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Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

4.0 star property
Beachfront hotel with full-service spa

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Photo gallery for Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Exterior
Junior Suite | 1 bedroom, in-room safe, free cribs/infant beds, free WiFi
Interior entrance
Junior Suite | 1 bedroom, in-room safe, free cribs/infant beds, free WiFi
Lobby sitting area

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Pool
  • Air conditioning
  • Gym
  • Room service
  • 24/7 front desk

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 3 of 3 rooms

View all photos for Standard Double Room

Standard Double Room | 1 bedroom, in-room safe, free cribs/infant beds, free WiFi

Standard Double Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
LCD TV
Separate bedroom
Bathrobes
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
Free bottled water
  • 25 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Family Twin Room

Family Twin Room | 1 bedroom, in-room safe, free cribs/infant beds, free WiFi

Family Twin Room

Highlights

Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
LCD TV
Separate bedroom
Bathrobes
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
Free bottled water
  • Lake view
  • 25 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Junior Suite

Junior Suite | 1 bedroom, in-room safe, free cribs/infant beds, free WiFi

Junior Suite

Highlights

Balcony
Air conditioning
Free cribs/infant beds
LCD TV
Separate bedroom
Bathrobes
Private bathroom
Hair dryer
  • Lake view
  • 40 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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About the neighborhood

Map
Gisenyi Rwanda, Gisenyi, 00100

What's nearby

  • Gisenyi Beach - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Rwanda Tourism University College - 19 min walk - 1.0 mile
  • Université Libre de Kigali - 3 min drive - 1.4 miles
  • Nyamyumba Hot Springs - 8 min drive - 4.4 miles
  • Parc National des Virunga - 12 min drive - 7.9 miles

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

Upscale hotel
Consider a stay at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel and take advantage of a poolside bar, a terrace, and a garden. Take some time to relax at the onsite spa. The on-site British cuisine restaurant, The Lake Restaurant, offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and light fare. In addition to laundry facilities and a bar, guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
Other perks at this hotel include:
  • An outdoor pool
  • Free self parking
  • A roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge), express check-out, and babysitting (surcharge)
  • Concierge services, meeting rooms, and luggage storage
Room features
All guestrooms at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel include perks such as 24-hour room service and air conditioning, in addition to amenities like free WiFi and safes.
Other amenities include:
  • Bathrooms with tubs or showers and hair dryers
  • LCD TVs with premium channels
  • Free infant beds and phones

Languages

English, French

Property amenities

Internet

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

Parking and transportation

  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • A bar/lounge
  • A poolside bar
  • A restaurant

Restaurants on site

  • The Lake Restaurant
  • Ziwani Cafe

Things to do

  • Full-service spa
  • Gym
  • Outdoor pool

Family friendly

  • Babysitting (surcharge)
  • In-room crib
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Porter/bellhop

Business services

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

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • On the beach
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • No elevator
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)

More

  • 1 building
  • 2 floors
  • Banquet hall
  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Free crib

Bathroom

  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • LCD TV with premium satellite channels

Food and drink

  • 24-hour room service
  • Free bottled water

More

  • Air conditioning
  • 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

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, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
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

Frequently asked questions

Does Lake Kivu Serena Hotel have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Lake Kivu Serena Hotel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel?

Check-in start time: 3 PM; Check-in end time: midnight. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel?

Check-out is at noon.

Does Lake Kivu Serena Hotel provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request. A fee of USD 120 per person applies.

Where is Lake Kivu Serena Hotel located?

Nestled on the beach, this Gisenyi hotel is steps from Gisenyi Beach and 1.3 mi (2 km) from Rwanda Tourism University College. Université Libre de Kigali is 1.7 mi (2.7 km) away.

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Lake Kivu Serena Hotel Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 49 out of 88 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 27 out of 88 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 7 out of 88 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 88 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 88 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10

Wonderful hotel and staff.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10

Beautiful propertyz beautiful town
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10

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

Everything was as expected from a 4 to 5 star hotel.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2022

8/10

Would recommend
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

10/10

The staff are really good. They provide high level customer care.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

10/10

I did NOT want to leave…. Thats all I’ll say.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

6/10

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

8/10

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10

Beautiful setting and view. The comfort and cleaniness of the rooms were amazing. The restuarant and bar services were fantastic
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10

Magnifique hôtel avec belle vue sur le lac et piscine très agréable. Les repas sont copieux et très bons.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10

Lovely hotel. Very relaxing and ina nice neighborhood.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10

Positiv: Sehr gut ist die Lage des besten Hotels der Stadt direkt am Kivusee mit Privatstrand, abe auch eigenem Swimming pools. Ruhige Lage, große Zimmer mit guten Matrazen. Exzellentes, opulentes Frühstück. Sehr netter Service. negativ: Etwas in die Jahre gekommen.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

10/10

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10

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

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

10/10

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

8/10

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

8/10

Hotel is run down with most in-room amenities in bad shape. Food was decent
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

8/10

Nice and comfortable
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2021

8/10

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