One&Only Nyungwe House

We had an absolutely appalling situation during our stay. We checked in and my mom fell hard almost straight away in her room, the floor was so slippery on the room, like I have never ever seen before. She injured her ankle badly and also has scratches, I called for reception to ask if they have doctor or someone or take a look and if they have smth to disinfect the quite deep scratches. Some time after someone comes and behaves like a doctor, and then he puts a really hot towel on the ankle and starts doing super painful massage. Which pretty sure it made the whole thing even worse. This person turned out to be a housekeeper. Why on earth housekeeper did that i will never know. Some time after that a physician came and was shocked that hot and not cold was put on the injury. And we were so shocked of the whole situation that we did not stop him. Again thought it is someone who knew what he was doing. After that I fell as well, because the floor was just a freaking skate ring if you are barefoot or in socks. The manager’s response was that they suggest that people wear rubber slippers all the time. Firstly we were not told that, secondly, what kind of hotel room is that. And if you forgot and walk up at night, could have been injured even more seriously. The hotel did pay the handlers to take my mother to see the chimps, but those 200 dollars absolutely did not cover all the pain and stress. And when we came back from the chimps soaking wet they were waiting but with no buggy to take my mom to the room, she could barely walk. Waited and waited and then had to walk after all through pain. Like they could not even do that. Apart from this horrendous situation, the room was quite small compared to other hotels in Rwanda, the territory was nice but the service was also quite poor even though there were just a few people staying in the hotel.

A truly beautiful, unique, and special experience. From the incredible staff, to the awesome wildlife right on the property, we loved every moment of our time here. Set right next to Nyungwe national park, you are truly right at the entry point into one of the oldest forests on earth. Chimp trekking was amazing, as was colobus monkey trekking. For anyone thinking about going, you will not regret making the trip here. I hope we can come back to see this property again. Murakoze Cyane!

Location and Atmosphere: Fantastic location for anyone who wants to visit the national parks, do some monkey, gorilla or chimp trekking, hiking, and general exploring. Situated on a tea plantation, there are also tea tours and bird watching on property. If you're lucky, little monkeys may spy on you from your patio. The staff is welcoming and kind. Benefits include free daily laundry and help getting into (and out of) your trekking clothes. There's a gorgeous heated infinity pool with great views, as well as the BEST SPA EVER (book a massage with Louise - you will be in the highest level of heaven) and a small but very serviceable gym.||Rooms: We stayed in a suite, which was spacious and combined rustic mountain decor with luxurious amenities. We did have a few issues with housekeeping on the first day (stained towel, dirty shower), however, this was rectified and the manager, Christian, was good about it and on top of things.||Service: As is typical with luxury African properties, the service is always impeccable. Bring money for gratuities. Trust me, you'll not resent them; they'll be well deserved.||SPA: I already mentioned the spa and it deserves about 100 gold stars because it is so wonderful. Louise gave me a massage and a facial and both were absolutely perfect. I have had the good luck to have enjoyed many fine spas throughout the world and Louise was the best massage therapist I've experienced. The spa is small so be sure to book in advance if you need a very specific time. There are three rooms - the main lobby area, an individual treatment room and a couples treatment room, as well as a delightfully appointed wrap-around patio. Even if you don't stay at this property, it's worth going to the spa as a stand-alone. It's that good. Ask for Louise!||Dining: My family is plant-based and we met up with friends who are vegan and vegetarian and it was a non-issue. The restaurant staff provided plentiful, delicious and accommodating meals, going off-menu and creatively cooking for us. There was even vegan wine from South Africa that was delightful. The chef and bartender will both happily go out of their way to create special things for you if you ask and are glad to alter existing dishes and drinks to accommodate allergies and dietary preferences. ||Language: I highly recommend spending at least your flight over reviewing some basic Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda. Even though the staff is quite proficient in English, as well as other languages (I heard various staffers speaking French, Spanish, etc.), it is much appreciated if you take the time to use a few simple phrases in their mother tongue and you will be the richer for learning it.||Water: The hotel has a water filtration system and their tap water is fine to drink. I did and I am alive and well.||Sustainability: I loved that I saw not a shred of single use plastic when I was in Rwanda and I appreciated the work the hotel does to support re-forestation initiatives and provide employment to the local villagers. If you're traveling in, be respectful of the plastics ban and try to be as environmentally friendly as you possibly can. Africa is a rich, rich country in flora and fauna and it behooves us all to help them keep it that way. ||Overall: Rwanda, as a country, is stunningly beautiful with a breathtaking array of wild animals and plants. The culture is fascinating and the language lovely to the ear. If you can make it to Kigali, visit the Genocide memorial. The scars of that are still there and the people are working hard to create healing. It is a tragic but critically important part of Rwanda's history and worth taking the time to learn about while you are there.

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).

We had an unforgettable stay at One&Only Nyungwe House—truly the highlight of our trip. While we also loved Gorilla’s Nest, this lodge captured our hearts. The setting is breathtaking, the rooms are beautifully appointed, and the service exceeded all expectations.||The culinary experience was extraordinary. Chef Batiste is a true artist—he prepared an incredible Rwandan feast on our first day and, to our amazement, created several dishes from our own cultural background with remarkable authenticity. One day, after I mentioned loving dumplings, a stunning dumpling dish appeared on the menu. I confess: I had four servings! The food was not only delicious, but also beautifully balanced—gourmet and healthy in a way that’s hard to find.||The hospitality throughout our stay was exceptional. Our host was thoughtful and attentive, and every activity was made special by the passion and knowledge of the staff. Jacques led a memorable tea ceremony and a morning birdwatching walk where we spotted an eagle, a blue iridescent hummingbird-type bird, and several other striking species. We also loved the painting activity—one of the staff members spent nearly an hour encouraging and supporting our daughter, which meant so much to us.||Finally, the spa was the perfect place to relax and recharge—the treatments were of the highest quality and deeply restorative.||Thank you to the entire team for making us feel so welcomed and cared for. Every detail was thoughtful and personal. We are already dreaming of returning!

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.

This place is amazing. Not only is it absolutely stunning and beautifully maintained, but the people are just fabulous. They take such wonderful care of all their guests and make you feel very special. Everyone from the porter to the driver to housekeeping to the spa to the restaurant to the front desk, were all lovely. ||I loved my 90 min massage with Estrella who is a genuinely caring and lovely young woman. Our servers John and Sam were very attentive and knowledgeable. ||The cuisine was delicious. The chef pulled out all the stops to make beautiful and thoughtfully prepared meals. ||Will definitely return with our children !

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.