A sublime dining experience
Of the hotel’s many innovations, the bar and dining facilities are perhaps the most inspirational. On the ground floor, the relaxed Italian "Explorer" restaurant offers a uniquely off-beat tribute to Africa’s early explorers by replicating a jungle-engulfed ruined city, reminiscent of a scene from "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Nearby, the atmospheric "In the Mist" bar looks out across the lake through stands of lush-green bamboo, which suggest the misty mountain habitat of Uganda’s famous gorillas. And just beyond the pillar of water that is the central waterfall, the internationally-styled "The Lakes" restaurant suggests the watery depths of a lake, where mosaic fishes dart, weeds shimmer, and faint rays of sunlight filter down from above. Finally, on the first floor, the lustrous "Pearl of Africa" restaurant blends stark black granite with opalescent marble to create a timeless silver screen backdrop for the vibrancy of the restaurant’s world-class cuisine.

A triumph of light space and cascading water, the Kampala Serena Hotel offers a world of dining and entertaining options.

The bars
Echoes of ‘Gorillas in the Mist’
Set to become one of Kampala’s most fashionable gathering places, the atmospheric ‘The Mist’ bar, rustles with bamboo and evokes the misty montane habitat of Uganda’s famous gorillas.

The ‘The Mist’ bar is named after the famous 1988 film ‘Gorillas in the Mist’. The film, which was directed by Michael Apted, followed the life and work of American zoologist, Dian Fossey (played in the film by Sigourney Weaver), who spent 23 years studying the behavior of the critically endangered Mountain Gorillas of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Almost solely responsible for drawing the attention of the world to the plight of the threatened gorillas, and saving them from certain extinction, Dian was tragically murdered in 1985 at her gorilla camp in Rwanda.

As a result of Dian’s work, the Mountain Gorillas now enjoy protected status in all the national parks of the region; and the chance of seeing them is one of the most sought-after tourist events in the world. Of the few thousand Mountain Gorillas that remain on earth, over half of them live in Uganda: five troops in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (331 sq km); and one troop in Mghinga National Park (33 sq km). And so heavily protected are they that only thirty tourists per day are allowed into their domain (many of whom book their ‘gorilla viewing permit’ years in advance). Which makes the shy and gentle Mountain Gorillas, Uganda’s most famous tourist attraction.

The Pool Bar
Located amid the sculptured rock gardens, cascading waterfalls and shimmering blue water of the pool complex, the Pool Bar is the ultimate in al fresco luxury and the ideal venue for café dining, family snacks, cocktails and more. Multi-facetted, it also adapts well to the presentation of a wide variety of poolside events and cocktail parties. Fully equipped with its own catering station, PA system and atmospheric lighting system; it even boasts its own ornate bandstand and mosaic dance floor.

The restaurants
The Kampala Serena Hotel’s menus will be planned by the Group’s leading chef, John Macharia and will be carefully designed to reflect the best of Ugandan produce and the most enduring of her cultural traditions. They will also reflect the international influences that have been brought to bear on the country, with plenty of references to Swahili, Asian and British cuisine. Most important of all, however, the cuisine will reflect the truly global nature of the hotel’s clientele.

The Pearl of Africa : the epitome of fine dining
Situated on the first floor, with panoramic views across the city, the lustrous ‘Pearl of Africa’ a la carte restaurant blends stark black granite with opalescent marble to create a timeless ‘silver screen’ backdrop for the restaurant’s world-class cuisine.

Uganda’s ‘Explorers’ remembered
Relaxed, welcoming and uniquely themed, the ‘Explorer’ Italian bistro offers an offbeat tribute to Africa’s early explorers by replicating a jungle-engulfed ruined city, reminiscent of a scene from ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’. Menu choices include the very best of traditional Italian cuisine.

Cool interiors and sun-drenched terraces
Designed to suggest the watery depths of a lake, where mosaic fishes dart, weeds shimmer, and faint rays of sunlight filter down from above, the spacious 24-hour ‘The Lakes’ looks out over the water gardens and offers all-day terrace and inside dining options. The menu, superbly ‘a la carte’, or abundantly ‘buffet’, is an inspirational mix of national, regional and international cuisine.

A haven for residents
Reserved for residents only, the sumptuous ‘Bambara’ residents’ lounge, offers a haven of calm, newspapers and all-day café choices. There’s also an opulently Bedouin-tented terrace for ultimate escapism.