A great and growing hospitality industry 

By Simon Danczuk. 

Having traveled around Africa I’m always impressed with the range and quality of hotels in Rwanda. In the province’s Cleo Lake Kivu Hotel stands out for its high standards and great location, whilst the Akagera Game Lodge is a delight to stay in.

There’s accommodation around Virunga Mountains for all tastes and budgets and in Kigali the choice is also very impressive. The Serena and Marriott stand out for their superiority, but if you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with the ‘B’ Hotel, the Great Seasons, or Amen Boutique Hotel. 

People in Britain, and I suspect most parts of Europe and beyond, are also unaware of Kigali’s thriving and very enjoyable nightlife. The range of bars, clubs, restaurants, and entertainment venues is impressive, expanding, and combines with Rwandan’s desire to enjoy themselves. 

Hospitality is clearly a crucial part of Kigali’s, and the country’s economic development. My wife and I love Lavana for its great entertainment and excellent service. But there are others, like the well-established funky bar Pili Pili, through to more recent additions such as Cave Coffee, combined with classy restaurants like Boho and Soy Asian Table – they all provide a great night.  

There’s an array of food choices, from Indian, Chinese, sushi, through to Middle Eastern, obviously Sub-Saharan African, to chains like Kentucky Fried Chicken. Kurry Kingdom remains a firm favourite of mine. 

Then there are newcomers such as Kigali Universe, which combines fun activities with DJs and a restaurant. Most impressive is Zaria Court, a multi-functioning complex with bars, restaurants, hotel, and sports facilities. My wife and I had cocktails at the rooftop bar, not only were they delicious, but the service was excellent. 

The sporting events and musicians that BK Arena now attracts are second to none, and it’s developed a great bar and restaurant inside, which is worthy of a visit even if you’re not there for a performance. The Amahoro New Stadium is also a great facility comparable with anything in Europe, though its hospitality offering needs some attention. 

On that point, customer service remains a significant challenge for Rwanda. Whilst some are good at it, many are not. A stronger strategy for improving client relations across the hospitality sector would dramatically improve the visitor experience. 

Moving on, the conference and business experiences industry, combined with all the major sporting events, is also thriving in Rwanda. All the activities in and around the Kigali Convention Centre and the recent UCI Road Cycling World Championships are a case in point.  

Then there’s Kigali Golf Resort & Villas. Whoever thought of developing this green lung just off the centre deserves a medal. Now a focal point for further high quality residential and commercial development, its club house, which I recently visited, captures the high standards which will put Rwanda on the map. 

I often say to people back here in Britain that Kigali is like many smart, trendy medium-sized capital cities in Europe. It reminds me of Georgia, without as much history, but with all the same positive vibes, ambition and vision for the future. There’s also no doubt Kigali outsells a good number of other major African cities. Sierra Leone’s Freetown comes nowhere near, neither does Accra in Ghana, or Johannesburg in South Africa, nor Durban.  

I sometimes wonder if Rwandans don’t always appreciate the capital city they’ve got. It really is a place to be proud of, and a place I’m beginning to enjoy calling home. 

The writer is Simon Danczuk, a former British MP who champions strong political and diplomatic relations between Rwanda and the United Kingdom.