Memorable Weekend: Notes from Realm Beach Resort

The 136th Turning Pages book club session was hosted by Royal Crown Hotel, in Kimironko Sector, Gasabo District. It was a hybrid gathering—two participants seated around the table, the rest joining us via Zoom—bringing together a small but diverse group of eight, including tour operators, students, and entrepreneurs from different industries.

At the center of the conversation was Weekend Getaway: Realm Beach Resort, a publication from the Weekend Getaway series—an extension of my quiet escapes, where personal experiences meet the packages offered by the hosts. The discussion unfolded in a relaxed setting, over coffee, with ideas flowing as easily as the conversation itself.

We found ourselves circling back to a simple but often overlooked truth—the value of a weekend well spent. Time away, not as an indulgence, but as a reset. There was a moment of humor when one participant reflected on the amount of money spent in Kigali’s nightclubs—only to admit that, in hindsight, those experiences rarely matched the value of a peaceful lakeside retreat. It sparked a broader reflection on how we prioritize leisure, and whether we are truly investing in experiences that restore us.

From there, the conversation shifted toward possibility. What if we were more intentional about organizing retreats—team-building getaways, family escapes, even social clubs built around travel? Places like Realm Beach Resort were not just destinations; they were opportunities waiting to be explored differently. The tour operators in the group quickly picked up on this. Beyond the story itself, they saw a product—something tangible, marketable. By the time the session wrapped up, plans were already taking shape for a familiarization visit.

We closed the session on a note that has become familiar, yet always worth repeating—an appreciation of Rwanda’s beauty. And a quiet reminder to ourselves: these places are not reserved for foreign tourists. They are here for us too. The only question is whether we choose to experience them.

Before signing off, I gave the virtual participants a brief tour of our host—Royal Crown Hotel—bringing the session full circle, from the pages of a weekend escape to the space that had just hosted our conversation.