Travel reviews by Honeymooners from Malta

"Hotel is really well run - staff are very friendly and more than willing to assist. We had a couple of times were the staff actually went out of their way to assist us and keep us satisfied.

We enjoyed the fact that there was access to The Retreat's public areas and gym at no extra cost.
The restaurant had a gorgeous view of Kigali and good food and drink - we suggest the Kukupaka.

The room aesthetic and furnishing did not compliment the overall look of the hotel. While not poor, there is room for improvement and look shoddy next to the rest of the hotel's lush setting.

Having said this, the soaps and room amenities were top.

Also we felt there was need for double glazed glass in the room."

"Out of all the hotels Expert Africa booked for us, we feel like this one fell short of meeting up with our standards. Although staff were very friendly and willing to help, we couldn't look past the poor WiFi (only available in lounge), occasional but all too common power-cuts and an oversized bathroom which had an open shower (it was very difficult to warm up in the cooler altitudes of the Volcanos National Park).

The furnishings were outdated and the windows did not shut entirely making the room very cold at night and easy for nature to creep its way inside...

Staff do assist with this issue by including wood for a fireplace and turn down service which includes a hot water bottle between the sheets. The room was also equipped with an electric heater which we also used.

We would like to commend this hotel on their daily 5pm tribal show performed by the students of a nearby school and also their fantastic food (especially the soup).

We were also pleased that the hotel was well-stocked with equipment for our Golden Monkey and Gorilla treks. They also very promptly assisted with washing all of our gear from any mud as we entered the hotel gate after a trek."

"Basecamp Leopard Hill was definitely one of the best experiences one will ever go through in their life! From the aesthetic and furnishings of the rooms and lounge, to the friendly and helpful presentation of the staff. With almost all of the employees from the Maasai tribe, it felt very welcoming and allowed us to experience a fantastic blend of cultures and traditions.

We were provided with two young guides; Kimberly and Dominic who also belong to the Maasai tribe. They were very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful throughout our 4 days with them. Their open top/windowless Jeep allowed us to experience the abundance of wildlife up close and personal. Assuring us that we were safe at all times.

Moving on to the wildlife; our very first Game Drive immediately presented us with 4 of the big 5. We saw Cheetah, Lion, Elephants and Buffalo. Our guides also enjoyed the experience with us, appreciating the fact that we were very interested in the flora and fauna rather than just for the pictures. All other game drives were just as rewarding, each providing a splendid experience.

We also recommend taking some extra time to go out of your way and visit the two White Rhinos protected from poachers. The main guard; Stephen, was very thorough with his explanation of their situation and answered any questions we had. They are very docile and we could get close to take pictures and learn more about them.

Overall, this experience was up there with the best. We really recommend everyone visit Basecamp, spend time with the Maasai. A special shout out goes to; William, Manfred, Daniel, Milton, Musuliu, Agnes, Mash, Kimberley, Dominic, Dennis and David who all showed us so much hospitality. We are safe in now calling them our friends! We cannot thank them enough for the amazing experience."

"Pinewood Beach was a welcome relax spot after the hectic days on constant trek and/or safari. We spent most of our time within the Resort, relaxing by the pool and/or beach. Full board allowed us to eat from their Menu and Buffet at no extra cost. Drinks, although extra, were well priced, allowing us to enjoy some cocktails and milkshakes by the beach.

Both the Staff and Guests were very friendly and helpful during our stay there. The rooms are very nice and well equipped. We had no issues with them during our stay there.

Couple of comments; We found it odd that there was no available sunscreen at the in-house Shop and also that there are hawkers on the public beach who hound you the minute you step on the sand, almost ruining your experience of the beach (though this is not technically the hotel's fault as it is public land).

Overall, our experience was very good. We would recommend going half-board if you are a foodie and not full-board, as there are an abundance of fantastic restaurants for foodies in the area, such as Ali Barbour's Cave Restaurant and The Salty Squid which we enjoyed very much."

"We only stayed here for a few hours before our return flight home however it was satisfactory as all Sheraton's around the world. It's an Airport Hotel. If you've seen one, you've seen them all.

Not there long enough to fairly rate."