A hotel room of Laico Umubano - Kigali Ali Balunywa in Kigali Rwanda
I have spent the last week in Kigali Rwanda on a private visit. My host booked me at the Laico Umubano Hotel in Kigali. It is one of the oldest hotels in Kigali built by the former colonial masters, the Belgians. The LAICO Kigali Umubano is a 4 star hotel located 5 km from the centre of Kigali atop one of the many hills that make up the city. It offers the convenience of meeting rooms, Wi-Fi Internet and a business centre. The hotel also features a bar and restaurant, various leisure facilities including an outdoor swimming pool, fitness, aerobics, sauna and tennis court. There is also a bank, several shops and parking on site. It is found at Boulevard l'Umuganda, just near Urugwiro village – the president’s office.
LAICO stands for Libyan Arab Investment Company. It has a string of hotels in over 12 African countries. Laico bought the hotel when it was privatized. It was one time run by Novotel.
On arrival I was impressed with the hotel ambience and the way I was checked in at the reception. A bellboy was around to take my luggage to the room. We had a delay at Entebbe airport where I spent about 5 hours. So I was tired and just needed a rest. I slept from 6 pm to midnight. I went to the dining but found the kitchen closed for the day. I called a friend who took me for dinner somewhere in town.
I don’t normally eat breakfast, but since I had a long day ahead, I decided to get some fruit and coffee! Everything is self-service apart from the coffee. A waitress came to my table and rudely asked: “What do you want to drink?” I did not get what she meant, so she simplified by asking if I wanted coffee or tea. I asked for the former and she brought it in a flask, poured for me some and went away with her flask! To get a second cup, I had to look in all directions for a good 10 minutes before another one surfaced with 2 flasks! I told her that I wished to have another cup of coffee. She poured and brought a bowl of sugar, I thanked her and explained that I did not take sugar with my coffee…then she asked me why?! I had no answer for her so I just smiled.
I drunk my coffee quickly as I had my first appointment at 9.00 am and it was close to that. I tried to waive my hand to attract attention so that I sign my bill, but seemed no one was noticing. After a 10 minutes wait, I decided to approach the service desk. Somewhere in a corner where 4 waitresses busy chatting/or is it gossiping? When the one who served me saw me, she quickly left the group and approached me. She had the bill under her armpit. She apologized saying she had forgotten. I signed quickly and went away.
At the reception I asked how I could log onto the Internet. I was advised to go to the hotel business centre or buy a voucher for my laptop. And I had thought they no longer charge for Internet at hotels! Most so in Kigali, where you find free Internet even on verandahs! I paid for a 12-hour voucher the equivalent of about US $ 20! Getting on line was a problem. I could connect to the Internet, but web pages were not opening! Meanwhile, the minutes where going by and of course the money units. Anyhow I suspended it and went for other appointments.
In the evening I had an appointment with an official in the hotel gardens. He had other people to meet, so he asked me to be patient a few more minutes. I ordered a drink as I waited. The official came we talked for around an hour and he left. There was no drink yet. I decided to go away. At dinner, I saw the waiter and asked what happened to the drink I ordered. He sheepishly smiled and said he had forgotten!
The next day I had problems with the Internet so I called the IT guys. They sent one over to my room to check. He also failed to establish the problem, but I continued being charged for no Internet. He promised to go for his laptop to find out if the problem was my computer. He promised to return within a few minutes. Meanwhile, the charge continued. I waited and waited, 5 minutes, 10, half an hour, an hour plus plus. I decided to go and do other things. I asked the receptionist to get him access to my room should he surface.
When I returned later in the day, all my time on the voucher was consumed because the technician didn’t return! I asked at the reception and they told me he could have forgotten! I took out another voucher for 12 hours.
The next day was a public holiday, so the business centre was closed. I could not get to the technician. Today, I called the office and I was invited to their office. The guy was away, but they promised to get in touch with him so at least I could be compensated with more credit. After a couple of hours, I called to find out the status…the manager had forgotten to tell his technician about his forgetting about our appointment!
If they asked me: ”You want another Hotel”, I would happily say “Yeeee Sevo”
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