Nyungwe House

"GLH / Min. $6,000 pn // How did the place strike you on arrival? Nestled within a working tea plantation at the edge of the pristine Nyungwe Forest National Park, this luxury lodge is one of the most upscale hotels in Rwanda. Plus, it gives you easy access to the park's population of chimpanzees, monkeys, and other wildlife. Nice. What’s the crowd like? The nature treks in Rwanda aren't your average roll-around-in-a-Jeep safari. They often involve hours of hiking, up steep volcanic slopes and on occasionally muddy trails. Which is to say, the people who are coming here are the adventurous types—albeit those who want to come back to a king-sized bed, full-service gym, and spa at the end of the day. Now, the good stuff. Tell us about the rooms. There are 22 suites spread across six villas on the property. Each room has an open fireplace, a private terrace, a flat screen TV and a spacious bathroom, and given that most safari lodges in Rwanda don't have TVs or in-room wi-fi, it feels like a major upgrade. And the food? If you're heading out for an early trek, breakfast is served at sunrise, otherwise you can have brunch delivered to your room. They'll also pack a picnic for you if you're going to be out all day, and have dinner ready for you in the dining room once you're back. Guests tend to gather at the patio bar to share stories of their treks over a few cocktails at sundown. Bottom line: Was it worth it? Once you've done some gorilla trekking in the north, head here to see even more wildlife in a secluded, luxurious setting."