Name: Kigali Serena Hotel
Address: KN3 Ave, Rwanda, Akarere ka Nyarugenge, RW
Price range: $142–$187 per night
Rating: 8.5

What guests think

At Kigali Serena Hotel, travellers frequently highlight friendly, helpful service; a relaxing pool, spa and gym; and tasty dining—especially breakfast—alongside generally comfortable, sometimes spacious rooms and a location within walking distance of the city centre.

Recurring drawbacks include dated rooms, maintenance problems, and occasional lapses such as slow check-in, poor follow-up, and intermittent hot water. Cleanliness varies, with several reports of dirty or poorly prepared rooms contrasted by others noting very clean accommodation. Best suited to travellers wanting a well equipped central base who can accept some inconsistency.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Guests consistently highlight the outdoor pool, spa, and gym, with some noting an appealing poolside lounge or patio.

Related guest reviews

10

Arthur

Jan 17, 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

The Kigali Serena is a fabulous place to stay when visiting Rwanda. They have fantastic customer service, rooms are very clean, and they have a lovely lounge/patio seating area by the pool when they often have live music. They have one of the best breakfast buffets in all of Rwanda so don’t skip breakfast!

10

Andrea

Feb 1, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great customer service and beautiful pool and spa.

10

Linda

Sep 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was amazing. Robes, slippers, rain shower, oversized bath towels. Spa available. Dining room for breakfast and dinner was fabulous. Had the best steak I’ve had in a long time.

10

Deborah

May 28, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

Love this hotel! Great rooms, wonderful pool area and tables overlooking the pool. Very chill and peaceful.

10

Monica

Feb 21, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Everything about this hotel was fantastic - the food, the spa services, the staff. 10/10

10

SOMORIN AHMED

Jan 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great gym, and a wonderful pool. The service was great everyone was attentive and ensure all your needs were meet. I would definitely stay again.

10

ELLENOR

Aug 31, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice outdoor pool.

10

John

Sep 10, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Gym

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Cleanliness

Feedback is mixed: some report very clean rooms, while others found dirty rooms and mould, indicating inconsistent housekeeping.

Related guest reviews

10

Arthur

Jan 17, 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

The Kigali Serena is a fabulous place to stay when visiting Rwanda. They have fantastic customer service, rooms are very clean, and they have a lovely lounge/patio seating area by the pool when they often have live music. They have one of the best breakfast buffets in all of Rwanda so don’t skip breakfast!

10

Marion

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Serena Kigali is always a sure bet. The staff is friendly, the rooms are clean and big, and the breakfast options are plentiful.

4

Sarah

May 10, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff are friendly and willing to help. The room was nice, but very dated. The shower has spots of mould on the walls, there is a ton of caulking to help it from leaking, but it still leaks, and the shower head was broken. That would be fine… except it was clear the room that not been completely cleaned. There was leftover food in the mini fridge, plastic Tupperware in the drawers, and dirty cotton swabs on the floor.

4

Yakup

Mar 16, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This hotel is a notable landmark in Kigali and Rwanda. I was really looking forward to staying here and paid around $250 for one night. I arrived around 15:00, which is well after the check-in time, and ended up waiting over 30 minutes for my room card. The Front Office staff was quite slow and kept asking when I had made my reservation. During the wait, nothing was offered—not even a glass of water. Finally, after 30 minutes, I got my room card, only to find the room was dirty and not the one I had booked. Frustrated, I went back down with the porter, Steven, who was the only friendly face I encountered, and he helped me get a bigger room. The way the situation was handled was not very professional. We had dinner at the hotel’s buffet, which was decent, but I expected at least a complimentary or discounted meal as an apology for the inconvenience. The pool area is beautiful, but the rooms are in need of some maintenance. I regret that my stay was unpleasant, and I hope the hotel can address these issues and provide better training for the Front Office staff.

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Rooms

Many describe rooms as comfortable and often spacious, but several mention dated decor, occasional small rooms, and maintenance issues such as broken fixtures and hot water problems.

Related guest reviews

10

Linda

Sep 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was amazing. Robes, slippers, rain shower, oversized bath towels. Spa available. Dining room for breakfast and dinner was fabulous. Had the best steak I’ve had in a long time.

10

Deborah

May 28, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

Love this hotel! Great rooms, wonderful pool area and tables overlooking the pool. Very chill and peaceful.

8

Katherine

Nov 28, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

The restaurant Milima was superb, exceptional variety and abundance. Hotel staff were friendly and professional. Room while spacious showed signs of age and lack of attention to detail. Cracked lampshade, 2 lamps not working, telephone disconnected, no coffee maker until Day 3. All things were rectified once notified. Not what I expected from 5 star hotel.

10

Marion

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Serena Kigali is always a sure bet. The staff is friendly, the rooms are clean and big, and the breakfast options are plentiful.

4

Robert

Aug 12, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was very substandard for a hotel of this category. Lack of hot water, coffee machines that have no outlets to plug in… more importantly, I forgot a phone charger and despite my repeated calls to find it, the staff always promise to call me back, however, it did not happen. The staff at the breakfast area were very nice though. Despite this review, I doubt anyone will contact me.

10

Laura

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

This hotel really feels like an African hotel. Its beautiful decor, friendly staff and delicious breakfasts are the best of Rwanda. It might not be as modern as some of the large chains but I definitely will be back.

4

Sarah

May 10, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff are friendly and willing to help. The room was nice, but very dated. The shower has spots of mould on the walls, there is a ton of caulking to help it from leaking, but it still leaks, and the shower head was broken. That would be fine… except it was clear the room that not been completely cleaned. There was leftover food in the mini fridge, plastic Tupperware in the drawers, and dirty cotton swabs on the floor.

10

Chirag

Nov 8, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay with lovely views

10

Emerson

Dec 28, 2022

·

Stayed 19,353 nights

Even though built years ago, still a great hotel! Quality construction and appointments. Spacious rooms and bathrooms … at least room 338 was! Food excellent in restaurant.

4

Michel

Aug 20, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

I’ve stayed at other Serena hotels which are excellent. This location is not a 5 starts hotel but it is charged as a 5 star hotel. The rooms are small and the service is average. This particular location should be charged and considered a 2 or 3 star hotel at the maximum.

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Service

Widely described as friendly, professional, and helpful, though a few guests reported slow or unprofessional front desk handling and poor follow up.

Related guest reviews

10

gail

Jan 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Flight delays and lost luggage resulted in a 4AM check in. The staff was extremely helpful!

10

Gerard

Oct 15, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Excellent in all respects all the staff are lovely well done

10

Noel

Dec 3, 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

Very professional staff

10

Marion

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Serena Kigali is always a sure bet. The staff is friendly, the rooms are clean and big, and the breakfast options are plentiful.

10

Robert

Jun 14, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Friendly and helpful staff. Good food.

4

Robert

Aug 12, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was very substandard for a hotel of this category. Lack of hot water, coffee machines that have no outlets to plug in… more importantly, I forgot a phone charger and despite my repeated calls to find it, the staff always promise to call me back, however, it did not happen. The staff at the breakfast area were very nice though. Despite this review, I doubt anyone will contact me.

10

Laura

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

This hotel really feels like an African hotel. Its beautiful decor, friendly staff and delicious breakfasts are the best of Rwanda. It might not be as modern as some of the large chains but I definitely will be back.

10

SOMORIN AHMED

Jan 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great gym, and a wonderful pool. The service was great everyone was attentive and ensure all your needs were meet. I would definitely stay again.

10

Priscilla

Jun 27, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

5 star quality service

4

Yakup

Mar 16, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This hotel is a notable landmark in Kigali and Rwanda. I was really looking forward to staying here and paid around $250 for one night. I arrived around 15:00, which is well after the check-in time, and ended up waiting over 30 minutes for my room card. The Front Office staff was quite slow and kept asking when I had made my reservation. During the wait, nothing was offered—not even a glass of water. Finally, after 30 minutes, I got my room card, only to find the room was dirty and not the one I had booked. Frustrated, I went back down with the porter, Steven, who was the only friendly face I encountered, and he helped me get a bigger room. The way the situation was handled was not very professional. We had dinner at the hotel’s buffet, which was decent, but I expected at least a complimentary or discounted meal as an apology for the inconvenience. The pool area is beautiful, but the rooms are in need of some maintenance. I regret that my stay was unpleasant, and I hope the hotel can address these issues and provide better training for the Front Office staff.

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Location

Noted as a short walk from the city centre; few other details provided.

Related guest reviews

8

Peder

Dec 25, 2025

·

Stayed 8 nights

We had an excellent stay, except for the lack of hot water on the day of arrival. They kept telling us that the hot water will be back in half an hour, but I think it took 10 hours before we could take hot shower after travelling for 24 hours. After that we had an amazing stay. The hotel is located a short walk from the city centre and is absolutely worth a visit. The staff are friendly and very polite. The food is mainly good except for a bad experience with an entrecôte that was not tender at all. The pepper steak was marvellous. All in all we had a marvellous stay. 👍😎

8

Boubacar

Nov 9, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Location

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Dining

Dining draws strong praise, especially the generous breakfast buffet and quality steaks; overall food is well regarded, with occasional misses or just decent experiences.

Related guest reviews

10

Arthur

Jan 17, 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

The Kigali Serena is a fabulous place to stay when visiting Rwanda. They have fantastic customer service, rooms are very clean, and they have a lovely lounge/patio seating area by the pool when they often have live music. They have one of the best breakfast buffets in all of Rwanda so don’t skip breakfast!

10

Linda

Sep 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was amazing. Robes, slippers, rain shower, oversized bath towels. Spa available. Dining room for breakfast and dinner was fabulous. Had the best steak I’ve had in a long time.

8

Katherine

Nov 28, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

The restaurant Milima was superb, exceptional variety and abundance. Hotel staff were friendly and professional. Room while spacious showed signs of age and lack of attention to detail. Cracked lampshade, 2 lamps not working, telephone disconnected, no coffee maker until Day 3. All things were rectified once notified. Not what I expected from 5 star hotel.

10

Marion

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Serena Kigali is always a sure bet. The staff is friendly, the rooms are clean and big, and the breakfast options are plentiful.

8

Peder

Dec 25, 2025

·

Stayed 8 nights

We had an excellent stay, except for the lack of hot water on the day of arrival. They kept telling us that the hot water will be back in half an hour, but I think it took 10 hours before we could take hot shower after travelling for 24 hours. After that we had an amazing stay. The hotel is located a short walk from the city centre and is absolutely worth a visit. The staff are friendly and very polite. The food is mainly good except for a bad experience with an entrecôte that was not tender at all. The pepper steak was marvellous. All in all we had a marvellous stay. 👍😎

10

Robert

Jun 14, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Friendly and helpful staff. Good food.

10

Laura

Jul 25, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

This hotel really feels like an African hotel. Its beautiful decor, friendly staff and delicious breakfasts are the best of Rwanda. It might not be as modern as some of the large chains but I definitely will be back.

10

Monica

Feb 21, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Everything about this hotel was fantastic - the food, the spa services, the staff. 10/10

4

Yakup

Mar 16, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This hotel is a notable landmark in Kigali and Rwanda. I was really looking forward to staying here and paid around $250 for one night. I arrived around 15:00, which is well after the check-in time, and ended up waiting over 30 minutes for my room card. The Front Office staff was quite slow and kept asking when I had made my reservation. During the wait, nothing was offered—not even a glass of water. Finally, after 30 minutes, I got my room card, only to find the room was dirty and not the one I had booked. Frustrated, I went back down with the porter, Steven, who was the only friendly face I encountered, and he helped me get a bigger room. The way the situation was handled was not very professional. We had dinner at the hotel’s buffet, which was decent, but I expected at least a complimentary or discounted meal as an apology for the inconvenience. The pool area is beautiful, but the rooms are in need of some maintenance. I regret that my stay was unpleasant, and I hope the hotel can address these issues and provide better training for the Front Office staff.

10

Emerson

Dec 28, 2022

·

Stayed 19,353 nights

Even though built years ago, still a great hotel! Quality construction and appointments. Spacious rooms and bathrooms … at least room 338 was! Food excellent in restaurant.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$158
February	$162
March	$172
April	$143
May	$272
June	$229
July	$201
August	$225
September	$265
October	$210
November	$218
December	$155

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8 $166	9 $166	10 $187	11 $166	12 $166
13 $173	14 $166	15 $166	16 $173	17 $158	18 $166	19 $158
20 $150	21 $166	22 $157	23 $157	24 $157	25 $157	26 $157
27 $157	28 $157	29 $157	30 $158

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $158	2 $158	3 $158
4 $158	5 $158	6 $158	7 $158	8 $143	9 $143	10 $143
11 $143	12 $143	13 $143	14 $143	15 $143	16 $143	17 $143
18 $143	19 $143	20 $142	21 $143	22 $143	23 $143	24 $143
25 $158	26 $158	27 $158	28 $158	29 $166	30 $157	31 $143

Kigali Serena Hotel

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