Rwanda - new hotel? Mountain Gorilla View Lodge - anyone stayed there?
Jul 29th, 2009, 10:52 AM
#3
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I just got back from Africa and stayed at the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge. Please note that the owners have run out of money and the lodge is not finished. The dining room is in one of the guest rooms. They are having major water problems. We had only a half hour of water per day, from 6:30 - 7:00 PM if we were lucky! No chance of washing hands after using the toilet and unable to wash our hands and face in the morning. Rooms are Ok though, better that Gorlla nest, but on a whole not worth the money....
Jul 29th, 2009, 12:47 PM
#4
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We were there July 8th & 9th. We had plenty of hot water everyday. We really enjoyed the rooms. I think there were only 4 other couples staying there and yes it appears they will not be completing the restaurant anytime soon, this wasn't a big issue for us. Stand alone rooms are huge. The service was excellent, hot water bottles in bed, stoked fire, shoes cleaned both nights. Beautiful views of the volcanoes. The performance put on by children from a local orphanage was fantastic. Maybe we just got lucky but we had a fantastic stay.
Aug 20th, 2010, 02:41 PM
#7
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Hi Leely2 - we stayed there this past February - it's very near Gorilla's Nest, about a 10 minute drive to the starting point for the gorilla trek. When we were there it was still a work in progress....the dining room had just opened, there wasn't much furniture to fill the vast public spaces, but the individual cottages were just fine and the young staff delightful. It's not as luxurious as it's made out to be....the bathroom in the cottage is pretty basic for example...but fine. Food was basic with a few high notes.
Aug 20th, 2010, 02:58 PM
#8
Thanks, Elizabeth. I stayed at Kinigi Guesthouse and now two friends of my mom want to go gorilla trekking--don't think they can go as basic as I did! I visited the Virunga Lodge, and while beautiful, I just thought it was way too far away from park HQ. This sounds like a good mid-range option.
Oct 17th, 2010, 03:40 AM
#9
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We just stayed at Virunga Lodge and just loved it. Yes, it's 45 minutes to the park hq, but it's so beautiful staying there, and the ride is so beautiful and interesting we just loved it. We'd stay there again in a heartbeat.
Many of the rooms have been beautifully renovated, and there is plumbing and hot water (most of the time). None of the other places have the views this one does, and the trek may have you back at your lodge by 12-1, so having a beautiful place to stay is just magic.
When I get to doing a trip report, I'll put pictures in.
The food was good and the staff are very professional and lovely. There is an award winning dance troupe right there too, and their performance was just spectacular.
Many of the rooms have been beautifully renovated, and there is plumbing and hot water (most of the time). None of the other places have the views this one does, and the trek may have you back at your lodge by 12-1, so having a beautiful place to stay is just magic.
When I get to doing a trip report, I'll put pictures in.
The food was good and the staff are very professional and lovely. There is an award winning dance troupe right there too, and their performance was just spectacular.
