When the nearest airport is a half day’s drive and all that surrounds the site is a rainforest full of rare gorillas, birds, and plant life, all of which must remain unscathed, building a 5-Star hotel is a challenge, to say the least. Add to its remote location the fact that Nyungwe Forest Lodge is part of Rwanda’s effort to turn its reputation right side up from a history marred with a tragic genocide in 1994, and the true scope of this project comes into focus. “The greatest difficulty is changing people’s perception of Rwanda prior to experiencing the country and the people first hand,” says Mark Treon, project architect with Cape Town-based Above: The exterior of Nyungwe Forest Lodge. Below: Red upholstered chairs provide pops of color in the otherwise neutral Tea Lounge. Opposite page: Traditional African patterns line the walls of the Gallery. www.hospitalitydesign.com September 2010 167http://www.hospitalitydesign.com