When Bank of Kigali was inaugurating its main headquarters’ building, the guest of honour was His Excellence President Paul Kagame, delivering his speech at the event were words of advice to the business community and little did he know on that day that he had inspired the idea of building the Classic Hotel Brand.
Among the guests was Pierre Habyarimana, a local entrepreneur who picked the President’s advice to be confident in what they do and seek financing from banks to fund innovative projects. Habyarimana heeded the President’s advice, got a loan and constructed Classic Hotel in Kicukiro, City of Kigali.
Seven years later, the Classic Brand has grown and Habyarimana, the entrepreneur he is has opened another, the Classic Lodge in the Northern Province, a 4-Star hotel outside Musanze town in.
Habyarimana appreciates the advice given by President Kagame which inspired his new idea to build a 4-Star hotel using local materials. Classic Lodge was constructed using 90% local materials and built by Rwandans which is also partly an eco-lodge.
Pierre Habyarimana, a local entrepreneur
After conceiving the idea, the founder of Classic Lodge thought to take the eco-friendly hospitality investment back to his home district in Musanze, a region known as a top tourism destination in Rwanda.
Classic Lodge is an eco-friendly facility built seven kilometres outside Musanze town in a serene environment with natural vegetation. The facility sitting on a small hill features various amenities that offers accommodation, conference facilities, best dishes and health facilities in made in Rwanda atmosphere.
Services offered include conference facilities, rooms, eco-lodges, cottages, restaurant, sauna, stream bath, massage parlour, sports facilities like GYM, basket ball court, volleyball court, football pitch, handball pitch, tennis court and an Olympic size swimming pool free for guests.
There is a variety of different rooms with banda type cottages (made of volcanic rock) that can accommodate families, presidential suites, superior rooms and standard spacious rooms among others. They are all well-equipped with modern style furnishings, self-contained, flat TV screen, working table, locker and each room has a balcony.
The gardens at Classic Lodge are spacious thoughtfully planned with locally available volcanic rock and bamboo. The different facilities or amenities are separate from each other that none can interfere with guests seeking a restful environment, health activities or sensitive meeting going on.
The setting of the place is filled more with nature, flowers, bamboo trees and there are plenty of birds seen around and the hotel is developing an eco-park.
The kitchen at the hotel offers a menu with a wide choice that can be served at the restaurant with spectacular view of the mountains as well as the adjoining bar but also the club house area offers a great view.
Probably Musanze’s biggest hotel it offers the best venue for conferences, events and weddings with well-equipped conference centre featuring 10 conference halls including one that can accommodate 1,200 people. The facility is able to host about 1,800 people for conferences at once.
Apart from providing top services to tourists coming to the region and conference facilities, the hotel has created jobs for the locals. During construction over 50 local jobs were created daily and the proprietor supported the local community buying livestock.
Today the local development of Musanze has been boosted by a hospitality venture that has created jobs and market for farmers in the area who supply produce at the hotel as well as other benefits that are trickling down.
Classic Hotel in Kigali
The Classic Hotel Brand was first opened in Kigali in 2013 with a 3-Star hotel in Kicukiro. Classic Hotel is located on the main road near sonatubes heading to Kigali down town.
The hotel has 45 rooms, a conference centre with 6 halls, Sauna, Massage and health facilities like GYM. The hotel offers cozy and delightful rooms with large bay windows and balcony in many of the rooms.
The spacious meeting rooms at Classic Hotel are ideal for conference and events, from wedding ceremonies and cocktail parties to local and international business meetings, state meetings and functions.
The hotel boosts beautiful landscaped lawns, 24 hour room services and the facility is accessible to Kigali’s landmarks, popular attractions as well as Kigali International Airport.
