The Retreat sits in Kiyovu, a quiet, leafy part of central Kigali, about 10 kilometers or 20 minutes from Kigali International Airport, though traffic can stretch that. It has 20 rooms and suites, from Deluxe King Rooms to Superior King Suites and Pool Villas with private plunge pools. The hotel was opened by the founders of Heaven, a well-known Kigali restaurant, and Hemingways Collection took it over in 2025.
Use it for your first and last nights in Rwanda. It is close to the city center, so it is easy to fit in the Kigali Genocide Memorial on arrival day or before a late flight home. The hotel offers wellness amenities, and the plunge pools in the villas are welcome after the long drive back from the parks.
The Retreat suits couples and adults looking for a small, quiet city hotel. It has a grown-up feel, and families with young children may prefer a larger hotel with more space to run around. Since the change of ownership the name and some details are still settling, so we confirm room types and dining when we book.
Hemingways Retreat Kigali, formerly The Retreat by Heaven, is a small boutique hotel in the leafy Kiyovu neighborhood, about 20 minutes from the airport. It suits travelers who want a calm, comfortable night or two in the capital at the start or end of a Rwanda trip.
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