Founded in lush green gardens on the eastern fringe of the city center in 1973, this is the city's oldest hotel, and one of the few that more-or-less functioned throughout the terrible events of 1994. The hotel's name refers to the popular Rwandan soubriquet Pays des Mille Collines (literally, Land of a Thousand Hills) and it remains something of a Kigali institution, despite the international notoriety bestowed upon it in 2005 as the subject of the film Hotel Rwanda. Managed and owned by the Belgian Serena Group for most of its lifespan, this four-star was acquired by the local Mikcor in September 2005 and renovations are planned for early 2007.
Spanning a full six stories, which makes it something of a skyscraper in Rwandan terms, the Mille Collines has a large reception area decorated with bombastic scarlet carpets (hopefully the first victim of planned renovations) that disguise what would otherwise be an attractively tiled floor. Large bay windows overlook the gardens. Noted more for its hefty price tags than anything else, the downstairs bar-restaurant leads to a very pleasant veranda dotted with umbrella-shaded tables overlooking the large swimming pool and wooded grounds. There are several gift shops and salons in the foyer, and two of the country's top tour operators have offices in the car park. Other facilities include a tennis court,
conference and business facilities (including Internet access), and a health and fitness center.
This hotel is ideally located for those with business in central Kigali, as it lies within 10 minutes of most major landmarks in the city center, while still retaining an appealingly suburban feel as a result of its green gardens. For most tourists, Kigali is more of a place to pass through en route to Volcanoes National Park than a destination in its own right, but the Gisozi Genocide Memorial and Education Center on the outskirts of town is a highly recommended (albeit chilling) excursion for visitors.
With their bright red carpets and not-quite-color-coordinated red-and-white bedspreads, the guest rooms here really do require some redecoration to bring them into the 21st century. That aside, the twin and double rooms are very comfortable, and the facilities are state-of-the-art, with satellite TV, minibar, direct-dial phone, personal safe, electronic key card and Internet hookup for laptops in all rooms.
This reliable upmarket hotel has long been popular with business travelers and makes for a good overnight base for tourists prior to or between trips to the Volcanoes and Akagera national parks. The Mille Collines is not in the same league as the InterContinental, its main central rival, but it is a lot more affordable and—even if the official four-star rating would feel generous in most countries—it has excellent facilities and the accommodation and food should prove to be more than adequate for budget-conscious travelers.