Barthos Hotel

I stayed for a month during an exchange. The location worked well, near campus and the hospital, with a few shops around, though nights were loud with music, shouting, and dogs fighting. Staff were friendly and attentive, but sometimes had trouble with English. That became a problem when they accidentally locked us in and couldn’t understand us on the phone. The rooms are modest but decent. There was no mosquito net when I arrived, but they installed one as soon as we told them. The sink faucet didn’t work, and there was no toilet seat. They clean rooms daily, and there’s a restaurant at the hotel.

A clean, quiet and interesting spot. The hostesses are polite and nice, and they make good coffee. I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but the smell alone tells you it’s good.

I picked this basic hotel because it was close to where I needed to be the next day. Breakfast was quite limited, and they charged extra for a bottle of water. At checkout I had to argue to get the online booking price, and in the end I paid only that amount. Apparently, a famous Rwandan artist designed the hotel, the same artist who made the gift former president Clinton received while visiting the country. I’ve attached a few photos to give you an idea of the place.

I only went in to eat, didn’t stay there. The food is good by Rwandan standards, and the staff were extremely helpful and nice, especially Mr Alex. Great guy!