Entebbe’s Lake Victoria hotel, now under the umbrella of the Laico hotel group, is a popular choice for an Entebbe airport hotel. We spotted everyone from government officials to airline cabin crew and NGO representatives within its walls. That makes for great security measures, a convivial atmosphere and a nice buzz in the restaurant and bar.

The hotel is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, in expansive surroundings; there’s a large pool (plus a smaller one for children), a poolside bar and lots of lawn space. The building itself underwent interior renovations recently, but the outer walls are peeling and could certainly use a lick of paint.

We recommend opting for one of the rooms furthest away from reception; they have had a decent makeover. Our standard double room was small but modern and perfectly comfortable; the bathroom had a tub as well as a shower, and two windows faced out onto the gardens. There was also a desk and ample plug sockets – useful when it came to hunkering down to work that evening. The bed was perhaps a little on the small side for couples, but comfortable and adequate for a night or two. Wifi is free and accessible via individual codes available from reception.

We went down to the restaurant and bar in the early evening. It can be tough to find a good glass of wine in Entebbe, but thankfully the bar at the Lake Victoria hotel has a choice of seven or eight white and red wines. There’s also the usual beer selection and a lengthy cocktail list. Dinner is served on the pretty covered terrace, and there’s a good international menu that includes Indian dishes. We tried the excellent lentil dahl, served with fluffy white rice and spiced popadoms.

The next morning, it was easy to find a taxi into town. There’s also a shuttle bus to and from the airport that runs throughout the day according to demand. It’s those such details that make the Lake Victoria a reasonable stopover option; we would come back and stay again.