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michaelcrb

A little bit of Zim heaven

Review of Hornbill Lodge
5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed Sep 5, 2015via mobile
Hornbill Lodge is a truly special place. Sunny and her wonderful team made my son and I feel so welcome and our stay a memorable one.

The lodge and garden are immaculately maintained and the rooms are clean, spacious and very comfortable. The meals are delicious and a credit to the chef. ‎

Sitting at the top of the hill on the veranda of our unique open faced thatched rondavel the sight of the sun coming up over Lake Kariba was sublime!‎

Overall, Hornbill is simply perfect and a classic Zimbabwean treat.‎
Date of stay: August 2015
Trip type: Traveled with family
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Our two bedroom chalets are located randomly on our premises. Majority of these chalets have 2 beds in each bedroom and can occupy 4 to 6 guests; plus, extra beds can be placed in the lounge if you request one prior to check in. Our two bedroom chalets have a living room area with a flat screen TV and adjacent kitchen that has all the necessary utensils for your meals. . It features a full size refrigerator, stove, microwave and a braai stand outside for your African barbeque. Our lawn space out
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    Reviews (85)
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    39 - 44 of 85 reviews
    Reviewed August 20, 2015

    We were received by Jackie, the owner. She really makes sure you have all you desire. Great food. The accommodation is a beautiful large room with all facilities under a thatched roof en very well kept. The bed is quite large and comfortabel.
    There's even a small swimming pool and sunbeds. There's a great view over Lake Kariba.
    Next time I would definitely stay here again.
    We had several trips with Nature Ways, a canoe safari over the Zambezi river and a Walking Safari at Camp Chitake at Mana Pools. Very well organized!

    Date of stay: July 2015
    • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
      • Sleep Quality
      • Cleanliness
      • Service
    Thank Inge858
    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.
    Reviewed August 14, 2015

    We stayed one night in the Hornbill Lodge in July: what a lovely place! The rooms (huts) are very nice: they are open to the front (i.e. no doors) - I loved this as it felt like sleeping under the stars. The dinner Jackie made for us was delicous - had I known the ice-cream was so nice, I would have maybe opted for ice-cream as starter, main and dessert!
    Personally, I'd prefer to pay a bit less instead of paying an "all inclusive" rate that allows you to drink as much as you like as I don't drink a lot.

    Date of stay: July 2015
    • Trip type: Traveled with friends
      • Value
      • Sleep Quality
      • Service
    Thank SwissKat76
    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.
    Reviewed June 8, 2015

    We had very high expectations for our stay at Hornbill Lodge, based on the price we were paying (280 USD/night bed, breakfast and dinner) and the high ratings on Tripadvisor. These expectations were not met.

    We were met by Jackie and staff when we arrived and offered a cooling refreshment which was most welcome. We were given a choice of two rooms. We chose the family room, as it was larger and any other guests did not pass it on the way to their room and have a view inside (there is no front wall or curtain on the rooms). The rooms have thatched roofs and are open at the front with a view of Lake Kariba, although you cannot see the lake's edge.

    It is possible to explore the locality by walking further along Mica Point Road towards the water's edge, and back towards Kariba. This gave us some great views over the lake into Zambia. However it is not close to the town (which is pretty spread out anyway).

    Jackie offered crocodile tails, chips and salad for dinner with home-made icecream for dessert. My wife is a non-chips and icecream eater because of cholesterol problems, but no alternative was offered (no vegetables or fruit even). The crocodile tails were very buttery, as were the mushrooms with the next morning's breakfast. Wine was offered with dinner and the breakfast was substantial.

    The room had quality bedding, towels and toiletries. The shower and toilet are behind the open bedroom and are private, but the bedroom is not, so it is not the spot to stay if you would like a sleep in or afternoon nap. And make sure you pack respectable jammies - particularly if you are in one of the rooms which others need to walk past in order to get between their room and the dining room.

    Like some others, we found aspects of the visit difficult. Non-drinkers will feel they are subsidising those whose approval seems based upon "more complimentary booze than you can shake a stick at". Jackie appears quite burned out, and her comments and actions suggest she would rather not have visitors than have to deal with them. Her statements about non-white Zimbabweans will not sit easily with many, and made us feel awkward. We also got the feeling that the resort was something Jackie needed to run to bring in income in order to spend as much time fishing as she could, and that maximum income from few guests would suit her fine. Knowing that Zim. residents get a much reduced rate also did not help us feel like other than an imposition that was only a source of income.

    Date of stay: May 2015
    • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
      • Location
      • Rooms
      • Service
    6  Thank Colin D
    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.
    Reviewed May 4, 2015

    Hornbill Lodge is wonderful. The rooms are individual chalets open in the front to provide uninterrupted views of Lake Kariba, set in a beautiful garden. The family lodge, which we were lucky enough to stay in, is in the best location at the front.
    Jackie is a wonderful hostess and excellent cook. Who has ever heard of crocodile tail in lemon sauce, but it is deeeelicious, as are all the other dishes you will get at Hornbill.
    When staying in Kariba, you will definitely not be disappointed at Hornbill!!

    Date of stay: April 2015
    Trip type: Traveled as a couple
    2  Thank Kilima28
    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.
    Reviewed April 23, 2015

    I stayed there in April 2015 with a mate and will be going back as soon as I can. The lodge has been carefully built and well landscaped. The views of the Lake are awesome and the host is brilliant.

    She cooked up some amazing meals, and is probably the best chef in Zimbabwe (even if there aren't many good ones! Its a very high standard!) Cold drinks are available whenever you want and Jackie is great fun to socialise and chew the fat with, and we felt right at home here.

    Jackie also helped organise a fishing trip on the Lake with her friend James who is just setting up a fishing/guiding business and I would definitely try and go for a day out with James as he's great company and we caught lots of Bream.

    Date of stay: April 2015
    • Trip type: Traveled with friends
      • Value
      • Cleanliness
      • Service
    1  Thank 94GeorgeR
    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.
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