Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali, Rwanda
The Hôtel des Mille Collines, a luxury hotel in Kigali, Rwanda, was built in 1973 by Sabena Belgian Airlines. Named for Rwanda's nickname, it featured 112 rooms and three restaurants. The hotel gained international attention during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. This horrific event, lasting 100 days, saw an estimated 800,000 people, primarily Tutsis, brutally murdered by Hutu militias. The genocide was triggered by the assassination of Hutu President Juvénal Habyarimana. Hutu extremists retaliated by targeting Tutsi and moderate Hutu leaders, leading to widespread violence. During this period, the Hôtel des Mille Collines sheltered 1,248 people, both Hutu and Tutsi refugees. Manager Paul Rusesabagina is recognized for maintaining the hotel as a sanctuary, though his motives are debated, with allegations of payment for refuge. Rusesabagina allegedly used bribery and connections to protect those inside. No one sheltered at the hotel was harmed, a story later depicted in the film "Hotel Rwanda." Today, the Hôtel des Mille Collines continues to operate as a luxury hotel.
