Okapi Hotel

Hotel Okapi in Kigali, Rwanda exceeded all expectations! From the warm hospitality to the impeccably clean rooms, every detail was thoughtfully curated. The staff went above and beyond to ensure a comfortable stay, and the on-site amenities were top-notch. The location is perfect for exploring the city. Highly recommend this gem for anyone visiting Kigali!

1 night stay in July 2023
I originally booked a 6 night stay, via an online booking agent. I checked in for the first night early in the morning at about 2am.
My room was on the third floor but there is no elevator in the building, and it was extremely tiring for me to climb the stairs (I am 68).
The room has no a/c and no fan, there is a window/door in the room leading to a balcony but there is no mosquito screen so I was unable to open it. There is a mosquito screen hoisted over the bed but it looked dirty and I did not use it. The room was suffocatingly hot. If I had arrived during the daytime I would have walked out and gone somewhere else.
I managed to get a little bit of sleep, despite the suffocating heat. At sunrise, about 6am, I was able to open the window/door to the balcony to let some air in without worry about mosquitos. However, my room in the hotel faces east so the sun was shining directly into my room and within about an hour, the room was like a sauna despite having the balcony window/door wide open. And my room overlooks a busy road and the noise was really annoying.
I checked out the next morning, and found a hotel elsewhere.
I told the clerk at the lobby the reasons I was moving out, and that night the hotel owner phoned me and offered an apology, and also offered a refund for the remaining 5 nights via the booking agent.
The promised refund has not been made, and the booking agent has been unable to reach the owner.

Excellent little hotel in the city centre of Kigali. Staff really good the extra mile here. Food is excellent (order it an hour before you want it). Rooms are not Hyatt quality, bit functional, comfortable and clean. I recommend asking for a room with a view that looks out over the back of the hotel.

Hotel Okapi was welcoming and responded to a request for mosquito net quickly. Marie at concierge was so friendly and kind! Restaurant had amazing biryani and the Wi-Fi in the building was strong. Only gave 4 stars because the location, although close to downtown, fronted an alleyway that was quite noisy throughout the night.

The hotel is okay but too old. Curtains in the bathroom are dirty and need to be changed. Customer service in the restaurant is very slow just like any other place in Rwanda. People at the reception are really nice and surprisingly, not as slow as others. To honest for $30 a night, the hotel is fine and close to almost everything as it is in downtown.