Amata n'Ubuki Boutique Hotel

A true gem, an oasis of a boutique hotel. My sister and I stayed at Amata twice while traveling in and out of Kigali. The proprietors Charlotte and Francine awaited us at each check in and were so kind. The staff was exceptional, friendly, helpful. The whole experience was nothing short of exquisite. 10 out of 5 stars! I hope to return ;—)

Nice place with eye-catching interior design. Clear pool with good service. Food portions are a bit small but it’s fine.

Short version: subpar accommodations, outdated, noisy, rude owner. We booked 4 rooms many months in advance, and upon our 7pm arrival (long enough to prepare for us), 2 of our group were given what looked like converted storage closets off of the restaurant & behind the bar. No windows, all glass door with a curtain, and obviously not intended for paying guests as the restaurant door was locked at night so the rooms couldn't be accessed. Another small (but proper) room was directly off of a patio where the noise from other guests was intrusive. In another room, the aircon didn't work (though it was quickly fixed). When questioned about the "storage closet" rooms, the owner was dismissive, demanded to know what we paid (huh?!), and refused to talk to the (very upset) person staying in the room because she "would only speak to us as a group since we booked as a group". Other staff informed us that some guests were granted a late checkout which is why our rooms were not available - and wouldn't be until the 2nd night of our stay. A jazz concert was held one night, with tickets sold to non-hotel guests. Loud music could be heard in every room from 5-11pm. And after being specifically asked to choose breakfast for the following morning, we learned that many food items ran out the night of the jazz concert, so the meals we chose weren't available. The place is outdated, a bit rundown: dining chairs scraped & rickety, paint peeling off the bottom of the pool, toilet paper holders falling off - just lots of little details that created the impression that little upkeep is performed. Even the sign reporting the high rating on booking.com looked like it had been kicked through the streets before being put on display. Do not recommend.