One&Only Nyungwe House

When we were planning our trip to Rwanda the first thing you think is obviously Gorillas, but seeing pictures of this property in advance made it a must-visit destination for us. It is just as magical in person as it is on social media. Nestled in beautiful tea plantations, this is the perfect homebase for a day of Chimpanzee trekking or any other activities in Nyungwe Park. The service was absolutely top tier, our room was amazing (we were upgraded to Villa One which was totally insane!), and the food was amazing at every meal. The staff really made an effort to go above and beyond. Depending on where you stay for Gorilla trekking or prior experience in Africa, this may not feels as much like a traditional "lodge". Think more like luxury resort/hotel in an amazing location. The pool and gym were also really really nice. You can obviously book a stay here through a travel agent if that's the route you're going; however, we ended up booking it ourselves through American Express Fine Hotel and Resorts as this allowed us to both earn extra points as well as enjoy some of the FHR benefits (property credit, potential for upgrade, etc).

This has to be one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. We had the most wonderful time The hotel is fabulous in an amazing location with tea plantations all around and wonderful Mountain View’s beyond The staff are wonderful and can’t do enough to help. Thank you for looking after us so well! Food and drinks are first class and we loved breakfast on the terrace outside. The room had everything we needed and was very comfy. Little touches like backpacks and rain jackets also helped There are wonderful snacks too and a great minibar with wine from Spier. The laundry service was brilliant and we also liked the touch of taking out boots to be cleaned when we came back from the chimpanzee trekking. And what an experience that was too! We would love to come back.

Quite possibly the most exceptional hotel I’ve ever experienced. Outstanding service and a breathtaking location. It’s very expensive, but absolutely worth the price.

Magical. Achingly beautiful. Hospitality and smiles beyond compare… There’s a reason Rwanda is known as the land of a million smiles. We began our Rwandan adventure at One&Only Nyungwe and after three fabulous nights we were sad to depart. This was our first experience with One&Only and we hope we are fortunate to visit more locations in the future. The photos do not do the place justice. It is even more spectacular in person. You are ensconced in an intimate setting with the brightest green tea fields imaginable surrounded by the world’s oldest forest. Mountain monkeys jump from roof to roof- only adding to the exotic mystique. I will ditto what former reviewers have shared regarding the rooms. Private, secluded, impeccably designed perfection. And little surprises at turndown nightly!! The meals are varied, delicious and served with the most gracious service. Very special kudos to our friends Sam and John who made us feel like family! Try the signature tree tomato jam- otherworldly! Their green chile pepper oil is also a must-try. The cocktails and wines were also marvelous! Thank you Yvonne. Sitting by the fire in the stunning lounge area at cocktail hour was a fantastic treat. We enjoyed the canopy trek and bridge adventure, the tea experience with the amazing Grace, and an epic chimp trek - very lucky to have seen (and heard) so many of them including frolicking babies. A tip on the chimp trek- do make use of the porters- most importantly, it helps support the local community. But, even if you are fit and able the porters know the terrain better than you do and can assist especially on the steep and sometimes slippery descent. Our last evening included a wonderful dance and music show with native villagers. So much fun!! And even more smiles. 😄 Merci beaucoup and Murakoze for everything! We will tell everyone we know about your very special forest perfection.

Stunning hotel in a stunning location. From the greeting to the packed lunch provided on departure we were treated like royalty all the way. Wonderful facilities and activities: the most picturesque pool you can imagine, archery and spear throwing lessons. The rooms were luxurious and well appointed - everything had been considered. The food was a fine dining experience at every meal. Hope to return. Thank you to all the staff we met at the One & Only.