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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I first came here in 2008 and it was the first place I could really relax in Kigali (the social atmosphere was a lot less open back then). 7 years later, impressive renovations have taken place, but the open 'family' vibe remains. Some negative reviewers were clearly expecting a standard tourist hotel, but this is a different proposition. Don't come looking for sterile luxury, obsequious waiters and a buffet breakfast. This is a characterful guest-house with basic facilities and unique charms. The beautiful gardens and friendly staff make this place especially suited for people looking for a chilled, informal experience and also for families with kids. The gardens are surprisingly big and wild for a city centre guest house (it's 30 minutes walk from UTC, the main mall). The rooms are a bit crusty, but they're clean and everything works, including my piping hot shower. There are loads of cats (about 7?) in the compound, which means you can relax in the forest-like grounds without fear of rodents and snakes interrupting your peace. If you are a nature-lover like me, this place is a rare treat. Excellent Ethiopian and local food are served for lunch and dinner in the terrace restaurant and newly-built indoor bar. Bring your own breakfast materials or go up to Bourbon Cafe in UTC - I never asked for breakfast here. There is music played till the bar closes around 11pm/midnight, but it's never been loud enough to bother me and I'm a light sleeper. If you are feeling sociable and want to hang out with interesting Rwandans, I've made a fair few friends in the 6 nights I've been here. Most nights there are colourful characters hanging around the bar and terrace fire. The owner, Gatera, is a legend: a big-hearted father figure who has built up this place piece-by-piece with determination and vision. The prices may seem steep, but the profits feed back into the worthy prosthetics-leg, IT and leatherwork projects. There's a variety of options - tents, mini-bungalows and 'VIP' apartments with 3 rooms. They are open to negotiation if you are up for staying a few nights. Doesn't hurt to ask... I came to stay for a week and have now negotiated a long-term tenancy in one of their VIP apartments. The family are joining me here soon. Sweet!…
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Date of stay: March 2015
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Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip:Ask for a VIP room with hot shower if you have the budget
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stayed at One Love Guesthouse in Kigali. They are a charitable organization to help people with disabilities. So the income from guesthouse and restaurant goes straight to them. This is the first point we chose this guesthouse. They have full of nature inside the compound, and we woke up with birds singing. The room is OK, it is really simple, but we do not need any gorgeous facilities. Also staffs are nice and friendly. They really helps me when we have problem for transport. The owner, dreadlock handicap man, is really attractive person I never seen. He struggled a lot during the genocide, so he seems to be strong enough to live. I really like to stay One Love when I come back to Rwanda!! Thanks !!
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Date of stay: August 2013
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Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am very sad to write this negative feedback to One Love. It's a charity that supports the disabled in Rwanda and 50% of the guesthouse's profit is reserved for it. PRO's: 1) reasonable food 2) a nice garden to have a drink 3) for a good cause CON's: 1)Very noisy: near a main road with open windows. Loud music in the surroundings. 2) very very basic rooms: we have travelled a lot, but these kind of rooms normally go for 5-10 USD instead of 40 USD. Towels and linnen smelled terrible. The shower was dangerous with an electric cable hanging over the bath. 3) Bad and lazy staff: Every time we wanted a drink we had to get it by ourselves, while 5 employees were just hanging on the bar. We agreed on having breakfast at 8 am after they said this was really early to them. Then when we arrived at 8 am, nobody was there. After being really annoyed we finally got our breakfast at 8.40 am. After we complained about the noise, the manager simply said that this couldn't be possible, because there was no music. Like we were crazy... Exception on this generalized comment is one guy that really tried to do his best. I don't know his name. 4) Cats all around: the place is crowded with not-healthy looking cats. Dinner of the night before is served to them and can be found everywhere. We would have spent 2 nights here but we decided to go somewhere else. See our review of Golf Hills Residence.…
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Date of stay: July 2013
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Definitely don't go to the building next to the parking lot. If you decide to stay here,...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
At one point we thought we were in a concentration camp. The shower gave electric shocks, the torn sheets reeked of eon old mould, and a cat was dying in the hallway. The price was absurd. We shifted to Discover Rwanda hostel as soon as we woke up.
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Date of stay: December 2012
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The place may be a charity, but it is a disaster. The rooms are absolutely filthy and they are charging the equivalent of 40 USD! My room had a busted bathroom sink, so i had to brush my teeth using the bathtub. the curtains are . . . difficult to describe. I've stayed in some absolutely horrendous rooms in India, and the curtains at the One Love Club were as filthy as anything I've ever seen. If the room was 10 dollars, as was my room in Ruhengeri, it would be one thing. But to charge FORTY dollars! Outrageous. The staff was pretty helpful, but they all seem to be terrified of the owner -- and, for a charity, it's odd that there is a Mercedes Benz SUV parked in front of the owner's digs.
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Date of stay: January 2013
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Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip:Go somewhere else.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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