GM Lando Hotel
By Cathy Emmerson

I found an oasis in Gitarama that I am more than happy to share with you.
After a hot and nerve wracking drive from Butare, Kabuye or Kigali you arrive in the bustling town of Gitarama. Gitarama is a clean, friendly town that has new businesses popping up every week.
Located just off the main road up a dusty side street that you think leads to nowhere, you will find G.M. Lando Hotel, the newest “hot spot” in town. From the moment you arrive at GM Lando you feel more relaxed. Lando and his wife are gracious hosts who go out of their way to ensure your stay is an enjoyable and comfortable one and this is evident in the manner in which the hotel staff treat you as a customer. The staff are welcoming and friendly and most speak English.
The complex is huge with a variety of seating options; the bistro area comes complete with flat screen TV’s on the walls, trendy bistro style furniture and full food and bar service overlooks the garden and fountain area. It is private and can accommodate groups for private functions. Because of the serene landscaped surroundings, many locals are now celebrating their weddings at G.M. Lando. You are welcome to sit at any of the patio tables that are scattered throughout the gardens and around the fountain plus the main dining/bar area is available.

The main bar area is a hive of activity with a superb view of the gardens. There is a wide variety of soft drinks, beers, liqueurs and hard liquor as well as an assortment of snack foods, making G.M. Lando the most popular haunt in Gitarama - locals and visitors alike enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the place.

It would seem that even though G.M. Lando Hotel has only been open a few months it is already getting a reputation as the place to visit. We met up with a few businessmen from Ruhengeri who were travelling through from Butare.

The rooms are situated in what feels like a house. There is no reception area just a lovely open foyer with 2 hallways leading to each room. The rooms are new and trendy with “real” box spring and mattress beds....no foam mattresses here. The bedding and towels are soft and luxurious and make you feel as though you are staying in the Serena (which goes for $300usd per nite) when you are actually paying only 20,000 rwf per nite for a double room at GM Lando Hotel. There is a television in each room but these are not completely functional as yet and one can only enjoy 1 channel without the volume - having said that though, if a TV is your main priority you’re not getting out and seeing enough of Rwanda!

Dinners at GM Lando Hotel are delicious with a wide variety of meals to choose from. Meals like Roasted chicken with an assortment of vegetables, Beef (done to perfection) and served with potatoes, beans and salad, Special house salads that are full of healthy ingredients to Goat stew (the meat is really tender) served with fresh vegetables.

After dinner coffees and liqueurs can be enjoyed well into the night while the evening’s surroundings take on a life of their own. It’s the perfect time to reminisce with friends and family over the day’s events.

Lando’s wife personally oversees the cooking of the breakfast (which comes in at 2,000 frw per person) each morning and it is delicious and it gives you a really good start to the day. Be prepared to be spoilt with freshly made fruit juices, an assortment of fresh fruit, fresh baked buns and breads, an omelette made with yellow yolked eggs from Rwandan chickens.

I have stayed at Lando’s on four separate occasions and each time with friends and visitors who have yet to be disappointed. My guests have all commented on the excellent food (lunches range from 1,500frw to 5,000frw and dinner is about 4,000frw per person).
GM Lando Hotel is well worth the visit and offers good value for money to anyone staying the night or dining at the hotel.

For more information, please contact:
GM Lando Hotel
Mobile: +250788512311
Email: gmlando@yahoo.fr