The Writer’s Patch lets the landscape speak
The boat noses across Lake Ruhondo while the noise of the road fades behind it. That 10-minute crossing leads to The Writer’s Patch, a creative retreat overlooking Lake Ruhondo and the Virunga volcanoes. I stayed in The Studio during my May 2026 roundtrip through Rwanda for the Rwanda First-Hand series. The arrival feels like a page break. Water replaces traffic. Birds slide across the view. Then the buildings take over the storytelling.
Two spaces with distinct characters
British photographer and writer Jordan created The Writer’s Patch with Elizabete, his Angolan-Portuguese wife and an interior and graphic designer. They met in Rwanda, fell in love and later married on Rwandan soil. “We wanted to build the kind of escape we were always searching for,” they explain.
The House offers two en-suite bedrooms for up to four guests. High ceilings and large windows frame the volcanic landscape. A social lounge, dining area and mezzanine workspace give guests room to gather or work alone. Even the freestanding bathtub faces the volcanoes.
The Studio feels more intimate. Its open-plan interior contains a Queen bed, kitchenette and sunken bathtub. Doors open onto a private pink terrace and a small balcony. The bathroom leads to a secluded outdoor shower, where the landscape becomes part of the room and the weather gets an unexpected cameo.
Architecture that quietens the mind
Modern forms sit beside traditional Rwandan textures. Glass and aluminium bring clean lines, while eucalyptus beams and handmade materials add warmth. Jordan’s photographs from East Africa appear throughout the property. Elizabete shaped much of the interior style and selected pieces that carry their own stories. “Our deepest inspiration, however, is the natural world,” Jordan says. The large windows prove the point. They invite the lake, birds and volcanoes indoors without asking them to wipe their feet.
The name also reflects the couple’s purpose. “We wanted to build a space where fellow creatives could be inspired to write and create,” Jordan says. The Writer’s Patch shows how Rwanda’s landscapes can inspire distinctive hospitality design. Jordan and Elizabete now hope to create similarly peaceful retreats in other parts of the country.
This article is part of Rwanda First-Hand, a series based on my May 2026 roundtrip through Rwanda as Chief Editor of Made in Rwanda TRIBUNE. More stories about The Writer’s Patch will follow.
More information
The Writer’s Patch website (information + bookings)
Follow The Writer’s Patch on Instagram
Email: thewriterspatch@gmail.com
Tel. +250 795221744
