Odkryj pobyt w mieście Gihosha

Kiriri Garden is probably the best hotel in Bujumbura. Large rooms, nice garden and great views on Lake Tanganyika. The gym and the pool are also decent, breakfast and restaurant (dinners) as well (dinner was even slightly cheaper than in other comparable restaurants). The hotel is very close to the center, about 10 min drive. Located next to heavily guarded government buildings, we felt safe to stroll in the neighborhood; for example by taking a hike to one of the nearby campuses on the hilltop. There is another restaurant nearby (2 minute walk), Belvedere, if one gets bored of the food in the hotel. Said this, and as highlighted by some previous reviews, the grumpiness of the staff was striking. I barely saw a smile or heard “good morning” (in any language). Even the owners, who were constantly present, turned their eyes when passing, not to speak about bothering to greet during the entire two week stay). It could reflect the overall resentment toward (white) tourists we felt throughout our stay (what we told was that the local politicians are still eager to push the narrative of “it’s the fault of colonialism” which is subsequently reflected in general attitudes). The fact that the country is one of the poorest in the world doesn’t help, of course. In any case, it will take a long-long time before I’d return to Burundi as a tourist.