Weeks before we even arrived in Zambia I had an ongoing email dialogue going with the owner, Richard Chanter. Once we had told him our needs and desires (nothing dangerous like abseiling or whitewater rafting) he provided invaluable tips and advice on how an Australian from Darwin and her travelling companion, a committed city girl from the UK could make the most of an all-too-short 3 days in Livingstone. We took his advice and were not disappointed: the visit to Livingstone Island which sits literally in the middle of "the thunder that roars" (Victoria Falls) was breathtaking and only slightly scary as was the riding elephants along the Zambezi River.

And it is that thoughtful advice and personal touch which made the difference to our stay here. Our room at the Lodge - which, although not new, was spacious with a large en-suite bathroom with a bath as well as a shower and toilet - had its own verandah overlooking the pool and delicious cool gardens leading to the main verandah where meals could be taken. There are only a few restaurants in Livingstone so many people, including locals, eat at the hotels, thus the menu here is extensive for a small lodge, with local dishes and western favourites all beautifully cooked and presented.

The ladies who work at the lodge are, of course, a delight and are also well trained and turned out and so all service and interaction was of a high standard as well as extremely friendly.

There is no internet connection available, but Richard has satellite TV in the lounge by the bar for anyone who really wants to catch up on the rest of the world.

Some of the rooms were not around the pool, obviously, and I didn't see those, so you may want to check that they all have the same facilities. To be honest, I can't remember if our room had airconditioning as we didn't need it, August being relatively cool, but there was a mosquito net although no bugs at all - again cool weather. Our room had a TV, kettle, coffee, fridge etc.

Richard met us at the airport and transported us in his own car to the Lodge (at no charge) and the same when we left. Yep. It's the personal touch which makes the difference.

Chanter's Lodge is clean, comfortable, friendly and has a really lovely garden with a swimming pool, a great place to relax. The owner, Richard Chanter, was brilliant when we were making the arrangements - we were doing our planning from New Zealand, and although I sent him emails at all hours of the day and night he never took more than a couple of hours to reply. He advised us on activities and booked them for us and then met us in person at the airport. The rate we paid (US$79 a night) included a big breakfast and was really good value for money. The lodge is on the edge of Livingstone, but still an easy walk from the town centre.

What a great little find. We were lucky enough to stay in Chanters lodge at the tail end of our trip to Zambia and found the experience really great.
Richard the proprietor is fantastic, he's approachable and is a boon of information about the local area and how you can fill your time in Livingston if, like my wife and I, you happen to turn up without a clue.
The staff at Chanters are also fantastic, welcoming and friendly. There is always a smile and a good morning.
The room we stayed in was good, large and airconditioned also with several channels on the satellite TV that filed in the late evenings.
The food at Chanters was also very good. Nice breakfasts, and I can certainly recommend the fish goujons - spectacular.
Although Chanters would probably not suit you if you were after a luxury lodge it should suit most other people, it certainly ticked all the other boxes.
Thanks Richard and staff for a really memorable time.

All the nice things people say in the reviews about Richard Chanter, his staff and the lodge itself are true! We had a wonderful experience from start to finish-- even before we arrived in Zambia. Richard is very efficient in response to queries via email, which is a great help in planning. He helped us set up a safari just over the border in Botswana (including cluing us in to the ways and means of multiple-entry visas) and a beautiful (and excellent value) sunset cruise on the Zambesi River.
Richard picked us up from the airport and made us feel most welcome. We found that the lodge is not only a comfortable place to sleep, but also has a lovely garden and excellent restaurant. The vegetable curry is a great choice for vegetarians (all meals come with a variety of salads, which I loved), and my wife was very pleased with the variety and quality of the cooking of meat dishes, as well.
We loved seeing Victoria Falls. Most of the trails are easy walks-- we did happen on the Boiling Pot trail, however, which was pretty strenuous. Lots of boulders to clamber over-- even a bit of wading. Leave extra time!
When it came time to leave, Anastasia helped us get our bus ticket to Lusaka. Unfortunately, we missed Richard's radio show on the Sunday-- great to see local business getting involved in the community!
We'd love to go back-- hopefully before long... Thanks, Richard, Anastasia and all the staff!