One&Only Announces Plans For Brand Evolution

"I am thrilled we are able to continue to evolve the One&Only experience, providing the once-in-a-lifetime experiences in which our guests seek," says Philippe Zuber, President and Chief Operating Officer, One&Only Resorts. "Building on the legacy and success of One&Only, it is an exciting time for the brand as we continue to combine completely distinctive experiences with ultra-luxury. We look forward to sharing additional locations for our resorts, whether it is in the ultimate address in a prime city or an authentically wild undiscovered location."

All One&Only Nature Resorts will offer incredible once-in-a-lifetime experiences and provide pure celebration of each dramatic location, offering access to nature's best kept secrets in an inspired itinerary, curated for the most discerning global travelers. Intimate in size, the architectural design of each resort will respect the surroundings and cleverly frame the best aspects of the natural beauty. Minimal impact will be made to the location—from development to operations—and guests will have an opportunity to "give back" with hands-on, interactive, immersive experiences with the local community, each perfectly curated to the destination. 

Following the success of Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in Australia as the first hotel in the world to achieve internationally accredited carbon-neutral certification by CarbonZero, all One&Only Nature Resorts will aim for this distinction. In addition, the culinary philosophy will be based on the very best seasonal, regional, and, where possible, organic produce from local boutique farms, private growers, and vintners. One&Only Nature Resorts will provide luxury of the rarest kind with a wide variety of spectacular accommodations, all placing an emphasis on privacy and beautiful vistas. Like all resorts within the One&Only collection, One&Only Nature Resorts will celebrate its location, showcasing each country's rich history and reflecting the local culture with a design appeal to attract the contemporary traveler seeking ultimate luxury. 

Joining Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, two spectacular resorts will be introduced under One&Only Nature Resorts, One&Only Nyungwe House and One&Only Gorilla's Nest, both located in Rwanda.  One&Only Nyungwe House, which will welcome guests this year, is designed to fit harmoniously within its natural surroundings and is situated in Gisakura, a working tea plantation, on the edge of the Nyungwe National Park. The Nyungwe Forest is thought to be one of the oldest forests in Africa, with incredible diversity including over 13 different species of primates, representing 20% of all the apes in Africa, and 75 different species of mammals.

Luxury suites and villas will be modern in design, yet feature traditional African touches, and overlook the vast African terrain with private decks and fire places.  Guests can explore the National Park including exploratory treks to discover chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and the Kamiranzovu Swamps and Waterfalls.  Bird watching should not be missed with over 275 species of birds in the lush surroundings, including giant hornbills, great blue turacos, and red-breasted sparrow hawks.

"We are proud and excited to continue to innovate at One&Only and introduce new experiences for our guests.  One&Only Nature Resorts will provide our guests illuminating and immersive experiences full of adventure that will allow for exploration and discovery," continues Philippe Zuber. "Rwanda is such an incredible destination with truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We look forward to immersing our guests in the country and culture and providing that ultimate connection with nature."

One&Only Gorilla's Nest, located near the village of Kingi, will be incredibly positioned on the foothills of the Virunga Volcano range. This beautiful resort, nestled among a forest of eucalyptus trees will provide breath-taking views of Rwandan hills and the slopes of the Volcanoes National Park. Guests will be able to discover the magical habitat of Mountain Gorillas—a rare adventure—as Rwanda is one of only three countries in the world where the critically endangered mountain gorillas live. Experts estimate that there are only 780 mountain gorillas still in existence with one third habituating Rwanda. Conservation efforts are funded by a limited amount of permits and funds are allocated to anti-poaching efforts and local communities businesses. After over 40 years of conservation and habitat restoration efforts, the population of mountain gorillas has steadily increased, with a 14% increase in the past 12 years.  In addition to the Gorilla Trek, guests will also be able to discover Golden Monkeys, as well as visit Dian Fossey's Karisoke Camp.

Bespoke accommodations will honor the location and natural elements will be woven throughout the resort, to inform the design of both the public and private spaces of the resort. Local African cuisine will surround a traditional Boma, providing the perfect location to share adventures from the day and enjoy fruit and vegetables from the resort's garden. The resort will also offer an indulgent One&Only Spa and Fitness Centre, honoring the inspired surroundings with treatments using traditional African elements, as well as the latest state-of-the-art technology.  

"It is no surprise that the ultra-luxury hospitality brand One&Only Resorts has evolved with the introduction of One&Only Nature Resorts, Urban Resorts and Private Homes, which has been increasingly requested by the affluent traveler," adds Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal, President, Fischer Travel Enterprises. "Having been to Rwanda, I'm delighted to have One&Only extend access to completely distinctive and once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Like their first, and very successful Nature Resort, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in Australia, the brand is excited to offer and expand their authentic experiences combined with refined services that defines One&Only Resorts." 

About One&Only
Created exclusively for the ultra-luxury market, One&Only is conceived as a hallmark of excellence. Set in some of the most beautiful locales in the world, each award-winning resort offers guests a distinctive style and personality borne of its local culture, a genuine hospitality and a lively energy that is unrivalled. One&Only has recently announced the expansion of the portfolio with the inclusion of Nature Resorts, Urban Resorts and Private Homes. These new experiences will complement the existing resort collection including One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives; One&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius; One&Only Royal Mirage and One&Only The Palm in Dubai; One&Only Ocean Club in The Bahamas; One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico; One&Only Cape Town in South Africa; as well as One&Only Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef and Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in The Blue Mountains in Australia. As part of the new portfolio, One&Only has announced the opening of One&Only Nyungwe House in 2017 and One&Only Gorilla's Nest, both located in Rwanda. Other resorts in development include One&Only Sanya, Hainan, China; One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro, which will be the first property for the collection in Europe, One&Only Seef in Bahrain and two new resorts in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, One&Only Mandarina and One&Only Santa Maria de Xala. More information on One&Only is available at oneandonlyresorts.com

Kerzner International Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, is a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts, ultra-luxury hotels and residences and innovative entertainment and gaming experiences.  Kerzner's flagship brand Atlantis, includes Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, a 1,500-room, water-themed resort on The Palm, overlooking the Arabian Sea and mainland Dubai; and Atlantis, Sanya Hainan in China, under development, as well as The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences in Dubai.  Under the One&Only brand, Kerzner manages nine of the top-rated luxury resort properties in the world, located in The Bahamas, Mexico, Mauritius, the Maldives, South Africa, Dubai and Australia.  Additionally, Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, a 500-room destination golf and casino resort in Morocco, is also operated by Kerzner.  For more information concerning Kerzner and its operating subsidiaries, visit kerzner.com.

SOURCE One&Only

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