Landmark Hotel of Kigali

The iconic Hôtel des Mille Collines has been much more than a hotel ever since it opened in 1973 as Rwanda’s first grand hotel. This landmark property in Kigali, set high on a hill overlooking the city, has long been a pillar of Kigali’s social life as well as a world-class hotel representing the best Rwanda has to offer. Playing a starring role in the film “Hotel Rwanda”, it is also the epitome of Rwandan resilience.

Now this beloved property has joined “Kempinski – a Collection of Individuals”, Europe’s oldest luxury-hotel group, founded in 1897. Hôtel des Mille Collines by Kempinski combines uncompromising Kempinski standards of luxury and personalised service with the famed hotel’s vibrant history and the warm welcome for which the people of Rwanda are known.

Today, Hôtel des Mille Collines by Kempinski offers two restaurants well known for their famous signature brochettes and for the best breakfasts in town as well as for the fine Mediterranean cuisine served at Le Panorama restaurant on the hotel’s fourth floor, where diners can also enjoy breath-taking views of the hills of Kigali. The hotel also has three convivial bars and lounges, a ballroom accommodating up to 300 guests, four meeting rooms and a business centre.

The iconic feature of the hotel is an outdoor swimming pool situated alongside the Pool Bar. Combined with the outdoor restaurant and enticing live music, this area forms the heartbeat of Hôtel des Mille Collines by Kempinski. Christoph Strahm, General Manager, explains, “As everyone in Kigali knows, Mille Collines is THE place to see and be seen, every evening and during special occasions like the Chill-Out Sunday Brunch, exciting cultural events and much more.”

Remarkable Rwanda. Remarkable Hospitality.

Along with other signature touches and services, Hôtel des Mille Collines by Kempinski has introduced the “Lady in Red”, Kempinski’s personalised concierge, reflecting the Kempinski focus on in-house guest services. Additionally, from second half of 2015, a complete renovation of this legacy of hospitality will begin. “We plan to convert some rooms into junior suites and create completely new panoramic suites, which will slightly increase the number of keys. The new suites will have breath-taking views over the hills of Kigali and will reflect the local culture. By doing the above, we will completely reinvent this iconic hotel,” Christoph Strahm points out. He concludes, “The first grand hotel in the country and the true landmark of Kigali has been combined with the management competence of Kempinski, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, in a perfect marriage. The luxurious Kempinski standards and the remarkable warm and welcoming attitude of the people of Rwanda are additional value-added features that will reposition Hôtel des Mille Collines by Kempinski as the undisputed market leader of the hospitality sector in Rwanda.”