Kigali, RwandaKiyovu
Hemingways Retreat Kigali
Solar-powered artisan villas
Kiyovu Kigali, Rwanda
Renovated
2021
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe LocalOutside the door
The house
Hemingways CollectionSolar-powered artisan villas
Solar power runs the entire property, giving guests an intimate setting shaped by Rwandan stonework and handmade carpentry.
What it’s good at
Notable
Local stone and Tanzanian teak joinery frame peaked villas beside green garden courtyards.
Notable
Private solar-heated plunge pools and organic handmade mattresses furnish the spacious garden villas.
Notable
An on-site tailor stitches custom clothing beside boutique shelves filled with Rwandan crafts.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Designed as a collaboration between Italian architects and Rwandan craftsmen, the hotel is solar-powered, built with locally sourced teak and stone, and every room has a private saltwater plunge pool.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Quiet residential streets wind through Kiyovu, placing the Kigali Genocide Memorial and city center minutes away.
The rooms
Luxury pool villas open onto private gardens with solar-heated plunge pools and outdoor showers.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The solar-heated saltwater pool sits among green gardens, with an integrated hot tub beside the sun loungers.
The spa and gym
Treatment rooms look onto private leafy courtyards, and the open-air gym faces straight into tropical garden foliage.
At the table
Menus draw on seasonal Rwandan produce and pan-African recipes, served in an open timber pavilion lit by ceramic firepots.
How it began
Public health workers Josh and Alissa Ruxin built the hotel after opening a restaurant to train young Rwandans in hospitality.
Kigali
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Kigali Serena Hotel
“Diplomatic landmark”
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.