A vast array of activities can be done when you stay at the Takutu Hotel. Whether you want to visit the Brazilian city of Boa Vista, go bird watching in Rewa, fishing in Guns Village, or just sight-seeing in the Rupununi Savannas, the friendly and helpful staff at the Takutu Hotel will supply you with all the tools, information and resources needed to get you where you want to go.
Where Is The Takutu Hotel?
The hotel is located opposite the Power Company Station in Lethem. Fortunately, it is just five minutes walking distance from the Lethem airport. If you enter Guyana through the border with Brazil, you will need to take a taxi to bring you to the Takutu Hotel. Generally, all taxi drivers know where the Takutu Hotel is.
- Address: Lot JH, Takutu Drive, Lethem, Rupununi, Guyana, South America.
- Telephone: (592) 772-2034
- Email: [email protected]
Background Information Of The Takutu Hotel
The Takutu Hotel is one of Lethem’s oldest and yet most modernized hotels. Even with all the modern amenities of a 5-star hotel, it still showcases the rustic settings of the wild Rupununi.
The Takutu Guest House was opened in November 1973 to welcome and accommodate the First Safari Expedition to the Rupununi. Originally it was a six room guest facility. The business operated as a partnership until 1989 between best friends Mr. Arthur Bobb, corporal of the Guyana Police Force, and Ivan Alexander Johnson, originally of No. 30 Village, West Coast Berbice, who, at the age of 18, ventured overland to the Rupununi in 1946 in search of employment.
In the 1970’s, other than the Government’s Rest House, the Takutu Guest House served as the only hospitality facility in Lethem catering mainly to foreign tourists and Government officials and employees. In the 80’s the facility expanded from a 12 to 21 room hotel facility and became the main accommodation center for the high traffic Guyana-Brazil commodity traders.
Aiming to provide excellent hospitality service, in 2011, the Hotel completed its New Wing with 11 more high-end guest rooms, and in April 2017, in time for the annual Rupununi Rodeo Event, completed the first phase of an ongoing renovation and expansion plan.
Tip: The hotel is one of the most popular hotels in the Rupununi Savannas.
The Takutu Hotel Presently
On the 30th March, 2018 the new ‘Ivan Johnson Snr. floor’ was officially declared open in honor of the late Ivan Johnson, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI). The new wing was opened in time for the annual Rupununi Rodeo, which usually sees a large influx of locals and overseas visitors in the area.
Presently, the hotel is a 39-room air-conditioned, modern and classy facility offering its business and tourism clientele a range of hospitality services in a safe, clean and comfortable environment. The hotel is well known for their affordable rates, friendly and helpful customer service and attractive environment.
It has a built-in restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Right next to the Takutu Hotel is the Takutu Bar and the Takutu Gas Station – all partners of the same enterprise. There is also a benab at the back of the hotel for tourists who want to tie hammocks or camp in portable tents. You can give them a call to plan and organize your visit for a successful and great experience. The Takutu Hotel is owned and operated by Ivan Johnson’s family.
A Bit About Ivan Johnson
Ivan Johnson is one of the early pioneers of the Rupununi, dating back to the 1940s when he left his home in Berbice and journeyed through the cattle trail to create a livelihood in the Rupununi. Throughout the 1980s, Johnson and his business partner Bobb were heavily involved in the developmental activities of the Rupununi, including being members of the Rodeo Organizing Committee. Through his ranch and guest house, Johnson contributed to the annual rodeo event by providing monetary donations, cattle and vaqueros for the festival.
Did You Know?
The Takutu River is a river that runs along the Rupununi Savannas, and separates Guyana from Brazil. The “Takutu River Bridge” is the bridge that crosses the Takutu River and connects Guyana to Brazil.
The Takutu Hotel In Guyana
The Takutu Hotel welcomes visitors to the expansive, rustic, breathtaking and inspiring Rupununi Savannas which is home to Macushi, Wapishana and Wai Wai tribes of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples. Truly, Ivan Johnson was indeed an industrious man who ventured out for employment, starting off with a guest house which eventually became a beautiful hotel. The hotel is a tourism hub in the Rupununi; whichever village/place you want to go – whether in Lethem or over to Brazil – it serves as a great resting and supply spot for all your needs. More than being a tourism hub, the Takutu Hotel is honorably the oldest existing business establishment in Lethem!
Article References:
- https://dpi.gov.gy/tag/takutu-hotel/
- https://www.facebook.com/takutuhotel/
- https://patrickcarpen.com/guyana/hotels-in-guyana/the-takutu-hotel-lethem/
- https://www.stabroeknews.com/2018/news/guyana/04/02/takutu-hotel-opens-new-wing/
