We just completed 12 days in Kigali and we (our traveling group) feel OK about this hotel. It all has to do with expectations!
This is Africa. I have stayed in worse. Sometimes you can find worse in North America. We come to Africa understanding some things about the culture, so it is important not to be too negative about the hotel. If you want better rooms and service, there is the Serena or Hotel des Mille Collines. But if you want to get your work done in Kigali and have a cheap bed at night with decent food, then this is an acceptable place.
Pros:
1. close to downtown, close to lots of business things that we liked, including the German Buchery and the Nakumatt store, Union Trade Centre and good internet cafe and Bourbon Coffee House.
2. restaurant in the hotel had good food and good value. Service can be a little slower but the staff are always ready to help. We charged our meals to the room and made sure it was accurate when we got the bill. For the most part, bills were accurate, but you will want to check just to be sure because the staff don't always understand English too well and can make a mistake with your order or the bill.
3. good basic rooms. Some of our friends found the beds a bit too firm. There is also a desk, TV, and a closet that you can lock (closet keys included on your room key) Cement floors and walls. Typical African bathroom with no shower curtain. Hot water is by electric heat which must be plugged in and turned on from the hallway. Typical African systems.
4. Small balcony on the rooms, nice to get some air.
5. decent closet space (wardrobe) but remember to bring your own hangers.
6. in-hotel laundry service which does a good job and gets your clothes back to you in a day or two.
Cons:
1. Beggars out in front of the hotel, always working that street. They see you parking your car and are always there when you open the vehicle door.
2. Noisy, especially on the front side of the hotel facing the street. Everything is concrete... the rooms, the halls, the other buildings on the street... so it is all a big echo chamber. Any motorbike, truck, door slam, or boisterous individual can be heard easily, even if you are on a high floor. Some from our group really liked the rooms that were not facing the street because it was quieter there. After 2 days, I got used to the noise and slept through it anyways.
3. No hot water until 3 days into our stay. Although we turned on the hot water heater, there was no pressure in our tub, even though it appeared all supply lines were open. But the staff worked on it and then we had hot water all the rest of the say.
4. Some rooms had water leaks from the toilets, apparently from supply lines which did make for some wet spots.
5. TV is in the rooms, but usually only CNN in English. All the rest is French or Kenyarwandan. And CNN was a bad connection in my room so the picture jumped and audio cut out repeatedly. Not great TV, that is for sure. But I did not go to Africa to watch the TV.
6. Some of my friends had to deal with bugs, cockroaches from time to time in the rooms. But I did not see any bugs in my room ever, except for 2 or 3 mosquitoes.
Summary
I would stay there again. Nothing got stolen from my room, and I safely kept a computer and printer there the whole time. The staff won't enter your room to clean if you do not give them a key. I felt safe in the hotel and area.
If you want luxury, this is not the place. This hotel is to work or experience culture. Go to the Serena and spend the big money if you want a pool and nice room with no bugs.
Let me know if I can help you more.
- Isimbi Hotel Kigali
