Yambi Guesthouse

Really comfortable rooms and plenty of places to relax. Food was delicious and servings were generous. Service was really great and felt incredibly welcome. Highly recommend yambi to anyone looking for a relaxing stay in Kigali. Thank you.

Yambi is an oasis in the bustling Rebero area of Kigali! It really felt like a second home to us, so much so that we decided to come back there three weekends in a row between teaching in rural Rwanda. The staff are simply superb. Felicien greeted us every morning with a smile and a tasty breakfast while Jo made the most fabulous coffees on their La Marzocco coffee machine! Lionel and Omar were also incredibly helpful. We often spent time in their beautiful garden, reading, chatting and listening to the many birds. The rooms are very clean and comfortable. Patrick is a fantastic host and runs this guest house exceptionally well. Thank you so much, we'll really miss Yambi!! Kevin and Laura

The communal area was fantastic and provided a calm space from the city. The chef made a delicious breakfast and dinner. They even let us hang out for a while before a flight and helped us get up the airport. The room we had was large and included a fan which was helpful.

Beautiful place, kind, professional and calm staff,from the security guard to the reception it was great. Food is amazing the chef made some delicious sauce that I had with the chapati 😋. The place is well thought out so much amazing details on everything Will surely be back Highly recommend to book and stay,

Positives Rooms are clean and decorated in an African style. Beds are comfy and clean. The communal area is nice and a nice place to sit in. The small garden is very colourful and pretty. Breakfast is fine and other meals can be paid for onsite. I ate dinner there one evening and it was nice. The guesthouse is situated off the main road on a mud road. Hot water in shower. Good WiFi in common area. Cons There is a big gap between the room’s door and the outside so insects, mice etc can enter the rooms. Rooms are dark as the only windows look out on the communal corridor so you have to keep the curtains closed. Fortunately during my stay it was quiet but has the potential to be noisy as all doors open out onto this corridor. Breakfast was included in the room rate but it is only served after 7am. If you are going on a day tour or have an early flight then you get no breakfast. They refuse to pack a simple breakfast or even provide a teaspoon of coffee to make your own coffee in the morning. If you want a packed breakfast then you have to pay for it again. The staff aren’t helpful in providing transport options around Kigali. They wanted to charge me USD 30 to take me to 2 museums just a few kilometres down the road. They wouldn’t help by organising a taxi using the local cheap app. As a solo traveler I found this place to be very unfriendly and just trying to make money out of the tourists (unlike my experience at some other backpacker places that I have stayed at). I was disappointed with this place and wouldn’t have stayed 3 nights if I could have cancelled out for free. Staff unhelpful and certainly didn’t want to please.

Staying in Kigali for a couple of days as a backpacker Yambi was definitely the right choice. The dorm is simple, but clean, the shared bathroom modern and has warm water, the staff is extremely friendly and attentive and you can order fresh, delicious food at reasonable prices any time of the day. The real highlight for me was the common area though. I spent more time than I care to admit sitting on the cozy wooden porch with a coffee, tea or beer reading, writing, chatting with fellow travelers or just looking at the lush tropical garden and the lights of the city beyond.