The Retreat

OVERVIEW:

The Retreat is owned and operated by Josh and Alissa Ruxin, who also run Kigali’s Heaven Boutique Hotel. Both properties are perfect for safarists on their way to or from Volcanoes National Park, and we also recommend The Retreat and Heaven for travellers considering a longer stay in the capital city. According to Town & Country and The New York Times (in 2018), The Retreat is one of the world’s top new hotels! It’s also the first eco-friendly hotel in Rwanda. Both half-board and B&B rates are offered, so please contact a member of YZ to discuss your requirements. The Retreat is open throughout the year.

ACCESS & LOCATION:

The hotel is accessed via approximately 25 minutes’ drive from Kigali’s international airport. Positioned on top of one of the city’s hills, it boasts amazing views!

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT THE RETREAT:

Guest accommodation consists of just 11 rooms and suites, in two categories – Deluxe King Room and Superior King Suite. All are exquisitely styled, featuring chic furnishings and vibrant splashes of colour. Each Deluxe King Room contains a king-size bed, bedside tables and lighting over, and sliding doors out onto a private patio set with a small table and comfortable lounge furniture. The en-suite facilities comprise flush toilet, washbasin within a teak vanity unit, and an indoor rain shower. Additional amenities include air conditioning, custom-made ceiling fans, satellite television, tea-and-coffee station, mini-bar, complimentary bottled water, organic toiletries, and Wi-Fi. This room option is wheelchair accessible. The Superior King Suite offers all the features of the Deluxe King Room, as well as a patio to the front, twin washbasins within teak vanities, and an outdoor shower! Two suites can be set up to offer a twin bedroom, and two adjoin to provide a double unit that’s suitable for a group or a family.

The communal areas at The Retreat are every inch as impressive as the guest accommodation. They include the stylish lounge, in which well-cushioned sofas and armchairs surround a coffee table, and the walls are adorned with a widescreen TV and some interesting artwork. There’s also the hotel’s highly-rated restaurant Fusion, complete with Swahili-inspired bar. This eatery serves up scrumptious farm-to-table international cuisine, certainly a highlight of any stay here. Guests also enjoy access to Heaven Restaurant at the larger property, which specializes in international dishes tantalizingly merged with local flavors. The Retreat boasts a gym too, featuring Technogym equipment, indoor/outdoor showers, and gorgeous garden views while you work out! The spa offers massages, skincare, beauty treatments, a whirlpool, and a sauna. Group and private yoga classes are available, and for the ultimate in relaxation there’s the hotel’s solar-heated saltwater swimming pool!

ACTIVITIES AT THE RETREAT:

The Retreat is ideally located for guests to explore Kigali, itinerary permitting! Here are a few of the city’s main attractions:

• City market

  – Big and bustling, the city’s market has fresh food, textiles, arts-and-crafts, and much more besides! It’s also very well organized.

• City tower

  – This high-rise building is the tallest in Rwanda! It houses shops, offices, and a four-screen cinema.

• Cathedral

  – Headquarters of the Catholic Church in Rwanda, this modest building is situated on a quiet road and has a nice little gift shop next door.

• Niyo Arts Gallery

  – The work of seven artists at a time is exhibited in this interesting space, which features drumming and dance too.

• Inema Arts Center

  – With an exhilarating mix of paintings, sculptures, mixed media expressions, and hands-on classes, this is a must-visit for art enthusiasts!

• Centenary Park

  – This is Kigali’s first public recreation spot, launched in 2007. The gardeners can be rather strict, often requesting that visitors don’t walk on the grass, but you can stroll along the paved path around the well-kept grounds.

• Genocide Memorial

  – 10 minutes’ drive from town, the memorial contains the remains of 250,000 people who lost their lives during the 1994 Tutsi genocide. The site includes a visitors’ centre.

• Caplaki Craft Village

  – Situated in Rugunga, a short drive from Kigali, the crafts items here are a bit more expensive than they are in the main market, but the sheer range of products is very impressive.

• Kandt House Museum of Natural History

  – This museum is dedicated to Richard Kandt, a German physician and keen explorer of Africa. It showcases the flora and fauna of Rwanda’s national parks, and there’s an exhibition of live reptiles too!

• Belgian Peacekeepers Memorial

  – Just 3km outside Kigali, this memorial comprises a round area with ten stone columns, a structure riddled with bullets, and a small museum. Each column marks the spot where a member of the Belgian peacekeeping force was murdered in 1994.