Using teak, steel, glass and reed ceilings, the builders of The Retreat have created a one-of-a-kind small hotel in Kigali. Outside, the lush tropical gardens remind you that you’re in east-central Africa, while inside the Wi-Fi, air conditioning and rain showers bring all the creature comforts you need on your Rwandan gorilla-trekking holiday.

Not only that, but other top-notch facilities include a fully equipped gym (with private classes), a saltwater lap pool (ideal for shaking off jet-lag after a long-haul flight) and a spa with options for massages and yoga. The emphasis on wellbeing and vitality continues at Fusion and Heaven restaurants where Moroccan, Mauritian, Rwandan and Italian cuisines are elegantly combined using just-picked produce from the organic garden.