guest.

He added that he realised it would be expensive to stay in a guest house for close to a week  in Mbarara.

“Besides comfort and privacy for my family I realised I would be paying more than Shs450,000. Every stay for accomodation in a guest house with my family and feeding would be at least Shs 200,000 everyday,  but here I spend  Shs 200,000 per stay and cooking for ourselves does not exceed Shs 70,000 every day ,” explains Mutabazi .   

 Herbert Tushabe, the managing director of Nyonyozi Homes, explains that he developed a concept of building homes after his long stay and work in Abu Dhabi.

“During my stay in Abu Dhabi, I realised the concept of homestays was preferred by many travellers, tourists and businesspeople instead of restaurants and guest houses to avoid exorbitant charges. They could book online and as they reach Abu Dhabi book into their apartments,”  Tushabe explains.

He stayed in one of the apartments and saw how easy life was to stay in such homes.

“When you travel and get to your apartment, you go to the supermarket, shop and you pay for the days you are going to stay instead of paying for a month. A restaurant or guest house is a bit expensive  unlike such a place that is  tailored to your stay and I found it very interesting. It gives comfort, peace, privacy,”  Tushabe says.

When I returned to Uganda, this was an opportunity for me to explore this chance, especially after benchmarking and found such facilities were lacking in Mbarara City.

Spacious and convenient

Tushabe notes he has been attracting customers because most people prefer privacy, convenience, and peaceful environment, especially those who travel upcountry with their families or as individuals for social gatherings and family gatherings such as weddings, for holidays and tourists.

“Some of my customers travel with a whole family ( children and a caretaker) and they need privacy that is a home stay away from home.

It is not convenient to have this family stay in a guest house, you need privacy and comfort. Here each apartment has three bed rooms fully furnished with a kitchen, living room, shower and laundry rooms. You can go to the supermarket, buy food and cook for yourself,” explains Mr Tushabe, before adding even those that come as individuals want privacy, a peaceful ,cool environment besides the charges being friendly.

Charges

Cost of each day at Nyonyozi Homes  is Shs 200,000 and Nyonyozi Homes are accessed through booking at booking.com and other websites which have the management’s contacts.