Craig Storkey
Area Lodge Manager, Rwanda
Craig is the Area Manager for One&Only’s ultra-luxury resorts in Rwanda, One&Only Nyungwe House and One&Only Gorilla’s Nest. Craig’s passion for the best in guest service and commitment to colleague development mark him as a dynamic leader, and he continues to align the strategic interest of the resorts by creating innovative strategies for One&Only in Rwanda.
Originally from South Africa, Craig joined One&Only with over 30 years of hospitality experience in Africa. He has held General Manager positions in various hotels and resorts across the continent, including Sun City Resort in South Africa, as well as Falls Resort & Casino, Zambezi Sun Hotel & Convention Centre and The Royal Livingstone, located in Zambia and also part of Sun International Group. Sun International is one of Africa’s largest tourism, leisure and gaming groups and operates 19 resorts and casinos around the world. Prior to joining the One&Only Team, Craig owned and operated several restaurants in Durban.
One&Only Resorts are committed to being valued members of the local community and Craig has driven this in Rwanda, seeking local partners and cooperatives the resorts can work closely with. One&Only Nyungwe House supports a nearby cooperative of ex-poachers, providing education and creating jobs at the resort enabling them to sustain their families through alternative livelihoods, and One&Only Gorilla’s Nest has partnered with Handspun Hope, a local organisation which trains disadvantaged women to become artisans and produce beautiful handmade crafts. Supporting the government objective of community growth, both resorts take part in the nationwide programme known as ‘Umuganda’, and offer the opportunity for resort guests to take part and uplift the community in a direct and meaningful way. From developing infrastructure to environmental protection, resorts contribute to this positive initiative, giving back to the communities of Nyungwe and Kinigi and working shoulder-to-shoulder in a uniquely hands-on way.
In his time with One&Only, the resorts in Rwanda have received numerous prestigious awards, including securing the 1st and 2nd rankings for Top Resorts in Africa in Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2021, for One&Only Gorilla’s Nest and One&Only Nyungwe House respectively. Post-opening both resorts were included in Travel + Leisure’s It List, the roundup of the best new hotels in the world, and Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List. These awards are a testament to the resort’s continued exceptional standards and authentically wild experiences under Craig’s leadership.
Family is very important to Craig and he has been married to his wife Nicola for 28 years. Together they have two children.