Ingagi Park View Lodge

We spent three nights here for our 25th wedding anniversary, during a month-long trip through Uganda and Rwanda. The gardens and rooms are lovely, and we appreciated that staff lit the fire each day before the scheduled 5pm time, even though they complained about doing it. They also gave me a bottle of wine, which I had suggested as compensation. Still, the service and food were disappointing for the price. There was no onsite manager, and the reception and dining areas felt very average. Staff seemed untrained, and management was lacking. We hadn’t been told what “cabin” meant when we checked in. Our safari guide had booked for us, and it turned out to be a gorgeous, modern, standalone room. We later learned it was an upgrade, but nobody explained that at the time. The hot water didn’t work when we arrived. They tried to fix it, and we asked to hear back with a solution before dinner because we’d spent the day in the car. No one updated us. Whenever we called, the receptionist said he was busy and they were understaffed. There was no alternative shower before dinner. At 9pm they finally gave us another room. It was still dirty from the previous guest, I had to bring my own towel, there were no toiletries, and the hot water lasted only two minutes. When I asked for a manager, I was told there wasn’t one and the owner lived in Uganda. Guests in the neighboring cottage said they had enough hot water for a short shower but not a bath, and hadn’t wanted to tell reception. They were shocked when I said we’d had a problem too. The receptionist gave me the wine as compensation, at my suggestion. At our anniversary dinner the following night, nobody spoke to us, which made the meal awkward. As we were leaving, staff asked us to sit down, then came in dancing and brought a cake. It was a nice surprise, but they then asked us not to eat it so they could have it. The cake was served as dessert the next night. The owner or manager appeared that evening but didn’t speak to us, though he left a lovely letter. I suspect his visit was because the Paris St Germain football team were staying, rather than because of our problems. On our last day the internet stopped working. Staff tried to fix it but couldn’t that day. The receptionist said it would definitely be fixed for the next guests. I wasn’t sure how he expected me to respond, and he got upset and told us the room had been an upgrade, which was the first we’d heard of it. With so many problems, I’m not sure that room felt like an upgrade. We also didn’t receive turndown service on our final night. The meals were about the quality of mid-level lodges in Uganda, which cost half as much. Service was friendly, but if we didn’t say we “love” the food, staff wouldn’t leave the table. Conversations with other guests were often interrupted. The restaurant was very cold. Sometimes they lit a fire there at night, but not the first evening, when we were the only diners. Drinks cost two to three times as much as at the other lodges we stayed in. A basic beer was $6, compared with $1 at a bar in town. The lodge is close to the national park and Diane Fossey museum, with beautiful gardens, great views and lovely rooms. But the reception and dining areas were very average, service felt poorly managed, and the prices were very high.

The staff were friendly, helpful and accommodating from the moment we arrived until we left. The location was convenient, and our rooms were clean and comfortable. The grounds are gorgeous, and the decor is lovely. We enjoyed all our meals, especially the soups. It’s a perfect place to stay while in the region for gorilla trekking, and I’d love to come back.

My husband and I had a great stay. The staff were friendly and made the trip feel extra special, and we especially enjoyed having a fireplace in our room. The food was delicious, and the lodge’s location made it easy to reach our scheduled activities within a few minutes.

At Ingagi, the team went out of their way to make us feel welcome and looked after. After excursions, they gave us an amazing foot massage and thoroughly cleaned our hiking shoes. The food was nice, especially the local dishes I love, though there’s no reason to expect gourmet meals or Western options. We paid $500+/ night and expected something more modern, with a boutique hotel feel. The shared spaces are lovely and inviting, but our room wasn’t cozy. The furniture was old, stained and dated, and the stone floor was freezing. The mattress was very comfortable and the sheets were clean. To me, you’re paying that price to get three hours of sleep and a proper breakfast before your excursion. If you can get to sleep early, staying overnight at a nice hotel in Kigali seems like a reasonable alternative. The masseuse is great, and the massages are very good, but the spa could use better practices. The massage table wasn’t set up properly, with no support around the head opening, so it was uncomfortable. They didn’t wipe off the extra oil afterward, and reused the same pillows for your head without a towel or other clean covering. I hope they bring someone in to improve this.