Rwanda Hotels

Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Relay's Gorilla's Hotel - Ruhengeri Province: Musanze - entrance to Volcanoes National Park

by cafank

A nice hotel - nothing exciting but good value and it is close to everything you need in town. It was opposite one of the only working ATM's when I was there.

The rooms were exceptionally clean and staff were very friendly. There's a bar and restaurant, wireless internet is available in all rooms.

Accomodation is not cheap in this town as it is the entrance to Volcanoes National Park so almost anyone coming to see the gorill's stays here. This hotel was a respite (for me) from camping in the rain and I liked it.

Milles Collines: Hotel with a history

by sphynxxs

when I was visiting in May 2009, some renovation was going on, but it should be finished now. The hotel has a distinct 70´s feeling about it, but the location is quite central and offers nice views to the hillsides and into the neighborhoods down in the valley. Rooms have wireless internet which is charged extra, and there is a nice garden where you can have a beer in the evening or enjoy your lunch or dinner. The pool was closed by the time I was there but again, that might have changed by now.

The architecture might not be overwhelming, and some of the interiors look rather outdated, but then, this place has a history, depicted in the movie "Hotel Rwanda" or in the book "A sunday at the pool in Kigali". Not that the hotel makes many reference to its history during the genocide these days - which may also be due to the fact that the hotel manager is now persona non grata in Rwanda and many people claim he only safes affluent people who could pay for it, while thousands others were butchered. Still, it is a dramatic history the hotel has been through and there are still one or two of the staff who were there during 1994 .

ONE LOVE CLUB: CAMPING FOR A CAUSE

by DAO

One Love Club is the only place you can camp in Kigali. They also offer basic rooms with en-suit bathrooms, balconies and some cooking facilities. One Love Club is set in some very nice gardens and they have a bar and Rwandan restaurant as well. You stay supports an NGO called the Mulindi Japan One Love Project helping disabled people in Rwanda. So it’s for a good cause. They offer 24-hour security, car parking and you can even stay for a month at a time.

LAKE KIVU SERENA HOTEL: THE BEST HOTEL IN RWANDA

by DAO

Why the best in Rwanda? Well this is a luxury 4-5 star hotel with its own white sand beach on the massive Lake Kivu. On a clear day or hour you can see the rolling green Rwandan Hills, the colossal mountains across the water in DRC and the Virunga Volcano National Park on the same side of the lake just a few kilometres a way. They have a large swimming pool, lush green gardens, the great looking Kivu Sands Restaurant and first rate rooms. In fact all meals are served in the partially open-air dinning room that overlooks the lake. In the evening you can have a few sundowners at the Lake View Bar & Terrace. You pay the price for what you get and I could not afford to stay here. I did heave a leisurely stroll around and did relax for a bit in their beach front gardens.

The hotel sometimes hosts the Kwita Izna- Gorilla naming ceremony when the president of Rwanda invites famous people to name gorillas and make donations to the preservation of these rare animals. .

So if you want the only beach in Rwanda and the best hotel on the beach – this is the hotel for you. Its not only UN types around the pool. You can also meet some of the Rwandan rich and famous at play.

All rooms are air-conditioned and they have several luxury suites and family rooms.

* New water sports facility with canoeing and excursion boat rides to Umucyo Island
* Full Spa services and packages
* Outdoor swimming pool, 2 tennis courts and indoor gym
* Full conference facilities and a boardroom
* All rooms with full amenities including satellite TV, A/C, Mini-bar, nice bathrooms
* Organised tours of the local area and over the border into DRC
* Less than 3 kilometres from the famous Primus Brewery

Hôtel des Milles Collines: REFUGE FROM THE GENOCIDE - HOTEL RWANDA

by DAO

This hotel is famous because the manager of the hotel in 1994, Paul Rusesabagina, gave shelter to 1000 Tutsis during the Genocide across Rwanda. Built in 1973, it is a world class 4 star hotel renowned for its pool bar and hang-out spot of many ex-pats. When I arrived in Kigali it was closed for complete renovations. When I returned it was partially opened and chaotic. It will be, no doubt, a completely modern wonder when completed. The rest of the narrative of this tip relies upon their website. Please enquire by email or telephone to make sure all is in readiness.

There are 112 rooms and suites in the hotel and conference facilities for any business event. Below I have highlighted some of their key facilities.

Statictics:
Pool side rooms: 50
City side rooms: 54
Suites: 5
Senior Suites: 3
* Every room has a mini bar. Satellite TV, small safe, and laptop cables for internet access. There is wifi in parts of the hotel.

PANAROMA RESTAURANT
On the 4th floor with view over the city. You get a pianist and saxophonist whether you like it or not. French and international cuisine with a smart casual dress code. It is open for breakfast from 06:00 - 10:30 for breakfast and 19:00 - 23:00 for dinner.

POOL BAR
The star of the show. A decidedly casual affair with live music (type varies) on Tues. & Thurs. They have a daily lunch buffet then just snack and of course – drinks. Open from 10:00 - 24:00.

STAN’S BAR
This 4th floor establishment requires smart casual dress and offers live music. They are only open from 19:00 - 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

LEISURE FACILITIES
* Swimming pool * Gym * Tennis court with lighting * Golf course nearby

ADDITIONAL SERVICES
* Business centre * Tours (including Gorilla Tracking) * Gift shop

You can also pick up a free copy of ‘The Eye’ Magazine with listing of local events and restaurants.

PRESBYTERIAN GUEST HOUSE: SUPER BUDGET IN GISENYI

by DAO

If you are arriving by bus in Gisenyi, the Presbyterian Guest House virtually in front of you. They offer some nice gardens and budget accommodation. They have dorms with individual mosquito nets for $4. If you want a room in the lower gardens with shared bathroom then its about $7. They actually have a nice little restaurant in the grounds with a cheap buffet at night and a reasonable breakfast at a low price. Just don’t expect any alcohol and you will hear choir singing in the late morning in the near distance. The receptionist, Innocent, was a cracking guy who let me charge up my batteries and cell phone in his office. Security is on the gate 24 hours a day.

My room has a comfy enough bed(s), mosquito nets and screens on the windows. It is set under lots of trees and the rooms stay cool during the day. Hot water is not an issue. The lower rooms are actually near the main road, but traffic virtually stops at nightfall and the town is quiet at night.

I stayed here twice and was made to feel very welcome. My room was inside a locked building and I only shared the bathroom with 3 other rooms – mostly unoccupied. If its clean, cheap and well located accommodation you want – this is it. If you need a drink, the bars are 50 meters away. The beach area is a healthy 15 minute walk or cheap moto-taxi ride away. The market is 75 meters and the bus station on your doorstep.

HOTEL ISIMBI: JUST RIGHT

by DAO

This is my home in Kigali. I stayed with them 3 times and enjoyed a good night’s sleep every time. They are centrally located, have good rooms, a nice restaurant, a bar with sports on the TV, good security and plenty of hot water. The staff are very polite, the food good and the beer cold. It’s not stylish at all, but clean and efficient. I stayed in Room 32 which is on the back side of the hotel in the upper corner. It overlooks a residential area with a small balcony and it’s absolutely quiet at night. I also stayed in a strange double room, number 45, which had the best bed I have slept on in East Africa. It’s an internal room that actually has 2 large bedrooms. It is also quiet, but costs a few dollars more and needs better curtains.

Rooms are about $29 a night, but it is slightly cheaper to pay in Rwandan Francs. I only had a reservation on my last stay, but would recommend you telephone them just to make sure. They speak English.

The staff are very professional and friendly. The night reception and security guard are excellent. The one time someone actually tried to hassle me in Kigali they made the mistake of doing so in front of the hotel. The security guard made them disappear instantly.

You are walking distance to the 24-hour Nakumatt shopping center, busses to all across Rwanda and Burundi, Restaurants, grocery stores plenty of Forex Bureaus. This is also a short walk over to the real Hotel Rwanda (Hôtel des Mille Collines).

They do accept Visa and Mastercard.

Hôtel Palm Beach - Gisenyi: Closed Forever

by DAO

The Hôtel Palm Beach was once a very nice hotel on the shores of Lake Kivu. It is not just closed, it has been demolished. Quite a few guidebooks still list this hotel. I asked some local people what happened to it as it looks like it was blown-up. They said the government had ordered it’s demolition in 2008. They did not know the exact reason. When I went back to Kigali I read a newspaper article about a fugitive member of the Interahamwe, the organisation which organised the mass genocide in Rwanda in 1994. Apparently the key meeting of the Interahamwe that finalised the organisation of the genocide occurred at this hotel. I don’t know for sure the exact reason, but you don’t often obliterate a relatively modern hotel and leave the ruins.

Novotel umumbano: First class hotel

by Squinchez

Novotel Umubano, Kigali, is a firstclass hotel of international standard comparable to any Novotel anywhere in the world. There is good food, a few other tourists, and lot's of diplomats, NGO's etc. The hotel has a lovely pool and tennis courts.

ASOFERWA Guesthouse,: Smile and basic

by Squinchez

This is located in a lovely, very green rural location right next to the Volcanoes National Park HQ at Kinigi, The rooms are VERY SIMLE AND BASIC, but clean - hot & cold water, flush loo, electricity etc.. ASOFERWA is the Rwandan Women's Association dedicated to assisting the widows and orphans of the 1992-94 Civil War & Genocide, and all proceeds from visitors staying at the guesthouse go to these good causes. The buildings were formerly the ORTPN Guesthouse in Kinigi that was donated to the women by the National Parks after the civil war.

Hot water is only available after 6 pm

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Rwanda Hotels

10 Hotels

Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Relay's Gorilla's Hotel - Ruhengeri Province: Musanze - entrance to Volcanoes National Park

Milles Collines: Hotel with a history

ONE LOVE CLUB: CAMPING FOR A CAUSE

LAKE KIVU SERENA HOTEL: THE BEST HOTEL IN RWANDA

Hôtel des Milles Collines: REFUGE FROM THE GENOCIDE - HOTEL RWANDA

PRESBYTERIAN GUEST HOUSE: SUPER BUDGET IN GISENYI

HOTEL ISIMBI: JUST RIGHT

Hôtel Palm Beach - Gisenyi: Closed Forever

Novotel umumbano: First class hotel

ASOFERWA Guesthouse,: Smile and basic

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