Victoria Falls Safari Lodge July 30-31

Amazing hotel about 10-15% full which is sad. This is a fine hotel with a great staff that deserves more guests.
Pre-arranged pick up from airport, then a 20 minute drive to the lodge. The lodge itself is situated less than 10 minutes from downtown area, but feels very secluded. We prepaid for many activities as well as a taxi from Vic Falls to Kasane. There was some confusion about who was providing what activity. If you have prepaid for anything (which I highly recommend), then show your vouchers (or other proof of payment) to the front desk so they can coordinate the activity. There is an activity desk at the lodge that can also arrange anything for you. Led to rooms, #47 and 48. Plenty of room for two. Balcony outside 47 and 48 are pitched downward but appeared to be safe. Doors to the balcony do not close air tight so wind will blow into the room. It got quite chilly by early morning . Shutters do a nice job of blocking out the sun.
Bathroom was clean and very nice. Water pressure very good. Separate bath and shower. We lost water one day for a couple of hours. Views were amazing from all rooms. There might be an obstructed view if you are near one of the few trees that are growing close to the lodge. Wart hogs roam the grounds but don’t appear to be very friendly.
Restaurant was very nice, with very helpful staff. It seemed that meals were supposed to be leisurely so if you need to eat quickly, you’ll need to let them know. Breakfast was served from around 7am and there were plenty of standard options. Very nice selection of lunches from local foods (and meats) to more traditional fare like hamburgers and sandwiches. We also did the elephant walk which meant leaving the lodge at 6am. They made a packed breakfast (arranged the night before) which was nice. However, a hot breakfast was served at the elephant walk so we actually didn’t need the packed breakfast.
We went to BOMA (by bus) for dinner. Buffet style dinner with lots of choices, including local meats like kudu and wart hog (both tasty). You can also try a mopani worm (it tastes just like dirt) and get a certificate for eating one. There is a show of dancing, singing and drumming, and diners are encouraged to participate. Touristy but a very nice atmosphere and lots of fun for kids.
Internet was good in rooms 47 and 48, although it disappeared a couple of times throughout our three day stay. There is a internet room with three computers. There is also a TV room.
Bus leaves the lodge on the hour and does a circuit through Vic Falls, including Vic Falls Park (a must do), the curio market, and other hotels downtown.
Staff will also pack items purchased at the market or store.
Things in general were reasonably priced.
There is a book at the bar that lists animal sightings at the watering hole which may be interesting.
There is an animal feeding around 1pm which attracts many vultures and maribou storks.
I booked this hotel through luxurylink.com which ended up being an extraordinary deal. I highly recommend this site.

We spent three nights early July at this amazing lodge. The room was extremely spacious with a cosy ensuite bathroom which had both a bath and separate shower. The very comfortable bed was enclosed by mosquito netting. The bedroom opened onto a wooden balcony, which had a good view of the waterhole. We often had inquisitive monkeys hopping around us whilst we sat there. The use of wood in the room and hotel was extensive, the main area including the restaurant seemed like an amazing tree house with different rooms on different levels, a small lounge area/ library being at the top. The carvings especially at the buffalo bar are exquisite.
Our stay included breakfasts and dinners, one supper being at the boma, away from the main hotel. This boma is an experience not to be missed, not only for the amazing culinary experience but for the entertainment and atmosphere. An impala was being spit roasted, whilst curio wares, mainly carved animals, were laid out on the floor for sale, bargaining being the way to settle a price. Various artists entertained us throughout the evening, some requiring our participation, the drumming experience was awesome.
The staff were all very caring and all our trips outside the hotel occurred without a glitch, we were taken on a tour of the Victoria Falls by Tenderguy ( don’t know how his name is spelt, but that is how it is pronounced). He is an outstanding person, his enthusiasm for life energizing, he taught us so much. The Victoria Falls were so amazing that we visited them again, loved the warthogs and baboons that wander around there too, not to mention the birds. Tenderguy is also a ranger and he took us out on a bushwalk at the hotel, he was incredibly knowledgeable and happy to impart his knowledge, he is a born teacher. We learnt so much about the bush, insects, birds, dung and various animal tracks we encountered and he took us very close to a herd of buffalo who seemed quite skittish, he was totally unphased. I'd trust Tenderguy with my life. We were astounded to come across herdsmen herding “tame” elephants through the reserve. He was happy to answer all our questions frankly, I voiced my concerns of having tame animals competing for the food and water that are there for the wild elephants. Feeding the vultures and other birds of prey is a midday ritual at the hotel, quite a sight to behold.
The dinners in the outdoor restaurant overlooking the water hole were a magical experience, the food delicious. Breakfasts were wonderful, a wide choice was available from the menu. Whilst eating it was fascinating watching various animals wander to the waterhole. Impala, warthogs, kudu, buffalo and elephant were regular visitors, not to mention the various birds of prey , storks and herons.
Buses ran into town every hour so one could visit the Falls or the town, everything ran like clock work. A sunset cruise on the Zambesi river was included in our stay and this, too, was a magical outing. The stay there seemed like a wonderful dream, I had to keep pinching myself. Warthogs and mongooses were regular visitors around the hotel as were the vervet monkeys who enjoyed the challenge of stealing food at breakfast time, very entertaining to watch. We also walked with the Lions (Lion Encounter) and rode on an elephants ( Elephant encounter), both of these were fantastic experiences and extremely humbling.

I recently satyed in Victoria Falls Safari Lodge for 3 nights. I was part of a large group and some were a little aprehensive about the trip.But any fears were short lived. The hotel was superb. The design of the building and common areas prepares you for the infamous watering hole in the 'back garden' !
The bedrooms are clean , spacious and romantic and just as seen on the website, from our balcony we viewed birds, buffalo and elephant - amazing.
The food was of a high standard and the staff were warm , hospitable and helpful.
The regular bus service to town was very useful .
The adventure desk in the hotel was well run and all our activities went off with out a hitch - for a group of 35 booking the night before that is some feat!!
The Falls themselves were spectacular !
All in all a great stay and a return visit is on my agenda

This review is somewhat over due. My wife and I stayed at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge for our Honeymoon toward the end of May. After an overnight stop in Johannesburg, we flew to Zimbabwe.Based on Trip Advisor reviews, we chose the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge for a 4 night stay, with a 6 night safari elsewhere, followed by 4 final nights at Vic Falls Safari Lodge before returning home.
The lodge is a short drive from the centre of Vic Falls. This is good, as you felt far removed from the town crowd but you have the option of an hourly shuttle bus to get you to town when required. On arrival you are presented with a wonderful thatched lodge, lots of timber beams and posts as you enter, with splashes of vibrant African colours throughout. Built on the side of a hill, all rooms faced the same way with the main focus and viewing pointed in a westerly direction. This offered some stunning sunsets, which we enjoyed from the bar. The main feature to view was the water which may be viewed from many locations in the lodge, the best spot being the library at the very top. Lots of game visit the water hole from time to time and we both found this very interesting. It also got our eyes used to looking into the bush in preparation for our safari in Botswana. The walk out to the hide near the water hole with the armed guide was interesting too. A Chance to get up close to the Crocs and Impala we had been staring at for days!
Our room was clean and suited our needs. Would not call it top notch, but then we were not expecting the Ritz. Our only gripe was that the beds were not the most comfortable. The room we occupied on our second stay needed to be repainted, as signs of mould were beginning to appear. Although the hotel faces the water hole, some rooms offer a better view than others. This could be due to the position of the room, or the fact you have a tree outside your balcony. So best request a room with a clear view on booking.
Meals at the lodge were generally good. We tended to take bar meals during the day and ate out on a few occasions. The staff were very helpful advising and booking restaurants. We were surprised by the Mama Africa. It turned out much better than we expected. The buffet at the Kingdom Hotel was disappointing. The Boma was fun for one night. The Ilala was good, very colonial and worth get your togs on for.
Looking back we both agree that our choice of Zimbabwe and the Vic Falls Safari Lodge was a good one. Without doubt, a great place to stay for a few days. The tourist numbers were low, but this was ideal for us, as any activity we took part in was not overcrowded. Prices were also low, so the bar took plenty of our money. At no time did we feel unsafe. The staff made us very welcome and we felt part of the family when we returned for our second stay. We hope more people choose Victoria Falls, as it is a wonderful place with wonderful people with plenty to offer. Zimbabwe has had plenty of bad press and it is unfair Victoria Falls and its people should suffer because of it. Whilst there, we felt a million miles from any problems.