Heaven Restaurant

What Heaven Restaurant does

Heaven Restaurant is a privately held Rwandan hospitality company founded in 2008 by Alissa and Josh Ruxin in Kigali's Kiyovu neighbourhood, operating an integrated boutique hospitality portfolio built around two properties and three dining venues. Its accommodation platform comprises Heaven Boutique Hotel (a four-star, 28-room hotel across two adjacent properties) and The Retreat (a 20-room eco-conscious luxury property with eight private pool villas), with disclosed nightly rates ranging from $120 for an entry-level Villa Queen to $260 for a Residence Superior King. The F&B platform consists of Heaven Restaurant, an open-air terrace concept serving modern African cuisine with Kigali city views, and Fusion Restaurant, a poolside fine-dining venue serving international cuisine. The underlying technology stack is a standard hospitality configuration: an online booking and reservation engine integrated with property management, supported by Google Analytics, Google Ads, payment processors, and third-party restaurant reservation systems. No proprietary AI/ML, data infrastructure, or platform architecture is disclosed.

The business model is a multi-revenue-stream destination hospitality operation. Revenue is generated through hotel accommodation (per-night room revenue across four published tiers), restaurant dining (transactional F&B across two outlets), curated cultural experiences (cooking classes, cocktail classes, banana beer workshops, neighborhood walks, outdoor activities, custom tailoring), and onsite retail of Made in Rwanda artisan products (jewelry, paintings, baskets, custom African fabric goods). Distribution mixes direct online booking through heavenrwanda.com with traveler enquiry handling for bespoke group bookings, OTA listing on Travelbook, and — since 2023 — central reservations and travel-trade access via parent operator Hemingways Hospitality Limited. Pricing is quoted in US Dollars with tiered per-night rates. Customership is overwhelmingly leisure and business travelers to Kigali, alongside two secondary segments of business travelers and a producer ecosystem of Rwandan farmers, artisans, and suppliers that form the supply side.

The company also operates Rwanda's first hospitality training facility, having trained over 3,000 Rwandans in customer service, culinary arts, and hospitality management since 2008, and runs an onsite organic garden and art gallery supporting local producers and artists. In 2023, the properties were placed under professional management by Hemingways Hospitality Limited, with The Retreat now marketed as Hemingways Retreat Kigali. Heaven sits at a small scale (11-50 employees, 48 total keys) and targets international-standard hospitality in a market historically underserved by globally recognized operators, with no public funding rounds, acquisitions, or expansion beyond Kigali disclosed in the source material.

Name

Heaven Restaurant

Legal name

Heaven Rwanda / Heaven Boutique Hotel

Website

https://heavenrwanda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Heaven Restaurant is a private Kigali-based hospitality company operating a boutique hotel, a luxury retreat, two restaurants, curated cultural experiences, and retail boutiques, serving international leisure and business travelers to Rwanda with the added mission of running Rwanda's first hospitality training facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Hospitality and Fine Dining

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA), All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ)

Keywords

• Boutique hotel Rwanda
• Fine dining Kigali
• Hospitality training facility
• Cultural tourism experiences
• Luxury eco retreat

Headquarters

HQ city

Kigali

HQ country

Rwanda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Hotel Accommodation: Revenue from 28-room Heaven Boutique Hotel and 20-room The Retreat luxury property, including various suite categories ranging from Villa Queen Rooms to Luxury Pool Villas
2. Restaurant Dining: Revenue from Heaven Restaurant (modern African cuisine with city views) and Fusion Restaurant (elegant poolside fine dining with international cuisine)
3. Experiences and Activities: Revenue from curated cultural experiences including cocktail making classes, local cooking classes, banana beer making workshops, neighborhood walks, outdoor activities, and custom tailoring services
4. Retail - Made in Rwanda Products: Revenue from onsite retail boutiques featuring local Rwandan artisan products including jewelry, paintings, handmade baskets, and custom African fabric clothing and accessories

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heaven Restaurant operates an integrated hospitality portfolio in Kigali, Rwanda, comprising an open-air modern African cuisine restaurant with city views, two boutique hotels (Heaven Boutique Hotel with 28 rooms and The Retreat with 20 luxury rooms), the Fusion Restaurant for poolside fine dining, wellness amenities, curated cultural experiences, and onsite retail boutiques featuring Made in Rwanda artisan products. The business also functions as Rwanda's first hospitality training facility, having trained over 3,000 Rwandans in customer service, culinary arts, and hospitality management since 2008.

Product overview

Heaven Rwanda operates as an integrated hospitality portfolio comprising two distinct properties: Heaven Boutique Hotel (a 4-star, 28-room boutique hotel with a solar-heated salt water pool and fitness center) and The Retreat (a 20-room eco-conscious luxury boutique hotel managed by Hemingways Hospitality Limited). The portfolio includes three dining venues: Heaven Restaurant (modern African cuisine on an open-air terrace), Fusion Restaurant (elegant poolside fine dining), and various event spaces. Supporting offerings include the Heaven Arts Gallery, two Made in Rwanda retail boutiques featuring local artisan products, wellness services (pool, yoga, massage), and curated cultural experiences such as cooking classes, cocktail making, village tours, and custom tailoring. The company was founded in 2008 and is owned by Alissa and Josh Ruxin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heaven Restaurant An open-air terrace restaurant offering modern African cuisine with expansive views of Kigali. Includes an onsite art gallery, traditional banana wine making experience, children's playground, and Made in Rwanda retail boutique. Targeted at leisure and business travelers, tourists, and local diners in Kigali.
• Heaven Boutique Hotel A 4-star boutique hotel with 28 rooms on 2 separate properties in Kigali's Kiyovu neighbourhood. Features locally-styled Rwandan décor, a solar-heated salt water swimming pool, outdoor yoga deck, fitness center, and on-site access to Heaven Restaurant and Fusion Restaurant. Targets both leisure and business travelers.
• The Retreat (Hemingways Retreat Kigali) Rwanda's first eco-conscious luxury boutique hotel with 20 individually styled rooms and suites, including private plunge pools. Features handcrafted Rwandan design, wellness amenities, and sustainability commitments. Located in Kigali's leafy Kiyovu neighbourhood. Targeted at luxury leisure travelers seeking high-end eco-friendly accommodation.
• Fusion Restaurant An elegant poolside fine dining restaurant offering international cuisine in an intimate setting at Heaven Boutique Hotel. Targeted at hotel guests and diners seeking upscale international fare in Kigali.
• Cultural Experiences Curated cultural activities including cocktail making classes, local cooking classes, banana beer making workshops, neighborhood walks, village tours, outdoor activities (biking, hiking, bird watching, tennis), and custom tailoring services. Targeted at travelers seeking authentic Rwandan cultural immersion.
• Wellness Services Wellness offerings including a salt water swimming pool, hot tub, private yoga sessions, community yoga and Zumba classes, massage services, and skincare treatments. Targeted at hotel guests and walk-in wellness clients seeking relaxation and fitness services.
• Made in Rwanda Retail Boutiques Two onsite retail shops (one at The Retreat, one at Heaven) featuring Made in Rwanda products including jewelry, paintings, handmade baskets, and custom African fabric clothing and accessories. Targeted at travelers and visitors seeking local artisan products.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hemingways Hospitality LimitedcoreOthersHemingways Hospitality Limited now manages Heaven Boutique Hotel. The Retreat property is operated as Hemingways Retreat Kigali as part of the Hemingways Collection portfolio which includes properties in Kenya and Rwanda.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bisate Lodge (Wilderness Safaris): Rwanda-based luxury eco-lodge near Volcanoes National Park, focused on gorilla trekking experiences. Comparable premium, community-immersed hospitality positioning in Rwanda targeting the same international luxury traveler visiting the country.

Direct peers

• Kigali Serena Hotel: 5-star international-branded hotel in central Kigali targeting business travelers and conferences. Competes directly for the same premium accommodation, F&B, and event demand in the Kiyovu / city center catchment.
• Radisson Blu Hotel Kigali: International 5-star hotel in Kigali offering rooms, multiple restaurants, pool, and meeting/event space. Directly competes with Heaven Boutique Hotel for business and conference demand in central Kigali.
• Hôtel des Mille Collines: Iconic 4-star Kigali hotel with multiple restaurants, pool, and event facilities. Directly competes with Heaven for both leisure and business travelers and serves a similar full-service hospitality + dining experience.

Emerging players

• Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti: Luxury safari lodge operated by a major international hotel brand in Tanzania. Comparable premium lodging + dining + experience offering for high-end East African travelers, representing the type of branded competitor expanding in the region.

Broad incumbents

• Singita: Pan-African ultra-luxury safari and hospitality operator with lodge, food, wellness, and conservation offerings. Comparable premium positioning, integrated guest experience model, and community-impact narrative targeting international luxury travelers.
• Wilderness Safaris: Luxury safari camp and lodge operator across Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, and beyond. Comparable high-end hospitality, curated guest experiences, and community partnership model.
• &Beyond: Luxury safari and lodge operator across Africa with strong community and conservation focus. Comparable premium pricing, integrated experience offering, and brand storytelling around authentic local immersion.
• One&Only Resorts: Global ultra-luxury resort brand with properties in Africa and beyond. Represents the international luxury competitor segment Heaven would increasingly face if it expanded or as competition moves into Kigali.
• Hemingways Collection: Regional luxury hospitality collection managing boutique hotels in Kenya and Rwanda (including The Retreat Kigali). Closest operational peer given its management role over Heaven and overlapping East African luxury positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/heavenrwanda
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLKXpLt9cTuFcJJzFYySDoA
• Facebookfacebook.com/heavenrwanda
• Instagraminstagram.com/theheavenrwanda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-retreat-by-heaven-rwanda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Heaven Restaurant