Extraordinary Africa>Zimbabwe>Victoria Falls>Victoria Falls Hotel
Built in 1904, the Victoria Falls Hotel has long been the place to stay at Victoria Falls. Today it has an air of faded colonial elegance, and a location that’s second to none.
What’s Victoria Falls Hotel really like?
Though the Vic Falls Hotel was originally built for workers on the Cape to Cairo Railway, she’s come up in the world considerably since then. These days her 161 rooms now all come with air-conditioning and ensuite bathrooms, though the décor does still very much have a traditional feel to it. Think chintz, oil paintings, rich rugs and the odd bit of taxidermy. The standard rooms do have an air of authenticity to them (many were the original rooms), but they are rather wee, so an upgrade to the larger central Deluxe Rooms (or larger still, the Signature Rooms in the new Stable Wing) is well worth considering. There are also four honeymoon suites, split between the older and newer wings, depending on whether you want to prioritise your view towards the falls or how much space you have.
Elsewhere in the hotel you will find a rather lovely garden where you can see and hear “the Smoke that Thunders”, a bar, and three restaurants. It’s worth being aware that one of these, the Livingstone Room, is pretty formal, so Iadies will need a smart outfit, while men should wear long-sleeved collared shirts and trousers, while jeans, trainers, and sandals are most definitely discouraged! There’s a rather pretty swimming pool, a small gym and spa, and some tennis courts. As part of the Vic Falls Hotel’s move into the modern era there is also wifi, though we would definitely flag up that speeds in Vic Falls are not comparable to those you might find in larger African towns and cities.
What can I do at Victoria Falls Hotel?
For us, the major reason to stay here is the location. You are in the thick of the action by the falls with a view of the bridge and about as close to the falls as you can get. (Please note, at the time of writing the path direct to the falls has been closed for several months due to elephant damage, so at the moment guests need to travel the longer way around). Activities at the falls are boundless- from civilized sundowner cruises along the Zambezi to heart-stopping whitewater rafting. There are helicopter flips over the falls- you’ll see them overhead from the hotel- gorge swings, trips to the Zambezi National Park, and of course, visits to the falls themselves. In general, we’d tend to recommend pre-booking any excursions you know you want to do, but the hotel can help with any spur of the moment arrangements.
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