Kigali Serena Hotel

This place is a Shangri-la amongst the hustle-bustle of Kigali. Rooms are spacious, the food is very good (especially the Indian cuisine), the services (like massage, haircut, and pedicure) are excellent, and the view of the pool and garden is lovely. We really enjoyed our stay!

Probably the best place I've been so far. The view is enticing, their brunch is the best and has such a wide variety that it is impossible not to feel included then their service is on top. Very mindful of their customers, very attentive. Honestly it is so great.

I previously left a one-star review after an extremely disappointing experience at Serena Hotel, where a cockroach was found on the salad bar. When I raised the issue, the manager was dismissive, and the server responded rudely. Rather than addressing the issue sincerely, the hotel responded with what appears to be a generic, AI-generated apology. I even ran their comment through an AI detector — it was clearly not a human-crafted message. They provided an email for a “proper apology,” but after reaching out, I have yet to receive any response. This shows a lack of accountability and genuine care for their customers. What’s even more troubling is what happened after my review. I noticed that before my post, reviews were infrequent — typically one or two every few months. But immediately after my one-star review, a sudden surge of five-star reviews appeared, which seems suspicious. It’s not difficult to have staff or affiliates post glowing reviews to suppress criticism, and it’s unfortunate that the hotel seems more concerned with its online image than its actual service quality. To add to that, the hotel rooms are outdated, and despite being in clear competition with newer establishments like Marriott, the level of service and quality does not justify the high pricing. My friend and I paid 55,000 RWF for a meal that was grossly overpriced considering the experience and the standards of hospitality in Rwanda. We had hoped Serena would offer a luxury experience worth returning to. Unfortunately, this experience has convinced me, my family, and my friends to take our business elsewhere. I sincerely hope the hotel chooses to prioritize genuine guest care over digital reputation management.