Gorilla Home Stay

This hostel does not deserve the high ratings it has on Hostelworld or Google. It was review bombed by management / followers of some influencer and it is grossly overrated. The hostel isn’t clean, the staff is incredibly unfriendly and unhelpful, and it is not worth the price. When we arrived, our pillows were torn, fan broken, bathroom uncleaned, and the staff mostly just grunts or gestures at you. The only people in common areas are staff on their phones watching YouTube.

Scammed by them - avoid. We booked a two night stay which was confirmed on Hostelworld. We arrived and were told the room we booked was occupied and they had no space at all. They tried to move us to a different property around the corner instead. The room entrance could be accessed by anyone directly off the street and the doors were glass.It felt extremely unsafe and bared no resemblance to the photos on Hostelworld. Speaking to the manager, this appeared a planned scam rather than an error.

Nunca me contestaron por ningún medio nunca encontré el hotel ni con whastapp me dejaban en visto y nunca supe nada por lo tanto malo en todo

Left me stranded in the airport from 3:00am to 6:00am, despite me organising a transfer the day before. When the driver eventually showed, he then overcharged me. No apologies from the hostel. The facilities are poor and not as advertised. The one guy who speaks English is mostly absent. Not very helpful when he is there. Whatever you do, don’t give them your laundry The Wi-Fi and area is good. The breakfast is subpar but free with the room. The high rating for this place is very suspec...

Terrible place. No atmosphere. Rude staff.

The owner was very helpful so I don't love leaving this review, but they really need to up their game. The place was filthy, with cockroaches everywhere. I stayed many other places in the country and this was not the norm. My bathroom did not have hot water but they did switch my room. Reading other reviews, it seems this is a constant problem. When the owner was away, the staff was terrible - ignoring the customers.

I can’t understand how this place could have so high ratings. Is it from pre-pandemic, or is it for another place? I will never ever be back. Let me start. The rooms are dirty. Even if the linen is changed, it was still condoms under the bed. The rest of room has a very low condition. Filthy table. No hot water. The windows are not sealed, and the rooms lack of mosquito nets. So you will get bitten of mosquitoes. 🦟 Just be prepared of that. The owner/manager (the only one speak...

The staff wasn’t really welcoming or helpful. Sat outside the dorm with full volume watching TikTok all night. Facilities were not clean. Should have provided mosquito nets. Said they took credit card, but when we asked she looked at us like we were idiots. Bunch of fake reviews, please find another accommodation

Good location. Terrible welcome by a woman who provides no practical information or assistance. The room was very basic but ok for the price. However deplorable and dirty bathroom. I didn't feel in a hostel but more like renting a cheap room somewhere. I don't recommend this place.

The staff is friendly. Location is in quite place. The toilet and kitchen are very dirty . I Will not stay there again.

I had the most amazing stay here! The owner and staff are very helpful and accommodating, the place is very clean and the location is top notch. I felt very comfortable and right at home. I have stayed here twice already, and looking forward to more stays as I visit Kigali. Thank you for taking such good care of me!

Thank you so much Desire (owner) for hosting me for a month. The dorm facilities were amazing, the beds and room were cleaned daily as well as showers. There are lockers for belongings although I never used it as guests were responsible. Great location where locals and expats intermingle with lovely restaurants & bars. Staff are very helpful & Desire is always ready to help settle you in Kigali. I highly recommend staying at Gorilla Home Stay for an amazing experience, I will be back!

Such a great stay here - Location is great and Desire is always super helpful! Could not have asked for a better experience

Super angenehmer Aufenthalt

The owner Desire, is very kind. All the other guests were lovely people too. We went out for dinner together, talk in the lobby until late at night, and spent time together like a family.

Desire thanks again for everything, you’ve made my stay in Kigali easy and you’ve given me a home full of good people in the meantime!

Ein sehr netter, hilfsbereiter und freundlicher Gastgeber, die Küche durfte mitbenutzt werden, leider gab es keinen Kühlschrank. Die Lage ist ideal in der Nähe zum Café Tugende, von wo aus verschiedene Rad-Events starten. In der Nähe sind außerdem verschiedene Restaurants, in denen man abends essen gehen kann. Ein kleiner Shop ist fußläufig entfernt zum Einkaufen, weitere, größere Läden sind mit Mototaxi sehr schnell zu erreichen aber auch zu Fuß möglich. Insgesamt sehr zentral gele...

Gehe hin und lebe

We stayed here for 3 weeks and the place suited us. The location is close to where we needed to be in Kigali but also only a 5min moto-taxi from the very centre. Desire, the owner, is v helpful and will do anything. There is a lovely chill-out area, but not really any bar or food there but there are plenty of places to eat/drink within a few mins walk. I really recommend this place. It was sad to find out how much money Desire ‘lost’ as fees to booking platforms so try contact him direct...

amazing staff & location, would definitely stay again!

Good location and so quite and enjoyed the weather and the hospitality I was given.

Desire is a stunning manager!So helpfull and with lot of info about Rwanda. Gorilla Homestsay is a very nice clean backpacker and very close to restaurant . I can recomend to all travellers.

I came to the place and the manager personally showed me around in the area -thanks Desiree for that-; The hostel itself is simple, but definitely a good deal for the money they charge (especially in the expensive area the hostel is located);

I been traveling over 10 years and never fell so welcome like I did at the gorilla home stay in Kigali .Desire the host it’s super nice this place it’s awesome. Super recommended if you traveling east Africa .. great location super safe spot.

The host was incredibly generous and personable! He was always around to help with anything I needed and made an effort to get to know all his guests. He upgraded my dorm room to a single for no extra charge and gave me a free dinner when I came back late one night. The facilities are fair for a budget hostel option. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a budget accommodation and who enjoys connection with other people! As a solo traveller, I felt right at home.

The staff wasn’t really welcoming or helpful. Sat outside the dorm with full volume watching TikTok all night. Facilities were not clean. Should have provided mosquito nets. Said they took credit card, but when we asked she looked at us like we were idiots. Bunch of fake reviews, please find another accommodation

Unfortunately quite disappointing. Didn't feel super welcome and over our three night stay the shared bathroom wasn't cleaned once. Good shower pressure and the bed was comfy. Was glad to be in a private room as it had a bug net, whilst the dorm did not.

The staff was very helpful, especially for finding a taxi to and from the airport. Loved the location and walked all over Kigali from the hostel.

This hostel does not deserve the high ratings it has on Hostelworld or Google. It was review bombed by management / followers of some influencer and it is grossly overrated. The hostel isn’t clean, the staff is incredibly unfriendly and unhelpful, and it is not worth the price. When we arrived, our pillows were torn, fan broken, bathroom uncleaned, and the staff mostly just grunts or gestures at you. The only people in common areas are staff on their phones watching YouTube.

Good location. Terrible welcome by a woman who provides no practical information or assistance. The room was very basic but ok for the price. However deplorable and dirty bathroom. I didn't feel in a hostel but more like renting a cheap room somewhere. I don't recommend this place.