The complaints were filed on Monday, July 14, by guests who had attended a wedding hosted at the hotel. They accused the hotel management of negligence, substandard services, and refusal to issue refunds for what they described as failures caused by the hotel.

In an interview with The New Times, RDB’s Chief Executive Officer, Jean-Guy Afrika, confirmed that the agency has begun gathering all necessary information to establish the facts.

“We are aware of the issue and are collecting all the necessary information to fully understand what happened. Any decision taken will be in line with the laws and tourism regulations in Rwanda,” Afrika said.

One of the wedding guests, who said he had attended his sister’s wedding at the hotel, took to social media platform X to express his disappointment, saying the hotel refused to acknowledge its mistakes despite demanding full payment upfront and promising high-quality service.

“It’s disappointing to see a business refuse to admit its own mistakes, especially after asking for full payment before the event and guaranteeing excellent service. What we received was far from what we were promised,” he posted.

Guests claimed they reported their concerns to hotel management, including complaints about the quality of food and general service, but were ignored. Some said they even had to hire an emergency power generator themselves because they could not rely on the hotel to provide stable electricity.

Karongi District Mayor Gérard Muzungu confirmed that an RDB team is already looking into the allegations and said the district is waiting for the outcome of the investigation.

Hotel management and its legal representative have declined to comment publicly so far. However, reports indicate that the hotel has filed a case with the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), accusing the complainants of defamation and refusing to pay for services they received while tarnishing the hotel’s reputation on social media.

RDB’s investigation is ongoing, as guests and the local community urge authorities to ensure improved standards in Rwanda’s hospitality sector to protect the country’s image as a top tourist destination.