Kigali Serena Hotel

The Kigali Serena Hotel is a landmark on KN 3 Avenue, about five minutes from the central business district. It has 148 rooms and 25 suites, from 25 square metre standard rooms to a 300 square metre Presidential Suite. Deluxe and Superior rooms have pool views, and the Junior and Executive Suites add space. The grounds are the draw: tropical and landscaped gardens with fountains surround an 18 metre swimming pool with a sundeck and plunge pool. The Maisha Spa and Health Club has a Moroccan-style spa with a sauna, steam room, juice bar and gym, and offers yoga and other classes. Sokoni Restaurant serves all-day poolside dining, with an African buffet on Fridays and a barbecue on Saturdays, and Milima Restaurant serves buffets and a la carte dishes in a garden atrium, with a Sunday brunch. Room service runs 24 hours, and the hotel offers an airport shuttle, a business centre, a concierge, babysitting and interconnecting rooms for families.

Location and getting around: the hotel is about twenty minutes from Kigali International Airport and five minutes from the central business district, so it is convenient for tours, meetings and restaurants. Most guests use the hotel's taxis or the operators who collect from the lobby for the Genocide Memorial, the city and the parks. It is not a stroll-to-everything address, but you are close enough to reach most places quickly.

Rooms and who it suits: the Standard rooms are compact, so choose a Deluxe or Superior room with a pool view if you want to enjoy the garden. Families benefit from interconnecting rooms, cots and babysitting, and the pool and gardens are kind to children. Couples will like the spa and the garden dining, and business travellers get a large ballroom and meeting rooms.

Good to know: the Executive Lounge is for in-house guests, and the hotel runs themed meals through the week, such as the Friday African buffet. Massages and spa treatments are charged separately. The Serena is a mid-to-upper priced choice, typically cheaper than the Marriott, with a calmer setting than the Radisson. If you prefer a smaller boutique experience, choose Heaven, and if you want the cheapest sensible option, choose the Park Inn.