HotSpots: At Fame Guest House “thou shalt not commit adultery!”

FAME GUEST HOUSE is located in Remera, Kisementi, just after the roundabout on the way to the airport. And Fame is unlike most guest houses I have been to, in that from the time we walked through its gates it became obvious that there was “danger” lying ahead. Danger in that the first sight that greeted us was that of numerous “No Smoking” signs hanging from every crevice like decorative wall pieces. So in the spirit of the customer being king, we seized the opportunity to ask management why the no-smoking rule is so strictly enforced. “Internationally, people are not supposed to smoke in public. They should do so in a designated private room, but as you can see, we don’t have such a room here, and will never have one,” came blunt answer from the manager, William. But little did we know that there was more “danger” lurking ahead, by way of Fame’s guest policy, which states among others, that only “married couples” can check into the same room! Actually as one checks in, you will be politely asked if you have a companion in tow, and the nature of your relationship. Should you check in alone and later be joined by a visitor of the opposite sex, their Identification details must be taken down at the reception. So the burning question is: does one then carry along their marriage certificate to present at the reception before check-in, all in the name of a night’s stay in a guest house? “Our aim is not so much to fill our rooms everyday, but provide quality service,” the manager again explained, adding: “we would rather stay without a single client than help clients disobey God.” From all the moralizing, it becomes obvious that Fame Guest House is propping itself up for the more discerning and decent crowd, and it is this lot you are bound to run into, be it local, regional or international guests on short stay. The rules aside, as you walk past the gate, to your immediate left is a small and neat roofed patio that draws the lap-top wielding, wi-fi hunting crowds in their droves, because the wi-fi is free. This little patio is but an extension of Fame Café, the guest house’s in-house cafeteria that serves everything from espressos and teas to juices and smoothies and shakes, all hovering around the Rwf 2,000 mark. For bites, there are decent burgers, sandwiches, beef and chicken stroganoff, not forgetting the usual light snacks. They do have a menu box that is built into the ground as you walk to reception, and that announced beef burgers, as well as the Cheese and egg burger as the day’s specials on the Wednesday afternoon when we mad e a stop over. I settled for the egg burger in cheese, because it was the cheaper option (Rwf 2,000), and because it would take about six minutes to arrive. The burger, while good, was not done justice by the bread, which came a little too crusty, and which made me to wish I could find a hot mug of milk to dip it in!