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OVERVIEW:
Heaven Boutique Hotel is privately owned and run by Josh and Alissa Ruxin. Ideal as a stopover for safarists on their way to or from lodges and camps in Volcanoes National Park, it’s also worth considering if you’d like to spend a little more time in Kigali. Accommodation is booked on a B&B basis, including parking and Wi-Fi. The hotel is open all year round.
ACCESS & LOCATION:
The hotel is accessed via 25 minutes’ road transfer from Kigali International Airport. It’s situated on one of the hills forming part of Kigali, with amazing views over the city and beyond!
ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT HEAVEN BOUTIQUE HOTEL:
There are 22 guest rooms, housed within three separate properties on the same street, KN 29. There’s the main hotel building, The Villa, and The Garden Chalet. All accommodation is beautifully decorated, featuring a lot of vibrant colors! Amenities include air conditioning (in all apart from the Villa Queen Economy Room), television, tea-and-coffee station, mini-fridge, Wi-Fi, and well-appointed en-suite washroom. Within the main building, there are two options – Deluxe King Room and Family Deluxe King Room. The Villa offers Queen Rooms and Deluxe King Rooms, while The Garden Chalet has King Rooms and Superior King Suites. Villa Rooms boast a spacious terrace apiece, and the family option in the main building is closest to the hotel’s playground!
A highlight to any stay at Heaven Boutique Hotel is dining in the property’s restaurant, also called Heaven. In fact, the restaurant preceded the hotel and it has been popular with both locals and tourists since its opening in 2008. Today it continues to serve up delicious dishes, specializing in international cuisine fused with Rwandan flavors. If you happen to be spending the weekend in Kigali, you can tuck into Heaven restaurant’s famous Saturday and Sunday brunch (10am–2pm) and enjoy some lively entertainment! The hotel also offers a curio shop, where you can purchase locally made souvenirs. The on-site wellness center contains a gym with Technogym equipment, indoor/outdoor showers, and gorgeous garden views while you work out! Spa services such as massage are also available, and there’s a very inviting solar-powered saltwater swimming pool with sunloungers alongside.
ACTIVITIES AT HEAVEN BOUTIQUE HOTEL:
Heaven is well-positioned for guests to explore Kigali, itinerary permitting! Here are a few of the city’s main attractions:
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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’ center. -
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! -
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. -
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.
