Bishop's House: Our full report

Previously known as Villanova Boutique Hotel, Bishop's House opened in late 2017.

The hotel is in Musanze, the closest town to Volcanoes National Park and a 30-minute drive from the park headquarters – so a good location for gorilla trekking. It aims to provide luxurious accommodation at affordable prices.

Bishop's House is staffed by a friendly and professional team, and is styled much like that of a colonial manor house. It feels quite opulent with rich fabrics, antique furniture, large paintings on the walls, and manicured gardens.

There are nine luxurious en-suite rooms: six Superior rooms (including one twin), two Deluxe suites and an Executive suite. Each room is individually styled with differing furniture, colour schemes and art-work, but all are equipped with DSTV, mini-fridge, and tea and coffee facilities. The small en-suite bathrooms have a walk-in shower, and complimentary toiletries. The main difference between the superior rooms and the suites is the size, with the Deluxe and Executive Suite each having a small lounge. The Executive suite also has a spacious dressing area and a bathroom with twin sinks and a bath.

The bedrooms are mostly upstairs, although a couple are located on the ground floor, where you’ll also find a double height lounge with sofas and fireplace, and the dining area with its small bar.

Outside is a pretty walled garden planted with tropical trees and flowers. The management are putting a lot of effort into the garden, and when we visited there was a banana tree planting scheme, where guests were offered the chance to plant a tree on their departure, which we thought was a nice touch. Bishop's House acquired the land next to the property in 2019 and a swimming pool was built, which we feel will be a welcome addition. We understand there are plans for this to be upgraded to a heated pool in early 2024. There are also plans to include a relaxation and lounge area next to the pool, so you can unwind after a morning gorilla trekking.

Despite the hotel’s town location, we did not notice too much noise during our stay, in fact quite the opposite, it all seemed rather peaceful.

Our view

Bishop's House offers comfortable accommodation with a colonial feel, and is a welcome addition to the area. While it lacks the space of several of the lodges around the park, it is a good choice for those looking for good quality lodging without the very high price tags of many of the alternative options in the area. It is also well suited for those who would prefer to stay in a smart hotel in a bustling town, close to shops and local amenities.

Jessica Plumb

Rwanda expert

Geographics

Location: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Ideal length of stay: Three or four nights would be a good length of time to spend at Bishop's House, giving you several full days in the Volcanoes National Park where you can trek the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board
Food quality: When we stayed in 2019 we found the food to be of good quality and thoughtfully flavoured and presented, although portions were a little on the large side. The chef clearly takes pride in his work, and came out at the end of meals to ensure that everything was to our liking.

All three meals are a la carte, offering a few options to choose from, with lunch and dinner choices changing daily. The chef specialises in international-style food with an African influence, and a vegetarian option was always available. Other special dietary requests can be catered to with advance notice.
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Room service is included.
Drinks included: Most drinks are included.

Children

Attitude towards children: Families would be welcome at Bishops House, although there is no special equipment or services.
Property’s age restrictions: There are no age restrictions.
Notes: Bishop's House is fine for children, but note that they need to be over the age of 15 in order to trek to see the mountain gorillas.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Bishops House

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Bishop's House have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.

Mountain Gorilla

100% success

Buffalo

0% success

Elephant

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Spotted Hyena

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes: There is a back-up generator.
Communications: There are telephones in all rooms and WiFi is available throughout the building.
TV & radio: There is a DSTV in all bedrooms.
Water supply: Mains
Water supply notes: All bathrooms will be fully plumbed.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: Yes
Medical care: Staff have first-aid training, and there is a hospital in Muzanze.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: The property is gated and there is 24-hour security team.
Fire safety: There are fire extinguishers in all central areas.

Activities

Birdwatching
Canoeing
Cultural excursion
Helicopter
Primate trekking

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: Laundry is included.
Money: There are electronic safes in all the rooms.
Accepted payment on location: Bishop's House accepts US dollars, euros and Rwandan francs, as well as all major credit and debit cards.