Businessman Sudhir Ruparelia is set to open his luxury Paradise Island Resort on Lake Victoria in December which adds a new high-end tourism destination to Uganda’s hospitality industry.
The resort, developed through the Ruparelia Group’s hospitality arm, Speke Group, is located on a private island approximately 20 minutes by speedboat from Speke Resort Munyonyo and is designed to offer an exclusive holiday experience combining luxury, privacy and nature.
The development features 38 accommodation units comprising 10 standard cottages, 11 cliffhanger cottages, 14 deluxe two-bedroom cottages and three executive villas, catering for couples, families, holidaymakers and corporate guests.
The island has been designed as an eco-luxury destination, with accommodation facilities positioned to maximise views of Lake Victoria while preserving much of the natural environment.
One of its major attractions is its solar-powered operating system, which allows the entire facility to run on renewable energy without relying on conventional electricity generators.
Sheena Ruparelia, a director at Paradise Island Resort, has previously emphasised the importance of sustainability in the development, describing it as a fully solar-powered eco-lodge.
“We are 100 per cent an eco-lodge. The island runs on solar,” she said.
The resort also incorporates a family-friendly design, with accommodation options catering for visitors travelling with children, while its wider facilities are intended to support conferences, corporate retreats, weddings, private celebrations and leisure activities.
Architect Ivan Martin Kutosi, who was involved in the project’s design, said the vision was to create a lifestyle destination rather than simply an accommodation facility.
“The whole idea was to create a lifestyle destination. We conceptualised it with lots of lifestyle activities, but there are also conferencing facilities, retreats, weddings, parties,” he said.
The island’s natural setting is another major attraction, with its surrounding waters, indigenous vegetation, rocky formations and birdlife offering opportunities for nature enthusiasts and visitors seeking a quiet getaway.
Its location also gives guests access to Lake Victoria’s recreational attractions, including boat excursions, fishing, bird watching and other water-based activities.
The development adds to the growing hospitality portfolio of Sudhir Ruparelia, one of Uganda’s leading investors, whose business interests span real estate, banking, education, insurance and hospitality.
Through the Ruparelia Group, Sudhir has established several prominent hospitality properties, including Speke Resort Munyonyo, Speke Resort Convention Centre, Speke Hotel, Kabira Country Club, Speke Apartments, Forest Cottages and Dolphin Suites.
The group’s investments have helped position Munyonyo as one of Kampala’s leading destinations for luxury accommodation, international conferences and business meetings.
Paradise Island is expected to complement these establishments by introducing a different hospitality experience centred on private island accommodation and environmentally conscious luxury.
The investment also comes at a time when Uganda is seeking to diversify its tourism products and attract high-spending international visitors through premium accommodation, leisure destinations and unique experiences beyond traditional wildlife safaris.
Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake by surface area, offers considerable potential for water-based tourism, and the new resort adds another attraction to the country’s lakeside hospitality offering.
With its 38 accommodation units, executive villas, solar-powered operations and exclusive island setting, Paradise Island is expected to strengthen Uganda’s position in the regional luxury tourism market when it officially opens in December.
The Paradise Island is an addition to Sudhir Ruparelia’s hospitality investments and reflects the big role of private-sector investment in expanding Uganda’s tourism infrastructure.
