Onomo Hotel gave me a free, two-night stay in exchange for a review.

I’ve been curious about Onomo Hotel ever since I saw it spring up on the side of the fairly central hill coming down the long road from town. It’s nothing new to see a new building pop up quickly in Kigali, but what caught my interest was the cool Imigongo patterns painted on the outside and the view from what looked like a super well-located swimming pool. Once they started posting awesome photos of their view and patio, I knew I had to visit. Luckily, the folks at Onomo offered me a free stay so I could really explore what they have on offer.

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ViaVia offered me a complimentary stay in exchange for this review. Prices were correct at the time of publishing but check their website to verify.

Back in 2015 and 2016 when I was working on my Addis Ababa map, it was pretty difficult to find a decent place to stay without paying a stupid amount of money for very little. On my first trip I stayed with a friend of a friend for awhile, but then they left and it was several trips where I had to stay in very dodgy guesthouses. Then, one day when I was indulging in one of my regular trips to the gelato place, I discovered that a new bar/restaurant/guesthouse was about to open a few doors down and it looked really great. Me and my gelato wandered over to find a lovely restaurant, a friendly owner and staff, and a guesthouse that looked like a person would actually want to stay there.

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Serena Hotel offered me a free stay, food, and spa treatments in exchange for this review.

Ah Serena Hotel… I’ve loved you since we first met! Well actually, that’s a lie. The first time we met in 2010, I asked about your price for a day pass to the gym and I was told a whopping $30. I then left in a huff due to not being able to afford such luxuries. But I was able to look past that first encounter and truly fell in love with I discovered the affordable annual rate for the gym and pool.

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Photo credit – HandzAround

On your last trip down KN 29 Street you may have noticed that Heaven Restaurant have expanded their empire all the way up and down the road. Along with their restaurant which has become a Kigali icon, they’ve expanded into the world of accommodation. They now also run Heaven Boutique Hotel (spread across three buildings) and their newest and most exciting addition is The Retreat, their contribution to luxury accommodation in Kigali.

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At some point after leaving Kigali for a few months, I returned to see that Heaven seems to have expanded to take over most of KN29 Street. Signs had popped up advertising two new hotels with the same familiar Heaven acacia tree logo, plus another plot was under construction next to the restaurant. I asked Alissa what they had in store and was told that they were working on a high-end property to be called The Retreat and that the other two hotel properties (along with the three rooms already at their restaurant) were collectively known as Heaven Boutique Hotel.

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