Kigali Diplomat Hotel

I stayed here for work because I needed somewhere in this part of the city. I’ve only tried one other hotel in Kigali, and that one was expensive, so I don’t have much to compare it with. I like Kigali itself, though. The outdoor seating was pleasant for breakfast or just sitting around, and breakfast was okay, with the usual fruit, eggs, and bread. My room was clean and the area quiet, but there was a really bad wastewater smell in the bathroom. The AC turned on but barely cooled the room. Wi-Fi was free and fine for most things, though not very good. They didn’t service the room every day. I don’t mind that, but some people may expect it. I also couldn’t arrange an airport transfer because communication from the hotel was poor. For what it cost, I’m not sure it was good value, even if Kigali is an expensive city. I’ll probably try somewhere else next time.

The staff were the best part of my quarantine stay. Reception was amazing, friendly, and quick to respond, and the wait staff were kind and helpful. I hope they’re paid fairly, because they were the only redeeming part of a really disappointing experience. I arrived from the airport for a three-day quarantine and was put in a badly run-down, barely clean room. The shower didn’t work and the glass screen was broken. The staff kindly moved me to a better room, but it still didn’t feel worth $50 in Kigali. The amount RBC had negotiated with them was supposedly higher than the Booking.com price for a similar room. What I was charged seemed to be for a more deluxe room upstairs. The meals were poorly made and always two hours late. Even a simple item I ordered at 15:30 didn’t arrive until 18:40. The meals said to be included in the quarantine costs were about as bad as they could be, so ordering from the menu seemed like a better idea. Still, barely anything on it was available, and I was very disappointed both times I ordered. I couldn’t order pizza online because I didn’t have a local SIM card then. The bread and fruit were stale, and the vegetables with my potatoes were soggy, as if reheated from the night before. I was angry and embarrassed, and disappointed as a Rwandan on behalf of Rwanda. This might be a foreign visitor’s first impression of my country, and it was a poor one.

The location is great, about a five-minute walk from KCC and good restaurants, but the place felt old, dull, and poorly maintained. It also smelled moldy. It really needs better management and a major makeover.

I stayed here around seven or eight years ago, and even then the staff and service were great. Honestly, it’s a decent hotel.