Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

4.0 star property
your current months are February, 2025 and March, 2025.
February 2025
March 2025

Photo gallery for Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Exterior
Junior Suite
Junior Suite
Lobby sitting area
Breakfast, lunch, dinner served; British cuisine

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Pool
  • Gym
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Room service
  • Spa

Explore the area

Map
Gisenyi Rwanda, Gisenyi, 00100
  • Rwanda Tourism University College
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Université Libre de Kigali
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Nyamyumba Hot Springs
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Gisenyi (GYI)
    ‪11 min drive‬

Room options

Standard Double Room

  • 25 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Family Twin Room

  • 25 sq m
  • Lake view
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

Junior Suite

  • 40 sq m
  • Lake view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Similar properties

About the area

Gisenyi

When you stay at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel in Gisenyi, you'll be on the beach, within a 5-minute drive of Gisenyi Beach and Rwanda Tourism University College. .This beach hotel is 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from Université Libre de Kigali and 4 mi (6.4 km) from Nyamyumba Hot Springs.

What's nearby

  • Gisenyi Beach - 1 min drive
  • Rwanda Tourism University College - 2 min drive
  • Université Libre de Kigali - 3 min drive
  • Nyamyumba Hot Springs - 6 min drive
  • Parc National des Virunga - 9 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Kivu Resto - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Caritas Hotel - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪The New Tam Tam - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Migano Cafe - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪Salt and Pepper Restaurant - ‬4 min drive

About this property

Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Beachfront hotel with full-service spa
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel offers 30 air-conditioned accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. LCD televisions come with premium satellite channels.

Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers and hair dryers. This Gisenyi hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access.

Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool and a fitness center.
Guests can indulge in a pampering treatment at the hotel's full-service spa.
Make yourself at home in one of the 30 air-conditioned rooms featuring LCD televisions. Flat-screen televisions with satellite programming provide entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Bathrooms have bathtubs or showers and hair dryers. Conveniences include phones, as well as safes and complimentary bottled water.
Take time to pamper yourself with a visit to the full-service spa. You're sure to appreciate the recreational amenities, including an outdoor pool and a fitness center. This hotel also features complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and babysitting (surcharge).
Enjoy British cuisine at The Lake Restaurant, a restaurant which features a bar/lounge, or stay in and take advantage of the 24-hour room service. Wrap up your day with a drink at the poolside bar.
Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, express check-out, and a 24-hour front desk. Event facilities at this hotel consist of conference space and meeting rooms. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours), and free self parking is available onsite.
The Lake Restaurant - This restaurant specializes in British cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and light fare. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.
Ziwani Cafe - This café serves light fare only.
24-hour room service is available.

Languages

English, French

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and public transport

  • Free self-parking on site
  • 24-hour return airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Airport shuttle on request

Food and drink

  • 1 restaurant
  • 1 poolside bar and 1 bar
  • 24-hour room service

Restaurants on site

  • The Lake Restaurant
  • Ziwani Cafe

Things to do

  • Fitness centre
  • Full-service spa
  • Outdoor pool

Family friendly

  • Babysitting (surcharge)
  • Free cots/infant beds
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • Banquet hall
  • Front-desk safe
  • Gift shop/newsstand

Guest services

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Concierge services
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Porter/bellhop

Business services

  • 24-hour business centre
  • Conference space
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Beachfront location
  • Garden
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have any requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • This property does not have any lifts
  • Wheelchair-accessible (may have limits)

More

  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Air conditioning
  • Bed sheets
  • Free cots/infant beds

Bathroom

  • Bath or shower
  • Hairdryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Towels

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV
  • Premium channels
  • Satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water

More

  • Phone
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before noon
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Free cribs are available on request at the property

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 120 per person (one-way)
  • Airport shuttle fee per child: USD 60 (from 4 to 12 years old)

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 and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
Property Registration Number A505/06

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is also known as

Kivu Serena
Kivu Serena Hotel
Lake Kivu Hotel
Lake Kivu Serena
Lake Kivu Serena Gisenyi
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel Gisenyi
Serena Hotel Kivu
Serena Hotel Lake Kivu
Serena Kivu
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel Hotel
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel Gisenyi
Lake Kivu Serena Hotel Hotel Gisenyi

Lake Kivu Serena Hotel Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 48 out of 86 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 26 out of 86 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 7 out of 86 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 86 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 86 reviews" "

8.8/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Martin

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful propertyz beautiful town
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Matthew

Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I did NOT want to leave…. Thats all I’ll say.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely hotel. Very relaxing and ina nice neighborhood.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Timothy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Catriona, Newar

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Serena Hotel in Lake Kivu was lovely. We had a great room with a lake view. Since we traveled with a guide we did not use any of the extra guest services but we did take a boat ride out to the Nyamyumbo hot springs which was quite an experience. The opposite of a hotel spa! Staff were very pleasant and accommodating. I would recommend this hotel!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

6/10 Okay

YOUKYOUNG, New Orleans

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Cleanliness
Great lake view, beautiful landscape and relaxing place. It was a nice stop after hiking Volcano National Park. The property is a bit outdated. Carpet and chairs in our room had lots of stains. Bathroom door was dusty, but shower (hot water & pressure) was good.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Murithi

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Enjoyed the stay on the serene , quiet and scenic environment. The service and hotel dining is great
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Georgia

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The staff are really good. They provide high level customer care.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

Adeola

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Would recommend
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

Michal

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Hotel is run down with most in-room amenities in bad shape. Food was decent
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rosemarie Jeanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Everything was as expected from a 4 to 5 star hotel.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2022

8/10 Good

Aderemi

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice and comfortable
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Always love the Serena, especially for the pool + beachfront and excellent breakfast. Rooms are a bit dated (small, older TVs and AC units) but they recently updated to new mattresses and all rooms have balconies. Also the grounds are beautiful!
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021

10/10 Excellent

Alexander

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff were courteous, very solicitous, and helpful at every turn. Perched on the lake, the location of the property is superb.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

2/10 Terrible

Raz, Goma

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
There is nothing in the rooms listen in the booking list. Even not a hairdryer or a toothbrush available in the bathrooms.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff very helpful and supportive. Special the receptionist called Love she was magnificent and very supportive. Breakfast was excellent variety of different types of food and excellent taste. All the staff were excellent and excellent location with private beach. The hotel required to be upgraded to modern style
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Staff & service
It was loud the two days I was there . Music blaring from 730 am until 830 pm. It’s not a place to go if you need down time like I did
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Place is ok stay overnight but nothing special. Location is nice.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

4/10 Poor

lionel

Liked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
serena
The hotel is perfect but the restaurant is not clean have been ill all the 2 days due to the food intoxication certainly fish not fresh
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jill

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cant wait to come back!
What a great spot! Three nights = total relaxation. Gorgeous room (upgraded to a suite!), fabulous pool, great breakfast included and wow was Leon Munyeshuri a super accommodating front desk assistant manager. Thanks for making the stay truly unforgettable!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in May 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property and staff were very good BUT the mattresses and pillows were not.....it’s too bad because everything else was good especially the food. Maybe they will get enough negative reviews about their mattresses to do something
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019