One&Only Gorillas Nest is ideal for someone who loves a more glamorous and decadent hotel experience. It feels slightly at odds with its surroundings which is jarring for me. But it does deliver a supremely comfortable and serene forest ambience.
There are 21 self-contained rooms – large for a Volcanoes property – which are well-spaced apart. So well-spaced that you have to use a golf buggy to get around.
The room style is modern and sophisticated but quite masculine with lots of black, grey and angular lines. So a complete contrast to the lovely organic design of Bisate Lodge! For me, it didn’t seem to be at all in keeping with moody romance of the Volcanoes region. But I would say that it is loyal to the One and Only brand style.
What I loved was the sense of tranquility with the mature bamboo forest surrounding you and the sound of bird life. There are no views but it did feel very serene.
The gardens were new and immaculate with bright (too bright for me) pops of vivid red flowers. I can see that the gardens will be magnificent in a way. But it was all a little too manicured and contrived for my taste.
There are pristine off -white paths for the golf buggy as the suites are spread out over a large area. Jarring! (From the outside the estate almost looks like a prison camp with dark green fencing all around. But it was much nicer once inside! )
It was all very glamorous and decadent in feel. There was a large spa building with heated outdoor pool, sauna, steam pool, gym, relaxation room and pool bar. Curiously the two massage rooms were elsewhere which was slightly odd. But they may be moved to the same area in future. There is also a separate restaurant building which was massive.
I liked the King rooms in terms of size though it was too austere and masculine for my personal taste. The Forest Lodge Suites have two bedrooms and are good for families. The second room is smaller with only an en suite toilet and basin. There was one main bathroom which was also on the small side. So I wish they had made these suites a little larger! They felt almost cramped.
