Matobo Hills Lodge
Matobo National Park - The Matopos Zimbabwe
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Avg. $288 /night, 11/9 - 11/10
$309
per night
$278
per night
$246
per night
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About
4.5
#1 of 5 lodges in Matobo National Park - The MatoposLocation
4.8
Rooms
4.3
Value
4.3
Cleanliness
4.6
Service
4.6
Sleep Quality
4.6
Welcome to Matobo Hills Lodge!The Matobo Hills are renowned not only for their beauty and abundant flora and fauna but also for their unique historical, cultural and spiritual significance. The granites of Matobo were formed over three thousand million years ago and have been carved by the erosive forces of nature into a remarkable gallery of sculptured rock covering several thousand square kilometres. In general terms two types of granite hills occur in Matobo. The chaotic jumbles of rocks and balancing boulders or ' castle kopjies' have been created by erosion working along the horizontal and vertical lines of weakness that formed as the ancient granites cooled. The massive ' whale backed' domes or ' dwalas' are the result of spheroidal weathering or 'onion skin peeling' that occurs during sudden changes in temperature. All of these forces of erosion act at an excruciatingly slow pace and it has taken nature hundreds of millions of years to create the incredible landscape we see today. Unfortunately she is not yet content with her efforts and her erosive power continues to act upon the surfaces of the rock. Nature will only rest when all the granites are gone and the Matobo becomes a flat, featureless sandy plain. Luckily for us this is going to take several more hundred million years so for now at least, we can continue to enjoy this amazing wilderness in all it's complexity. The northern section of the hills is a national park and it's wooded gorges and open valleys are home to a wide range of wildlife species including black and white rhinoceros, giraffe, sable antelope, kudu, impala, zebra, wildebeest and tsessebe.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Pool
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Meeting rooms
Laundry service
Room features
Coffee / tea maker
Complimentary toiletries
Room types
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Matobo National Park - The Matopos Zimbabwe
Getting there
Bulawayo Airport
33.7 mi•
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281Reviews8Q+A57Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
+1
Thank you Matobo Hills Lodge team for making our stay a memorable one!
Right from the very moment we arrived we were greeted by friendly Andile who made us feel right at home immediately. She helped us with all the covid-19 checks including sanitising and temperature checks. She then gave us a very helpful brief tour of the lodge including the dining area, pool, and bar where we were greeted with delicious welcome drinks! We then proceeded to our spacious, bright, outward facing, thatched Matobo Lodge. The lodges are all very private and not at all close to each other and are perfectly nestled among the rocks and trees.
The rooms offered great value as they had all the amenities we needed including an extremely comfortable king sized bed, a coffee/tea station, dressing table, and plenty of cupboard and storage space. The bathroom was also very spacious and had everything we needed. Everything was impeccably clean and well presented. The housekeeping team were exceptional!
The bar area is really the centrepiece of the lodges, its really beautiful and it is the perfect place to wind down, relax and have some sundowners. Unfortunately during our stay the pool was not in order and we hope our next stay we will be able to make use of the pool.
In the morning we had a full 3 course breakfast included which was very nice. We also appreciated the happy and welcoming service we received from the waiters and waitress serving us.
All in all our only regret during our stay was that we couldn’t stay longer, as it was a very memorable experience from the excellent friendly service from the entire team, well maintained and excellent rooms, great drinks and food, and the value for money was very good. We hope to return soon and hike the rocks, as well as hopefully make use of the pool if it is back in order!
Thank you to the entire team for a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this to everyone wanting an unforgettable, relaxing getaway.
Right from the very moment we arrived we were greeted by friendly Andile who made us feel right at home immediately. She helped us with all the covid-19 checks including sanitising and temperature checks. She then gave us a very helpful brief tour of the lodge including the dining area, pool, and bar where we were greeted with delicious welcome drinks! We then proceeded to our spacious, bright, outward facing, thatched Matobo Lodge. The lodges are all very private and not at all close to each other and are perfectly nestled among the rocks and trees.
The rooms offered great value as they had all the amenities we needed including an extremely comfortable king sized bed, a coffee/tea station, dressing table, and plenty of cupboard and storage space. The bathroom was also very spacious and had everything we needed. Everything was impeccably clean and well presented. The housekeeping team were exceptional!
The bar area is really the centrepiece of the lodges, its really beautiful and it is the perfect place to wind down, relax and have some sundowners. Unfortunately during our stay the pool was not in order and we hope our next stay we will be able to make use of the pool.
In the morning we had a full 3 course breakfast included which was very nice. We also appreciated the happy and welcoming service we received from the waiters and waitress serving us.
All in all our only regret during our stay was that we couldn’t stay longer, as it was a very memorable experience from the excellent friendly service from the entire team, well maintained and excellent rooms, great drinks and food, and the value for money was very good. We hope to return soon and hike the rocks, as well as hopefully make use of the pool if it is back in order!
Thank you to the entire team for a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this to everyone wanting an unforgettable, relaxing getaway.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Matopos Hills Lodge Elliott, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Aug 24, 2020
Hi AntgleWilliamson, thanks for leaving us such a wonderful review. We are thrilled that you loved your experience; our staff will definitely be happy to read what you wrote. We put customer experience and satisfaction as our priority, and your review reaffirms the hard work we put in every day. So thanks for your kind words and we look forward to seeing you again. Best wishes!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
What a gem of a place!
After a beautiful drive from the entrance of the Matopos National Park, winding through rocks formations and the most amazing trees, a herd of happy impalas, I arrived at this stunning lodge, and was welcomed with the biggest smile (hidden in a face mask 😉 but the eyes were telling it all!).
A beautiful natural swimming pool and bar with the most splendid view lead to the pathways to the rooms.
Huge rooms, all built on one enormous boulder - nicely spread out and all built from the natural rocks- completely in style with this beautiful part of Zimbabwe.
A nice modern bathroom and great quality beds, coffee and tea station and some extra chairs - what else do you need?
Black eagles soar high above, the idea that this is the natural habitat of the leopard, that you can organise drives and walks with rhinos.. see hippos and crocs and more game and the far and wide views make it all very exciting.
If you are lazy like me, you let yourself be spoilt with a lovely lunch, a book and some time to rest from your journey but that won’t last long.... sundowner time will be calling early, so get out there and enjoy a delicious cocktail or gin and tonic and be amazed by the ever changing light in the different rock formations surrounding this paradise.
Dinner was lovely, tasteful and good portions, service with smiles and breakfast was delicious too, well done team!
Thanks for a great stay and I will return!
After a beautiful drive from the entrance of the Matopos National Park, winding through rocks formations and the most amazing trees, a herd of happy impalas, I arrived at this stunning lodge, and was welcomed with the biggest smile (hidden in a face mask 😉 but the eyes were telling it all!).
A beautiful natural swimming pool and bar with the most splendid view lead to the pathways to the rooms.
Huge rooms, all built on one enormous boulder - nicely spread out and all built from the natural rocks- completely in style with this beautiful part of Zimbabwe.
A nice modern bathroom and great quality beds, coffee and tea station and some extra chairs - what else do you need?
Black eagles soar high above, the idea that this is the natural habitat of the leopard, that you can organise drives and walks with rhinos.. see hippos and crocs and more game and the far and wide views make it all very exciting.
If you are lazy like me, you let yourself be spoilt with a lovely lunch, a book and some time to rest from your journey but that won’t last long.... sundowner time will be calling early, so get out there and enjoy a delicious cocktail or gin and tonic and be amazed by the ever changing light in the different rock formations surrounding this paradise.
Dinner was lovely, tasteful and good portions, service with smiles and breakfast was delicious too, well done team!
Thanks for a great stay and I will return!
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Date of stay: March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Blessing Muchape, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Jun 7, 2021
Thank you for taking time to share your experience at Matobo Hills Lodge with other travelers, We are indeed short of words and thrilled you had a great stay with us. The Hills still look forward to welcoming you in the near future. Kind regards,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We enjoyed our stay so much, the place is majestic, breathtaking views of Matopo hills. Rooms were squeaky clean, meals so tasty ,almost asked how do they do it. Hospitality was amazing, guy by the name Amos stood out. I would recommend those visiting the place to use a bakkie.
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Date of stay: May 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Blessing Muchape, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Jun 7, 2021
Thank you for taking time to share your experience with us, We are thrilled you had a great time with us and we look forward to welcoming you again in the near future. Kind regards,
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What a gorgeous place. Sadly we only had one night here, wish it had been more. The staff were really lovely, very attentive and smiley. The rooms were fabulous and very well appointed. The food was absolutely delicious and catered brilliantly for me as a coeliac with plenty of gluten free options and managed to reassure me of no contamination, to which they succeeded! The whole experience was truly magical.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Gluten Free options available and suitable for coeliacs.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Joshua Elliott, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Mar 21, 2024
Thank you for taking time to share your experience with us, We are indeed short of words and thrilled you had a great time with us and we look forward to welcoming you again in the near future. Kind regards,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Remote location sculpted into the rocks of the Motopo hills with views of the impressive granite outcrops and a bar lounge with views of the greenery of the valleys. 18 exclusive double/family rooms. Lovely guided walks, if you're lucky you'll see the black rhino. There is a black eagles nest on the rocks behind the lodge. The baboons howl in the valley. There are no lions. A 4x4 car is recommended to access the lodge on the sand road particularly in the rainy season. Lovely breakfast buffet on the patio. Take your costume to swim in the rock pool.
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Date of stay: February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Joshua Elliott, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Apr 9, 2023
Thank you for taking time to share your experience with us, We are thrilled you had an amazing time with us and we look forward to welcoming you again in the near future. Kind regards,
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gorgeous lodge just outside Matobo National Park with fantastic views. The room was very comfortable and well appointed. Meal portions were very large so you won't go hungry. The hikes and excursions were lovely. Great opportunity to see Rhinos close up. Internet and cell coverage is not great but it allows one to fully relax.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
+1
The concept of creating a sort of authentic African village in its natural environment and in a primordial landscape is good, the implementation is a little less due to poor infrastructure. Hot water only part of the time, water seeping into the room floor, and the most problematic is no internet and not even cellular reception. After struggling hard for a day and a half, trying to connect, and travelling to the near city just to log on to the net, we were told minutes before leaving that there is a better connection in the conference room. To close the bill, they refused to accept payment in local currency even from a resident, even though this is against the law. they argued that calculating the rate would be too complicated...
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Traveled on business
Room Tip: Better drive there by a 4x4 jeep, do not drive during darkness. During your stay, forget about...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Joshua Elliott, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Nov 22, 2022
Dear Daniel. You really should get better at going on holiday. In the vast majority of places you visit things go so badly for you. One quick glance at your previous reviews shows a tirade of angry and outraged reviews full of exclamation marks and warnings! In your tiny few reviews so far, you have faced "impostors and crooks", "liars" and "real scammers!!!". You've demanded compensation from several places that you've stayed. You have had a booking reservation system "cause me severe and frustrating damage..and I demand compensation for it!". You have been the target of a "scam that is reserved only for white people". The list of massive and outrageous injustices you've reported against you goes on and on and reads like a tragic comedy. Why, oh why, Daniel do things seem to always go so wrong ? Bad Luck? We will take your three star review as a badge of honour when compared to some of the other one star diatribes you have left strewn over Tripadvisor. Let's get down to the nuts and bolts of your review. We love getting feedback, especially the negative stuff. That way we can quickly fix it and improve our product. It is so hard sometimes to get helpful, constructive feedback. Thank you for informing us about your hot water issues in your room. Because your particular room is heated by a solar geyser, the water may not be steaming hot at certain times. We will look into rectifying this issue as soon as possible. We did not find any evidence of water seeping through the floor in your room, but, as you know, there have been huge rain storms recently and it's possible the water got in somehow. If you had reported this to us at anytime during your stay we could have checked and rectified the situation for you. We are a lodge located in the middle of the bush. At great expense we use a satellite connection to provide wifi to our guests. Our wifi can on some occasions be slower than you would get through a fibre connection. Issues may be caused by a number of reasons such as weather, rain, lightning strikes, power surges etc. Our satellite connection limits us to how much data you can use. We offer wifi in the public areas of our lodge. "To close the bill, they refused to accept payment in local currency even from a resident, even though this is against the law. they argued that calculating the rate would be too complicated..." This is where things get sticky for you, Daniel. You see you have made a spurious claim that we do not accept payment in local currency, even from residents. Yet we have received multiple payments in local currency from several people every single day of your stay at our lodge (and have the signed RTGS swipe receipts to prove it). We have taken thousands of payments in both local and international currencies without a hitch. Here is the real story: Our amazing and patient, Head Front Officer, Tariro explained clearly to you that we accepted local currency. She repeated it more than once to you. In her written report on this incident, Tariro reported that on departure, you were in a "foul mood" and said you were in a rush. You asked to pay your bill in RTGS local currency, we gave you the invoice, you then refused that and asked to swipe in USD. You then swiped with a first card that came back with "Insufficient funds" (we have this swipe receipt too). You then used our wifi, which you claim didn't work, to move money, clear your bill and leave. In your final vitriolic little comment you warned future guests that they should forget about having "phone signal, internet or TV" at our lodge. In fact we have phone signal that guests and staff use everyday, we have Wi-Fi in all public areas and have a flat screen Tv with DSTV 24/7 in our conference room. But you knew that already, didn't you Daniel? We welcome all criticisms, valid or not, but we will not accept slanderous lies. By claiming that we do not accept payments in local currency, you have made a serious and false claim of illegality against our company. To anyone reading this please take note that, of course, we take payments in local currency.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
As new empty nesters, my husband and I took our first weekend away in over 20 years. We chose Matopos Lodge for our first getaway. We made the right choice!
What an experience to be in the mystical Matopos and have both the energy of the bush and the comfort of the lodge with all our creature comforts being met.
The young team looking after us were warm and friendly and remained professional throughout our stay. They made sure my special dietary needs were met and that my husband did not miss his Arsenal game. Thankfully Arsenal won😊!
The highlight of our weekend was our morning drive through the park with Bheki. It was easily the best drive we have been on. We didn't see much game but learnt a great deal about the history of Matopos and the different plants....all from an indigenous African perspective. This was very apt since Matopos has always been a sacred and holy place for us Zimbabweans and our ancestors. We did not visit Rhodes grave but chose instead to see the cave paintings and hiked to see the cave where the Ndebele stored their grain and water during the first Chimurenga war against the British settlers.
Sunday was my husband's birthday. In the evening the chef baked him a cake and everybody sang him happy birthday!!
What an amazing place with an amazing team!
Thanks for a wonderful weekend Matopos Lodge, we'll definitely be coming back!
What an experience to be in the mystical Matopos and have both the energy of the bush and the comfort of the lodge with all our creature comforts being met.
The young team looking after us were warm and friendly and remained professional throughout our stay. They made sure my special dietary needs were met and that my husband did not miss his Arsenal game. Thankfully Arsenal won😊!
The highlight of our weekend was our morning drive through the park with Bheki. It was easily the best drive we have been on. We didn't see much game but learnt a great deal about the history of Matopos and the different plants....all from an indigenous African perspective. This was very apt since Matopos has always been a sacred and holy place for us Zimbabweans and our ancestors. We did not visit Rhodes grave but chose instead to see the cave paintings and hiked to see the cave where the Ndebele stored their grain and water during the first Chimurenga war against the British settlers.
Sunday was my husband's birthday. In the evening the chef baked him a cake and everybody sang him happy birthday!!
What an amazing place with an amazing team!
Thanks for a wonderful weekend Matopos Lodge, we'll definitely be coming back!
Read more
Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Blessing Muchape, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Nov 15, 2021
Thank you for taking time to share your experience with us, We are short of words and thrilled you had a great time with us and we look forward to welcoming you again in the near future. Kind regards,
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
From our arrival to departure we were treated to excellent service from the helpful friendly staff. Our lodge was very comfortable & cozy with spectacular views of the matobo hills, whilst the food was deliciously prepared. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Matobo Hills & are eagerly looking forward to our next stay.
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Date of stay: February 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Blessing Muchape, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Mar 24, 2021
We are thrilled to hear you had an amazing time, Looking forward to your next visit. Kind regards,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I had so much fun. The lodge is located in a peaceful environment with so much fresh air. The whole staff was awesome, friendly, so much professionalism.... The rooms were so clean 👌🏾The food 👌🏾 and yeah my highlight was touring with Bheki 🔥 he was so friendly, a gentleman and he knows so much about Matobo and our history... I'm looking forward to visiting again soon. I would def recommend you anyday!!!
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Blessing Muchape, General Manager at Matobo Hills Lodge
Responded Nov 15, 2021
Thank you for taking time to share your experience with us, We are thrilled you had a great time with us and we look forward to welcoming you again in the near future. Kind regards,
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We appreciate all types of feedback, as it helps us continuously improve our services. While we are grateful that this guest left a three-star review, we felt compelled to clarify a few points. This angry rant is his response. The reviewer has made several inaccurate claims, not only about our property but seemingly about other establishments as well. While TripAdvisor is an invaluable platform for guest feedback, we cannot stand by misleading information and unfounded allegations. We encourage everyone to visit our TripAdvisor page where you will find hundreds of five-star reviews that attest to the quality and standard of our service.
Hi I trust you are well.
Our prices are $149 for dinner, bed and breakfast per person per night.
Children aged 5 to 11 pay half price.
However for 3 nights x1 adult and 2 children below 12 it is $894.00
Hi Nicolette
Yes the venue can be hired for functions,
Our packages include accommodation and meals.
Hi Sandy
How are you? Yes you can.
"Take sunscreen, bug spray, hiking shoes, long sleeves and pants, sunglasses, small snack for the ride, big container of water for the tour."Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
$298 - $335 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
ZimbabweMatabeleland South ProvinceMatobo National Park - The Matopos
NUMBER OF ROOMS
18
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Matobo Hills Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Matobo Hills Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Matobo Hills Lodge?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Matobo Hills Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.