Kigali Serena Hotel — Hotel in Kigali City

This is an old hotel that has been maintained quite well.

The rooms are large and give you a semblance of space. Mine had a lot of natural light as well that I appreciate a lot.

The rooms are carpeted. This is something that I usually do not like, but in this property, the carpets seemed cleaner than normal. So I wasn't very bothered about this. The rooms are serviced more than twice a day or so it seems. My room blinds were pulled open when I had gone for breakfast and bits of things moved around. Then a proper service and then an evening turn down service. The hotel leaves no room for any complaints here. I did not want the bed linen to be replaced, but it was nevertheless.

There were a few challenges with my room and hence my lower rating for the room. The prime issues I faced were the following and would be great for the management to fix these minor issues.

The air-conditioning in my room was not good. Even at 18 degree C, my room never really cooled to a comfortable temperature. I was also unlucky that Kigali was warmer than normal. This did not improve despite complaints

There are no mobile charging points on the bedside. This is something that I missed

The internet connectivity in the hotel was not great. The connect speed was too slow. My roaming plan did not get activated in Rwanda for some reason and I was totally dependent on hotel network and it was painfully slow even to download mails on the laptop. Working on SharePoint was terrible. WhatsApp calls were hard too.

The bathrooms are large and clean. No real complaints here.

The breakfast spread was quite elaborate and the service quite good. The servers are very attentive to your needs and no real concerns here. I totally enjoyed the food here.

I would strongly recommend...

I previously left a one-star review after an extremely disappointing experience at Serena Hotel, where a cockroach was found on the salad bar. When I raised the issue, the manager was dismissive, and the server responded rudely. Rather than addressing the issue sincerely, the hotel responded with what appears to be a generic, AI-generated apology. I even ran their comment through an AI detector — it was clearly not a human-crafted message.

They provided an email for a “proper apology,” but after reaching out, I have yet to receive any response. This shows a lack of accountability and genuine care for their customers.

What’s even more troubling is what happened after my review. I noticed that before my post, reviews were infrequent — typically one or two every few months. But immediately after my one-star review, a sudden surge of five-star reviews appeared, which seems suspicious. It’s not difficult to have staff or affiliates post glowing reviews to suppress criticism, and it’s unfortunate that the hotel seems more concerned with its online image than its actual service quality.

To add to that, the hotel rooms are outdated, and despite being in clear competition with newer establishments like Marriott, the level of service and quality does not justify the high pricing. My friend and I paid 55,000 RWF for a meal that was grossly overpriced considering the experience and the standards of hospitality in Rwanda.

We had hoped Serena would offer a luxury experience worth returning to. Unfortunately, this experience has convinced me, my family, and my friends to take our business elsewhere. I sincerely hope the hotel chooses to prioritize genuine guest care over digital...

Impeccable Hospitality for the Odo Roadshow As the host of the recent Odo Roadshow in Kigali (March 5, 2024), I couldn't have been more impressed with the exceptional service and facilities provided by the Kigali Serena Hotel. From the initial planning stages, the hotel's event team was incredibly professional and attentive to every detail. They ensured our conference space was set up flawlessly to accommodate our presentations, workshops, and networking sessions. The hotel's commitment to Rwandan culture was beautifully reflected throughout the venue. The staff were incredibly friendly and always went the extra mile to ensure all our guests felt welcome and comfortable. A special thanks to the culinary team for providing delicious meals and refreshments throughout the conference. The variety and quality of the food were outstanding, catering to all dietary needs. Overall, the Kigali Serena Hotel was the perfect venue for our Odo Roadshow. Their dedication to exceptional service, modern amenities, and Rwandan cultural touches made it a truly memorable experience for all attendees. I highly recommend this hotel for any business conference or...