Kigali Airport Lounge Review

Rwanda Airport Lounge Reviews

Both of our credit cards provide us with Priority Pass memberships, and sometimes we are lucky enough to travel in business class. This allows us access to airport lounges all over the world. Our reviews are based solely on our individual experiences in the specific lounge at the time of day we visited. These opinions may or may not be the same as other guests. We visited Rwanda in May 2019. Below is our unbiased review of the Pearl Lounge in the Kigali International Airport.

Kigali International Airport

Pearl Lounge

The Layout

The Pearl Lounge is well organized with more than enough seating. Majority of the seating options include comfortable armchairs with side tables and outlets near each one. Also available were eight two-seater cafe tables, as well as a long counter with six workstations. The room was very dimly lit, but that was likely due to the fact that it was evening and the lounge is mostly lit by natural light from large windows.

Food and Drink

At first glance, the food selection appears minimal and unappetizing. However, upon closer inspection, we were pleasantly surprised with the variety and quality of the food. There were a few western options such as muffins, penne, salads and beef sandwiches. However, the best foods were the traditional Rwandan ones such as the beef stew, ginger rice, and brochette. There was also fresh fruit including avocado, mango and watermelon. To wash down the food, water, fresh fruit juices, sodas, tonic water, beer and coffee/tea were available. Wine and spirits were subject to payment at the bar.

Other Amenities/Factors

The washrooms were not particularly clean, but better than the main airport facilities. There was a single shower in each bathroom, but did not appear to be cleaned regularly nor well maintained. Guests could help themselves to complimentary newspapers and magazines. In addition, the staff were very friendly and attentive.

Wifi Speed

Despite a password being provided, it was not needed to log in. Simply entering a valid email address and a first and last name was enough to join the network. The speeds of 18.1mb/s DL and 13.7mb/s UL were significantly faster than most networks we connected to throughout Rwanda!

Conclusion

Being in a fairly small airport, we did not enter the Pearl Lounge with high expectations. However, it checked most of the boxes that make a lounge experience pleasurable. It was quiet, clean, offered plenty of seating, charging ports, decent food and excellent wifi speeds. Improvements could be made to bathroom cleanliness, lighting and complimentary wine and spirits. Other than that, it was a pleasant experience.

Our overall rating: 8/10