Hemingways Retreat Kigali — Hotel in Kigali City

Unbelievable service for a 5 star rating. This is my first 2 stars for hotels in my reviews.

[summary] Pros : 1. Good facilities / 2. Delicious food / 3. Swimming pool and salt water cons : 1. The notice is constantly changing and any damage is entirely at the customer's expense. (Amount, restaurant information, menu) / 2. Lack of facility management (the wooden decks next to the private swimming pool are separated and nails are out) / 3. Insufficient check-in preparation (coffee marks on the coffee cup, hair, bedding, welcome cookie setting not finished) , the swimming pool was not ready) / 4. To finish the check-in preparations(cleaned and set it up) Staffs entered the guest room without permission during when we out for dinner. / 5. Lack of parking space (8 seats) Even if you park on the road outside, there is no person to move your luggage. / 6. Only one masseuse. It is difficult to make a reservation even with full board accommodation. / 7. There is not enough communication between employees, so you have to say the same thing multiple times. (Amount, menu, about the room)

The facility is 5 stars, but the facility management and cleanliness are 2 stars, and the service is close to 1 star. I don't know how this place is a 5 star hotel. I've been to many countries and have been to many Hotels, but this is the first time I've been to a place like this.

In mid-December, We went to the full board for 2 Pool Villas and heard the price and made a reservation. It was the first vacation our team had, and we wanted to rest in a good place.

Arrived at 2:30 and there was no parking space (there were only 8 parking spaces on the site), so I parked in front of the Heaven restaurant 50 meters below. Although it is 5 star, neither the bellboy nor other helpers were on standby. I personally took my suitcase and kids up and checked in.

When I checked in around 2:50 and went to the dorm, the cleaning was not finished yet. When they hurried out and checked the condition the first time, the two rooms booked under the same conditions were different. One room had a pool cover, and the other room had a pool cover stuck in the corner and bugs and leaves floating in the pool. One room had a sofa bed with bedding and the other room had a sofa bed. When I picked up the cup to use the coffee, one of the two cups left a coffee mark. Long, non-family hair in the bathtub fell on the sink and bathtub. Still, it was a vacation and I didn't want to complain, so I cleaned it myself and didn't change the room.

The private swimming pool that we cleaned and used was good for our family to play together. The wooden decks right next to the pool were wet and warped, and the nail was little rising. There were things to be careful about when playing with babies, and I didn't send baby there.

I went into the dorm to pick up my luggage during dinner, but there was a person in the bathroom. I was shocked. It was the person who came to finish the welcome snack, mosquito net setting, and cleaning. It literally led us to a room that wasn't ready for check-in. Whether the room have valuables or not, they opened the room with the master key while our team ate, and even prepared for check-in without asking us for permission to enter the room. In the process, we didn't say that You were not ready to check-in, and You did not ask the reception to enter the customer's room without asking here. Cause, It's been a good day.

When I checked out, They told us to pay an additional $100 when I was about to pay the rest of the amount excluding the deposit. The conversation had already ended, and when they told me that the retreat had delivered the wrong information, I was only able to pay the reserved amount.

It's a place I won't come back to again, and I don't know how the words will change a lot. By our standards, we paid a lot of money to make a reservation, but this place doesn't seem to think so. I never wanted to be treated like royalty, I just wanted to be normal. But they usually didn't. But they are 5 star rating hotel. it's...

My wife and I came to Kigali for a holiday, not by design, but by providence. We were to attend the Project Management Institute's 2024 Global Summit which was eventually cancelled due to a 'Marburg Outbreak'. Since we had booked and paid for our travel, we decided to convert the opportunity to a holiday. Our 6-day stay at The Heaven Hotel & Boutique turned out to be not just a wise decision, but undoubtedly the best holiday vacation we have had [and we travel often]!

Staff: Everyone was fantastic, right from making our reservations, airport pick up and drop off, checking in, response to requests during our stay, staff interaction, etc. However, some were exceptional: Cedric at the reception; our ‘pilot’, Muvunyi Junior; GSA Nina; and the staff (Frank?) who gave us a tour and history of the facilities, “Frank,” including the room in which King Charles's stayed during his visit.

Every aspect of the property is consciously designed to be environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainable.

Room Accommodations: You can’t go wrong at The Heaven and Retreat when it comes to reserving your preferred room accommodation. Unlike most advertised spaces, you get exactly what is outlined on their website. These rooms are breathtakingly beautiful and functional. The management pays attention to detail from everything including the aroma that hits your nose upon entry to the property. The delightful scents invite you into your living quarters and keeps you in a tranquil and peaceful state of mind throughout. The shower and temperature of the water are warm and inviting with a tantalizing pressure sure to wake you up and keep you refreshed. Let us not forget to tell you to leave all of your toiletries at home. The Heaven has everything you need from hand soap, body soap, shampoo and conditioner, lotion, cotton balls etc. I never found it necessary to open the accessories case we brought. Their products are natural, environmentally friendly, have a beautiful fragrance and are made from natural ingredients.

Do yourself a favor and partake of the Cocktail Juice and the Detox Juice daily found at one of the breakfast bars. My husband enjoyed the detox juice while I couldn’t get enough cocktail juice which helped my digestive system to balance out harmoniously, purging toxins from my system with ease and comfort daily. Be sure to stop by the omelet bar and allow the chef to prepare a delectable omelet made to your specifications. You can’t go wrong with breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack at either the Heaven or Fusion Restaurants.

Be sure to take a swim in either of the two saltwater pools on the property and dip your body into the saltwater whirlpool. Your body will thank you for it later. Want a great workout? Head to the fully equipped gym and burn those calories in an open-air structure surrounded by nature. You’ll forget you’re inside a gym as it feels like the outdoors.

Do not leave this property without getting a full body massage. “Teddy” my body is still saying thank you a week later. You listened and worked around the surgical site of my full right hip replacement surgery from 3-months ago and helped me gain full range of motion without and pain or complications. I’ve told my orthopedic surgeon he must see about adding you to his after care...

We stayed here with 2 of our colleagues for business but also wanted to be somewhere we could enjoy Rwanda when not working.

We were blown away with Rwanda and maybe part of this was the wonderful way we were so well looked after by everyone at The Retreat, a little part of 'Heaven' in Africa!

The owners humanitarians Josh and Alissa Ruxin have created an amazing hotel, spa, gym and world class restaurant resort with their well trained, ever smiling, friendly, professional and attentive team. The individual rooms and villas are well thought out, with everything provided one could need! They are immaculately clean with the hotels own brand of organic, wonderfully smelling products and a never ending supply of the hotels freshly filtered water. We stayed in one of the villas and were lucky to have our own small pool and outside showers to relax in after a hard day of meetings. (Josh Ruxins book available to buy in the hotel is well worth a read).

Clemence, the amazingly kind hotels experience booking manager arranged a trip for me to see the incredible gorillas in their natural habitat. When she learnt I didnt have my walking boots or a coat with me she rushed home and brought me her own! Never have I experienced such thoughtfulness! Clemence always went above and beyond our expectations and was so helpful in arranging many things to make our stay so varied and successful!

Gorilla experience - My hotel driver for the journey was Nathan and not only was he incredibly knowledgeable, not only about Rwanda and it's beautifully landscaped hills and agriculture but also it's history. He presented an honest and unbiased view and not just about the genocide but before and after. He was great company, intelligent, engaging and amusing and looked after my every need. Also he was a great driver, a good skill on the busy Rwandan roads :) the whole experience was unforgettable!

Dinner and cocktails were a wonderful experience and it was great after a busy day of meetings to enjoy refreshing, original cocktails prepared by the attentive and friendly staff. Gatare, Divin and the rest of the professional and ever smiling team served us great food, well presented and delicious and made every evening we dined a wonderful personal, dining experience.

The hotels small spa is next to the well equiped gym and we enjoyed wonderful massages with the best masseur in Rwanda!! The beautiful Janet.

When the hotel found out that it was 'mens day' a celebration of men in our country's day they arranged a traditional dance and song as a surprise at breakfast for the 2 men in our party! At least 10 people joined in including Frank, the groundsman who was an amazing dancer. Don't think either of the 2 men will ever experience another celebration like this one!

All of our party thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the 'Heaven Retreat' and all felt when we left that we had had a life changing experience which had captured our hearts and we can't wait to return!

Congratulations and thanks to Alissa, Josh and...