Travelers discover a peaceful lakeside retreat at Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel, where stunning views create the perfect backdrop for both relaxation and adventure
Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel, at the heart of Lake Kivu, offers breathtaking views and a peaceful atmosphere. Relax by the outdoor pool, enjoy the sunny terrace, or use the BBQ grills. High-speed WiFi is available throughout, and guests praise the helpful, attentive staff.
Gisenyi is home to Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Kivu Lake and Gisenyi Beach. Take the opportunity to explore the area for water adventures such as fishing. Visit our Gisenyi travel guide
Avenue de la Cooperation, Gisenyi
What's nearby
Rwanda Tourism University College
7 min walk - 0.6 km
Gisenyi Beach
7 min walk - 0.6 km
Université Libre de Kigali
18 min walk - 1.6 km
Nyamyumba Hot Springs
9 min drive - 8.2 km
Parc National des Virunga
11 min drive - 11.6 km
Getting around
Kigali (KGL-Kigali Intl.)
152 min drive
Restaurants
Kivu Resto
4 min drive
Restaurant Chalet
8 min drive
Caritas Hotel
3 min drive
Migano Cafe
8 min walk
Steven shop
5 min drive
About this property
Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel
Property highlights
Consider a stay at Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel and take advantage of a poolside bar, a terrace and a coffee shop/cafe. In addition to a garden and a playground, guests can connect to free in-room WiFi, with a speed of 25+ Mbps.
Other perks at this hotel include:
An outdoor pool and a children's pool
Free self-parking
A round-trip airport shuttle (surcharge), a banquet hall and a front desk safe
Concierge services, tour/ticket information and meeting rooms
Room features
All guest rooms at Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel feature comforts, such as 24-hour room service and premium bedding, as well as amenities, such as free WiFi and safes.
More amenities include:
Bathrooms with shower/bath combinations and free toiletries
42-inch flat-screen TVs with premium channels
Balconies or patios, coffee/tea makers and daily housekeeping
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi and wired internet
In-room WiFi speed: 25+ Mbps
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
24-hour return airport shuttle (surcharge)
Free secured self parking on site
Limited on-site self parking
Food and drink
A bar/lounge
A coffee shop/cafe
A poolside bar
A restaurant
Snack bar/deli
Things to do
Children's pool
Gym
Outdoor pool
Playground
Family friendly
Children's pool
Laundry facilities
Outdoor pool
Playground
Snack bar/deli
Conveniences
24-hour front desk
Laundry facilities
Luggage storage
Newspapers in lobby
Safe at front desk
Guest services
Concierge services
Dry cleaning/laundry service
Housekeeping (daily)
Tour and ticket assistance
Business services
24-hour business centre
Meeting rooms
Outdoors
Barbecue grill
Garden
Picnic area
Terrace
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Accessible airport shuttle
Braille/raised signage
No lift
More
Banquet hall
Designated smoking areas
Room amenities
Bedroom
Premium bedding
Bathroom
Dressing gowns
Free toiletries
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Shower/bathtub combination
Slippers
Towels provided
Entertainment
42-inch flat-screen TV with premium digital channels
Food and drink
24-hour room service
Coffee/tea maker
Free bottled water
More
Desk
Free daily newspapers
Safe
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 2 PM; check-in end time: anytime
Minimum check-in age - 18
Check-out
Check-out before noon
Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available
Payment types at the property
Important information
Optional extras
Airport shuttle fee: USD 30.00 per vehicle (return, maximum occupancy 5)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
Property is also known as
Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel Gisenyi
Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel
Gorillas Lake Kivu Gisenyi
Gorillas Lake Kivu
Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel Hotel
Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel Gisenyi
Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel Hotel Gisenyi
Frequently asked questions
Does Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel have a pool?
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool and a children's pool.
Is Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel?
Self-parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel?
Check-in start time: 2 PM; check-in end time: anytime.
What time is check-out at Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel?
Checkout is at noon.
Does Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel provide a shuttle to the airport?
Yes, there's an airport shuttle. A fee of USD 30.00 per vehicle applies.
Where is Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel located?
Situated in Gisenyi, this beach hotel is within a 10-minute walk of Kivu Lake and Gisenyi Beach. Rwanda Tourism University College and Université Libre de Kigali are also within 1 mile (2 km).
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Reviews
Gorillas Lake Kivu Hotel Reviews
7.0
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
Situated close to the lake in a wonderful garden with lush vegetation and a swimming pool with shallow water area.
Hans-Iko
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022
10/10 Excellent
Doreen
27 Jan 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The staff was friendly and very attentive. The rooms and facilities were clean and comfortable.
Spackling and painting are needed in the stairwell leading to the 2nd, as well as the 2nd floor corridor. Nonetheless, I would stay there again on future trips.
Doreen
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
6/10 Okay
Emily
3 Dec 2024
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The grounds of this hotel are lovely. The hotel itself is old and the facility is aging. Many things don't work or break. The Lakeside room I had was not really lakeside, you could not hear the lapping of the waves - which is what I had hoped for. The food is overpriced and the menu limited. It is convenient and tourists might enjoy it, but for the business traveler it is a disappointment.
The hotel has seen better days. The rooms were very rundown, the linens were threadbare and the beds were broken. The staff was friendly, but o would recommend looking somewhere else, especially for that price.
Alex
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023
4/10 Poor
Richard
26 Feb 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Not Air conditioned
THIS HOTEL IS NOT AIR CONDITIONED. We chose it because Hotels.com said it was. The manager told us that was “an error” and that he has been trying to get the booking sites to change it but has had no success.
This is a malaria area, there are no windows in the rooms but they have sliding glass doors providing a beautiful view of the pool and the lake but, at night, the only way to get cooler air is to leave those sliding doors wide open and use a fan. No screens, no mosquito nets and wide open doors. I was not willing to take that chance so said we would have to move. The manager then said they did have one suite with a/c but it cost $250 a night. We worked out a deal so it only cost me a couple hundred dollars more than we already paid through Hotels.com but this was an unexpected and unwelcome surprise.
The staff is amazing, helpful, friendly. The breakfast is a very good buffet. The location is wonderful – across the street from the beach, walking distance to a couple of shops and nice coffee /pastry bakery. Lovely well-kept grounds and pool. This place would be perfect if they had a/c. But, because of that and the malaria potential (a friend who lives here that we were visiting said she has had malaria twice so it is a real possibility) I would choose another hotel.
Richard
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
4/10 Poor
Prince
26 Feb 2026
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Old school no elevator for family with kids
Prince
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
2/10 Terrible
Venkata Sree Rama Chandra Santosh Kumar
25 Feb 2026
Disliked: Amenities
Management needs to be more transparent with guests. I reached the hotel in the middle of the night (1:30 am) only to be surprised by a water outage. No heads-up was given. The dining experience was equally poor—the menu wasn't ready and there were no vegetarian dishes available. Even with limited occupancy, the service felt disorganized. If you can't provide basic water and a standard menu, you shouldn't be taking bookings.
Hôtel très agréable avec un personnel hyper dévoué. Malheureusement, la piscine était souvent fermée et la salle de sport ne mérite même pas ce nom. Sinon, tout le reste était parfait
Place is good but incomplete in what we need. Like one channel no free coffe or water.Restaurant Staff not returning your change of money, i paid thru on line and they said im still not yet paid so i give 200 hundred, then from 290 i paid they just return to me 100 dollar the remaining they said will be give to the driver. But how?
At this price the property must have modern TVs not the year 2000s boxes they have. The cable tv channels were also less than 5. The check in was excellent but upon check out the guy at the reception asked me to pay. When i told him it was paid for already he appeared confused. This was a big shock for me. The breakfast was not up to scratch either. The garden and pool are very good.
Everything is excellent and best value for money. Hotel is clean and safe. Rooms are comfortable. However, you may find the food (especially for vegetarians) options are limited. For business trip, this is a recommended place to stay.
Check in was not pleasing, was not given the room I’d booked originally. Other than that I had a great stay, room was clean, pool was beautiful. They could use a few more chairs around the pool though, maybe some lounge chairs. Breakfast was amazing. Would definitely recommend.
Härligt ställe att bo på. Lite lyhört från korridoren. God mat i restaurangen och frukosten var helt okej! Utsikten från rummet på bottenvåningen är över den mysiga trädgården med pool. Runt hörnet ligger stranden där det går bra att bada och göra båtutflykter. Andra restauranger ligger en kort promenad bort.
The staffers are excellent. The spa is coming soon and a massage will be very welcome. There needs to be a restroom on the first floor for customer convenience.
The Lake Kivu garden is amazing, I wish there were more activities to occupy my curiosities, and more furniture to enjoy the garden.
Really, the customer service, care and hospitality were the best! I wish there was more creativity on the buffet although it met my needs. I will hold you to the offer of the coupon off and I'm looking for my reimbursement due to emergency early check out. Thank you Mr. Wagula and staff. VMc
The manager of the hotel was extremely helpful, I am a wheelchair user and he showed me two different types of room so I could choose which was more suitable for me. The entrance to the hotel is not wheelchair accessible but once inside the hotel the ground floor is level access.
The food at the hotel was also much better than anything we sampled elsewhere and we ate all our meals there as a result.
There was some noise from exercises taking place on the beach but in the hotel itself there was a party and we were worried about the impact of the noise but by 10 PM it was very quiet.
NO elevator. congested area but very nice hotel grounds inside a walled area
michael
6/10 Okay
Sarah, UK
15 Aug 2016
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Basic hotel, could do better
Being taken to a room which we had not booked when we arrived, to them trying to charge me after I had already paid was not good. The room itself was reasonably comfortable, but handles missing from wardrobe / bedside table did not look good. The hotel is very noisy, despite not seeming to be a huge number of guests staying. Noise travels easily from reception up to rooms or from the restaurant. Rooms do not have air-con or a fan but instead a gap at the top of the patio doors covered by mosquito mesh which did its job keeping the bugs away but meant every sound went into the rooms. We didn't have a night where we did not need ear plugs. Breakfasts were terrible - they go on until 10am but even if you get there just before 9am there is little on offer, you basically have choice of fruit (if they don't run out) or omelette. They have a toaster for bread but there was never any condiments such as honey or jam on offer. Only used pool once as only 2 sunbeds available for whole hotel. I booked this hotel for the pool - looks much bigger in photos than it actually is. Instead my family walked 10 mins to another local hotel and used their pool. I wish I had stayed in that hotel now, much more expensive but would have been easier!
Sarah
6/10 Okay
Verified traveller
14 Aug 2016
Liked: Cleanliness
Rent och snyggt, men något opersonligt
Trevligt poolområde med servering och välskött pool. Hotellet är rent och i gott skick, om än lite opersonligt. Rummet var väldigt lyhört och många ljud utifrån hördes in, men det kan bero på att vi hade rum nära receptionen. Wifi finns men låg nere längre perioder flera gånger under våra dagar där.
Nice Simple hotel. The wifi worked well and I enjoyed breakfast. The water pressure in the showers is incredible. The views over the pool from the room also nice and pleasant. I'd say the room didn't have any wash cloths, but no major problem. The TV is also outdated. Pretty simple, classic, not extra about the hotel, but staying in Gisenyi is always nice.
Friendly staff. Nice location and pool. Daft design in shower, the shower curtain stops 6 inches from floor therefore room flooded each time shower is used - housekeeping staff must be well fed up of that kila siku.