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.