Celebrated as one of Kigali’s top 5-star hotels, The Retreat is a luxury boutique hotel and spa created by the American owners of Heaven, which seamlessly blends enchanting serenity, Rwandan flair, and contemporary buzz to provide a unique experience. This tropical oasis offers guests an exclusive accommodation and immersive cultural experience, establishing itself as Kigali’s first eco-friendly hotel with solar electricity, organic toiletries, and locally crafted furniture from a sustainable Tanzanian teak farm.
Located on a peaceful tree-lined street just steps from Kigali city centre and a mere 15-minute drive from Kigali International Airport, The Retreat serves as the perfect base for travellers seeking to delve deeper into the colourful capital city. It allows guests to soak up the warmth of the city’s culture and people while providing easy access to all the vibrant happenings in this dynamic metropolis.
Featuring three different room types (Luxury Pool Villas, Superior King Suites and Deluxe King Rooms), with a total of 20 rooms, guests can anticipate a range of upscale amenities from high peaked ceilings, private outdoor patios, and indulgent indoor rain showers. The Luxury Pool Villas, the hotel’s most popular room offering, also feature private plunge pools, beautiful front and back gardens, as well as indulgent outdoor showers. Additionally, The Retreat offers a large salt water solar powered swimming pool with diving rock plus a decadent hot tub for all guests to enjoy. There is also a state-of-the-art open-air gym, sauna, full-service spa offering an array of wellness treatments, outdoor yoga deck and a meditation room, rounding out the exclusive luxury experience.
When it comes to dining, The Retreat offers a culinary experience like no other. Two of Kigali’s top-rated restaurants, Fusion and Heaven, serve a delectable array of dishes, ensuring that guests are spoiled for choice. Fusion Restaurant, along with its Swahili-inspired bar, tantalises guests with farm-to-table internationally inspired cuisine, while Heaven Restaurant presents an innovative modern African menu infused with local Rwandan flavours.
Guests staying at The Retreat can engage in a range of fun and interactive onsite cultural adventures. These include traditional banana winemaking, Rwandan cooking classes, cocktail making, and neighbourhood walks. These activities encourage guests to immerse themselves in Rwanda’s day-to-day life, ensuring an unforgettable experience filled with lasting memories.
What we love about The Retreat
- Kigali is renowned as one of Africa’s cleanest and safest cities and is often highlighted as a bucket list destination. In recent years, Kigali’s cultural scene has flourished with the emergence of fashion designers, executive chefs, and vibrant art galleries. Staying at The Retreat encourages guests to immerse themselves in Kigali’s local culture and cuisine, providing opportunities to learn more about the country’s traditions and heritage while celebrating its evolution and cultural innovations.
- With a strong focus on community upliftment and local empowerment, the founders of The Retreat and Heaven are committed to supporting and investing in their staff’s education, as well as providing private education scholarships for vulnerable youth. They firmly believe that education is one of the most effective ways to create prosperity and future success.
- The Retreat proudly supports Rwanda’s burgeoning entrepreneurial scene and features an onsite custom tailor, along with two ‘Made in Rwanda’ retail boutiques. These boutiques showcase a wide range of fabulous custom-made clothing, African “kitenge” fabrics, and accessories – perfect keepsakes to take home.
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