My lovely stay at The Nest Kigali, a beautiful boutique hotel in Kigali

The Nest Kigali is one of the best hotels I have stayed at in Kigali. From the moment I arrived, I knew that this was my kind of hotel. The Nest Kigali is a boutique hotel in Kigali known for its creativity and markets itself as a place for curious adventurous minds. As a lover of boutique hotels, I knew even before I arrived at The Nest Kigali that I would love this hotel and I indeed loved it. I arrived at The Nest Kigali at about 6:00 pm after a long day on the road. We were driving all day from Kampala to Kigali so we had spent a better part of the day on the road.

Having been on a long journey, almost 10 hours on the road, arriving at The Nest made me feel like I had picked the perfect base for my time in Kigali, Rwanda. The hotel is medium sized, not too large and not too small. I like such hotels because few people are at the property at a time and this means that you get privacy while also having an opportunity to interact with fellow travelers if that’s your cup of tea.

From arrival, I could tell that this was a place designed by creatives and people who are into the arts. The earthy brown colors at the reception area, the beautiful art pieces and warm ambiance right from arrival makes the hotel feel so homely.

The beautiful entrance to The Nest Kigali

The lady at the reception was very welcoming, she introduced herself to me, welcomed me to the hotel and offered me a seat at the lobby area that is right next to the reception. A few minutes later, she gave me the check in form which I filled out and then she led me to my room.

Lobby at The Nest Kigali

My room at The Nest Kigali

I stayed in room “M01” and this was one of the most beautiful rooms that I have stayed in. The room was well-equipped with all the amenities that one would need for their stay at a hotel in Rwanda. I had a beautiful private balcony with 2 chairs and a scarf on one of the chairs to use in case it got cold.

Balcony with two seats and plants around the chairs

Outside my room

I had a tea and coffee station in my room so I could make myself a cup of tea if I wanted. I liked that the tea station had tea made in Rwanda. The tea station also had complimentary drinking water in a glass bottle labeled “Virunga still water”. I liked that the water is named after the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda and that it was in glass which shows the hotel’s commitment to sustainable tourism practices.

Tea station with different tea types and water in glass bottles

Tea station in the room

I had a queen sized bed which was most likely a 6×6 bed with cotton linen bed sheets and a duvet. Rwanda was cold during the month that I visited so the warm bed linen came in handy at night. I loved my room from the moment I entered, the art piece on the wall just on top of my bed caught my eye as soon as I entered. As a lover of art, I loved this.

My bathroom also had amenities that made my stay amazing. hot water was available throughout my stay and I had body wash.

A large mirror was available and a bowl sink area where I could brush my teeth and fix my hair. The bathroom also has a flush toilet with tissue paper.

I freshened up on arrival and the receptionist had told me about their in-house massage service so I decided to go for a massage before dinner. It took one hour, this was a great way to relax my body especially after the long day on the road. Road trips are hectic, you are seated in the car for long hours so having an in-house massage service at The Nest Kigali is a nice touch. Perfect way to relax after a long flight as well.

I then went and had dinner at their restaurant which they call “Tweet restaurant”, its an in-house restaurant at the hotel. The Nest Kigali menu had a number of great options, there was steak,chicken meals, vegetarian options and snack options. They also have a bar adjacent to the restaurant that has premium wines and other alcoholic drinks. You can also decide to order local beer made in Rwanda from the bar.

Woven twig ceiling with beautiful brown chairs in a room

The on-site restaurant at The Nest

Dinner at the restaurant was an enjoyable experience, I sat down and ordered my food which came in under 15 minutes. I had my dinner while listening to the soft music that was being played. Night time at a hotel is a wonderful experience, the chatter from the guests as they also have their meal, the night lights, the soft music and the warm interior all make the experience feel so intimate. This is one of my best parts of traveling.

Plants in the middle of two white buildings

One of my views while having dinner in the restaurant

I ordered for a chicken wrap and french fries and let me tell you this – it was one of the best chicken wraps that I have ever had. Fresh fillings, you could tell that the tortilla was freshly made and that fillings complimented the wrap perfectly, so yummy!

After dinner, I retired to my room, had a cup of chamomile tea from my tea station and then went to bed. I woke up in the morning to the sound of the birds chirping, a perfect way to wake up. I had requested a packed breakfast since I was leaving early in the morning and it was ready by 6:30 am, I had made my order the previous night. Breakfast included a vegetable sandwich, coffee, boiled eggs, two freshly baked cakes and fruits.

Bananas, a mango and an apple in a silver plate

Fresh fruits that were part of my packed breakfast

The breakfast came in handy as we had to leave early for pick up at Kigali International Airport and then start our journey to Volcanoes National Park for the gorilla trek in Rwanda.

My favorite parts about my stay at The Nest Kigali

My room, I really loved the arrangement and amenities.
The food, so tasty and excellently done.
The restaurant area, the interior was really inviting.

The Nest Kigali Location

The Nest Kigali is located on 7 KG 6 Avenue in Kigali city in Rwanda. I liked the location because its located along a quiet area of Kigali with neighboring coffee shops and restaurants. If you have more days in Kigali, you can take a walk in the neighborhood, visit nearby art centers and get a glimpse in to how the locals go about their day. You can also choose to go on a city tour of Kigali while on your stay, the tour would introduce to attractions in Kigali and key landmarks in the city.

The hotel is a few minutes away from the Kigali Convention Center and the Rwanda Development Board. It is also easily accessible from Kigali International Airport, the drive from the airport takes about 8-10 minutes.