Acacia Villa Kampala — Hotel in Kampala

I stayed at Acacia Villa a few months ago with 2 friends. It's a great budget-friendly option for backpackers, small groups or couples and solo-travellers! 👍🏼 During our time there, we stayed in the 9-person (?) budget room and a 3-person hut.

Pros: Very easy to meet people here, nice homey atmosphere, super friendly and helpful staff, breakfast included in the price and it changes everyday so it doesn't get boring (though I could've eaten the samosas every day 😍🤤), great area which is calm but still relatively close to Kampala's must-sees, cute garden with a nice view, super fast wifi, kitchen to cook and possibility to get food delivered from Acacia Mall, mosquito nets provided, hot showers, rooms are cleaned daily, run by locals instead of some huge corporation, great price, Gustavo the dog :)

Cons: Roof in the hut was leaking a bit, only two bathrooms in the main building so you often have to wait your turn to take a shower or use the toilet, possibility to have your clothes washed but they might get mixed up with other people's things, no lockers for valuables (they might've fixed some of that since the time I visited)

All in all, the positives outweigh the negatives by miles. In my experience, the place was very welcoming and warm. I'm still in touch with many people I've met there and am looking forward to come back one day. Thanks again Benjie :)

Ps: I don't know why there's a pool in one of the photos. Acacia Villa doesn't have a pool. (At least not...

We spent two nights here, one before and one after our safari. Our first night was in the Double Room with a Private Bathroom, which I recommend. The check-in staff were friendly and helpful, and we really enjoyed the company of the dogs. The hot showers were a great bonus, and the outdoor area was charming with a lovely view.

Our experience took a turn during our second stay in the Private Room with the Queen bed, and I would not recommend booking this room. While the room itself is small (which we can manage), the private bathroom is located outside, facing the kitchen door—something that wasn’t made clear on the website or in the pictures. Additionally, the room suffers from poor ventilation, which causes kitchen smells and noise to fill the space. The window also faces a walkway where staff frequently pass by, offering little privacy or quiet.

Regarding breakfast, although the food was decent—fruit, eggs, pancakes, and fried potatoes with coffee or tea—the kitchen staff were unhelpful. We asked for milk to add to our coffee, but they refused, even though milk was available in the kitchen. The pancakes were dry, and when we asked for butter or honey, the staff claimed they didn’t have any, despite butter being visibly on the counter. It’s best to bring your own milk or toppings if you plan to have...

Acacia Villa is easy to find since it pops up on Google Maps and thus Safe Boda, for example. That's a real plus when you are staying at a new place. I found Acacia Villa on airbnb. (It has a great write-up and lots of room options at this and a second building very close by). I then extended my stay for another few days. I opted for the shared dorm which was fine because most nights I was the only resident. There was a metal trunk in the dorm (tip. Always carry your own padlock with you). Accommodation is quite basic but regularly cleaned. Towels aren't provided (but perhaps you can hire them?) Plenty of water for hot showers; reliable internet. Rates are room only. Breakfast is $4 a day for a set menu EG fruit and freshly made samosas. You can also buy beers and sodas on site. I enjoyed meeting the owner Austin. He is interested in every guest and makes everyone feel welcome, whether expats like me, international tourists or Ugandans returning to visit family. Benjie was friendly and very helpful. Acacia Villa runs a good show. I recommend staying with them and, despite the proximity to Kisementi, it's not that noisy, just a hum of background traffic. Good view from hill. Pretty at dawn!

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