Hemingways Hospitality expands into Rwanda with the acquisition of Heaven Holdings, continuing its legacy of excellence in Hospitality and Tourism
Nairobi, Kenya Monday June 2, 2025; Luxury hospitality and travel group, Hemingways Hospitality, has announced its expansion into Rwanda through the acquisition of Heaven Holdings which includes The Retreat hotel, Fusion Restaurant, Heaven Restaurant and Heaven Boutique Hotel as well as Heaven Experiences, the company’s tour operating arm.
This acquisition will result in the fifth hotel property under the growing luxury boutique hotel brand, Hemingways Collection, and significantly, its first property outside Kenya.
A family-owned and run hospitality and travel group, Hemingways was founded in Kenya in 1988 with its first hotel property, Hemingways Watamu, on the Kenyan coast. It has since expanded with the creation of the hospitality brand, Hemingways Collection in 2013, which owns and operates 5 star luxury boutique hotels and camps and which has set the standard for exceptional service and guest experiences in Kenya. The Hemingways Hospitality group also includes Hemingways Travel, East Africa’s largest corporate travel management company and Hemingways Expeditions, a luxury destination management company.
Speaking during the handover ceremony in Rwanda, Hemingways Hospitality Group CEO, Ross Evans, says welcoming an established African luxury hospitality brand into Rwanda marks a significant moment of growth and opportunity for tourism in Rwanda which represents one of the region’s leading luxury tourism destinations.
“We are incredibly excited about this opportunity and look forward to working with and continuing to develop the talented team of hospitality professionals at Heaven and The Retreat. With our trusted reputation, deep regional experience and strong hospitality and travel network, Hemingways is well positioned to build on Heaven’s legacy while bringing a new level of excellence to Kigali.” Said Mr. Evans.
Heaven Holdings, owned by American public health professionals Alissa and Josh Ruxin, pioneered in Rwanda with the opening of Heaven Restaurant in 2008 followed by expansion into a twenty-eight room boutique hotel, Heaven. In 2018, they opened The Retreat, Kigali’s leading 5-star luxury boutique hotel with twenty rooms including eight super luxurious pool villas and a new farm to table fine dining restaurant, Fusion. To date, Heaven and The Retreat have trained and employed over 3,500 Rwandese in hospitality, making a lasting impact on the local community and tourism sector.
The properties have hosted high profile dignitaries, including King Charles and Princess Camilla as well as a range of celebrities who have visited Rwanda.
To focus more deeply on other passion projects and business opportunities in Rwanda, the Founders of Heaven, Alissa and Josh Ruxin, have made the decision to transition the business to Hemingways Hospitality, a trusted and experienced luxury African hospitality group.
Gahigiro Capital Ltd. served as the exclusive financial advisor to the Ruxin family throughout the transaction, providing comprehensive advisory services from initial mandate to successful completion. This landmark deal marks Gahigiro Capital’s inaugural hospitality sector transaction and underscores the compelling investment opportunities attracting regional capital to Rwanda’s dynamic market.
About The Hemingways Group:
The Hemingways Group has ties to Kenya dating back over 40 years. Hemingways Watamu opened in 1988, and the Group has expanded and invested in travel and tourism in Kenya and East Africa since then. The Group owns and operates Hemingways Collection, Hemingways Travel, Hemingways Expeditions and Hemingways Residences.