Victoria Falls Hotel
Highlights
- About a 10-minute walk to Victoria Falls along the hotel's own private footpath
- Built in 1904 – the original "grand old lady of the Falls"
- Traditional afternoon tea on Stanley's Terrace, facing the Victoria Falls Bridge and Batoka Gorge
- Three restaurants: the Livingstone Room, Jungle Junction and Stanley's Terrace
- Member of The Leading Hotels of the World
- Lush tropical gardens with lily ponds, palms and century-old trees
Information
- Lodge type: Premier Luxury Hotel
- Location: Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe
- Lodge size: 161 rooms and suites
- Recommended stay: 2–5 nights
- Malaria risk: Yes – Victoria Falls is a malaria area; antimalarial prophylaxis is recommended, and risk is highest in the rains from November to April
- Getting there: 22 km from Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA), about 20 minutes by road; no light-aircraft transfer needed, as scheduled flights land at VFA
The World Famous 5-Star Hotel In Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
The Victoria Falls Hotel is a 161-room, five-star Edwardian hotel built in 1904, the first hotel established at Victoria Falls and still its most famous address. Known for over a century as "the grand old lady of the Falls", the Victoria Falls Hotel is a member of the invitation-only Leading Hotels of the World and remains one of the finest places to stay in all of Zimbabwe.
The Victoria Falls Hotel stands on a rise in Victoria Falls town, looking straight down the lawns to the Victoria Falls Bridge, the Second Gorge and the rising spray of Mosi-oa-Tunya, "the smoke that thunders". A private footpath leads from the gardens to the Falls in about 10 minutes, and on a still night you can hear the water from the terrace. Few hotels anywhere put you this close to a natural wonder of this scale.
The Victoria Falls Hotel pairs Edwardian grandeur with modern comfort: complimentary Wi-Fi, air-conditioned rooms, three restaurants, a large swimming pool, a spa and 24-hour room service, all wrapped in gardens of palms, lily ponds and ancient trees where warthog trot across the lawns at dusk.
Part of our selection of the very best Victoria Falls Lodges portfolio.
Rooms and Suites
The Victoria Falls Hotel offers 161 rooms and suites in nine categories, ranging from 64 Standard Rooms to a single Presidential Suite. Every room is individually decorated in the hotel's gracious Edwardian style, with en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, satellite TV and tea and coffee facilities.
- Standard Rooms (64)
- Central Deluxe Rooms (46)
- Stables Signature Wing Rooms (42)
- Honeymoon Suites (2)
- Deluxe Suites (2)
- Executive Suites (2)
- Batoka Suite (1)
- Royal Suite (1)
- Presidential Suite (1)
The Stables Signature Wing, with its high ceilings and personalised service, is the pick for extra space and indulgence, while the Honeymoon Suites and the three signature suites deliver the full grand-hotel experience that has drawn royalty, statesmen and adventurers to the Falls for generations.
Cuisine and Wine
The Victoria Falls Hotel has three restaurants, a bar and poolside service, making it one of the best places to dine in Zimbabwe without ever leaving the grounds.
- The Livingstone Room – elegant Edwardian fine dining with an à la carte menu, a seven-course degustation menu, an award-winning wine list and dancing; smart dress required
- Jungle Junction – lavish breakfast and dinner buffets with African flavours, overlooking the gorge, with nightly traditional music and dance
- Stanley's Terrace – light meals through the day, the famous traditional afternoon tea and sundowners, with views of the Victoria Falls Bridge and the spray
- Stanley's Bar – cocktails just off the terrace
- Poolside – relaxed drinks and snacks in the gardens
- 24-hour room service
Afternoon tea on Stanley's Terrace is the one experience no guest should miss: scones, fine china and a view across the lawns to a bridge built in 1905, with the spray of the Falls drifting behind it. Victoria Falls town's other restaurants and bars are only a few minutes' walk from the main entrance.
Facilities
The Victoria Falls Hotel offers every facility expected of a five-star grand hotel, set within landscaped tropical gardens with views of the Falls' spray.
- Large outdoor swimming pool
- Two tennis courts
- Mini golf, with 18-hole championship golf nearby at Elephant Hills
- Library and reading rooms
- Residents' lounge
- Hair salon
- Larry Norton art gallery and stone sculpture exhibition
- Boutique gift shop
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Laundry and dry-cleaning service
- Conference and function rooms
For us, it is the gardens and the uninterrupted outlook to the bridge and gorge that set the Victoria Falls Hotel apart from every other hotel in town.
Activities
The Victoria Falls Hotel puts guests about a 10-minute walk from Victoria Falls via the hotel's private footpath, making the Falls the easiest world-class sight in Africa to visit on foot. The Victoria Falls Rainforest trail entrance fee is paid at the gate.
Popular activities within a short drive of the Victoria Falls Hotel include:
- Helicopter and microlight flights over the Falls
- Sunset cruises on the upper Zambezi River
- White-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge
- Bungee jumping, gorge swings and bridge tours at the Victoria Falls Bridge
- Game drives in the Zambezi National Park
- Horse riding, guided walks and historical tours
- Canoeing and fishing on the Zambezi
All activities can be booked through the Victoria Falls Hotel's activities desk, and an airport shuttle to Victoria Falls International Airport, 22 km away, is available.
Child Friendly
The Victoria Falls Hotel welcomes children of all ages and makes an easy, comfortable base for families exploring the Falls. Some Standard Rooms are inter-leading, the Stables Signature Wing suits families and small groups, and the large pool and open lawns give little ones room to run. Babysitting is available on request.
Spa and Wellness
The Victoria Falls Hotel has a beauty spa, a wellness centre and a small air-conditioned fitness room for guests who want pampering or a workout between excursions. Massages and beauty treatments are the perfect way to unwind after a morning of spray and adrenaline at the Falls.
Victoria Falls Hotel FAQs
How far is the Victoria Falls Hotel from Victoria Falls?
The Victoria Falls Hotel is about a 10-minute walk from Victoria Falls, using the hotel's own private footpath from its gardens towards the Falls. Guests can walk down as often as they like during their stay. The national park entrance fee for the Victoria Falls Rainforest trail is paid separately at the gate and is not included in hotel rates.
How do you get to the Victoria Falls Hotel from the airport?
The Victoria Falls Hotel lies 22 km from Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA), a drive of roughly 20 minutes. Scheduled flights connect VFA with Johannesburg and other regional hubs, so no light-aircraft transfer is needed. Uyaphi.com arranges road transfers between the airport and the hotel as part of a tailor-made itinerary, as transfers are not included in the room rate.
Is there malaria at the Victoria Falls Hotel?
Yes. Victoria Falls is a malaria area, and the risk applies to guests at the Victoria Falls Hotel throughout the year. Transmission is highest during the rainy season from November to April. Travellers should consult a travel clinic or doctor about antimalarial prophylaxis before departure, and use insect repellent, long sleeves and trousers after dark while in Victoria Falls.
Is the Victoria Falls Hotel suitable for families with children?
The Victoria Falls Hotel welcomes children of all ages. Some Standard Rooms are inter-leading, which suits families travelling together, and the Stables Signature Wing is well set up for families and small groups. The large swimming pool, spacious gardens and short walk to the Falls make the hotel an easy family base, with babysitting available on request.
What is the dress code for the Livingstone Room at the Victoria Falls Hotel?
The Livingstone Room at the Victoria Falls Hotel asks diners to dress smartly, with no jeans, shorts, safari wear, sandals or trainers. The restaurant serves an à la carte menu and a seven-course degustation menu with an award-winning wine list, followed by dancing. Guests should reserve ahead and check opening days, as the Livingstone Room has traditionally closed on Sundays.
When is the best time to stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel?
The best time to stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel depends on how you want to see the Falls. From about March to May the Zambezi is in full flood and the spray is spectacular but can hide the view. June to September brings clearer views, dry weather and strong flow. By October and November the water is lowest, though the Zimbabwean side keeps flowing.
In Conclusion
The Victoria Falls Hotel is the classic choice for travellers who want history, five-star service and the Falls on their doorstep, all in one address. Since 1904 the grand old lady has offered what no newer lodge can copy: a private path to one of the greatest waterfalls on earth, afternoon tea facing the Victoria Falls Bridge, and more than a century of hospitality in every polished corridor.
Why stay: the Victoria Falls Hotel combines an unbeatable walk-to-the-Falls location with three superb restaurants, 161 elegant rooms and suites, and membership of The Leading Hotels of the World.
How to book it: Uyaphi.com has been planning tailor-made African safaris since 1999, and in 27 years we have learned exactly how to fit two to five nights at the Victoria Falls Hotel into a wider journey. Pair it with the elephants of Hwange, the Chobe River or a Zambezi bush camp. We handle flights, transfers and activities with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges.
When to go: choose March to May for the Falls in thundering flood, June to September for clear views and dry weather, or October and November for quieter, low-water days.
Ready to stay at the grand old lady of the Falls? Speak to our safari specialists and let us build your Victoria Falls stay around the dates that suit you best.
Rates from US$ 332.00 Per person per night
Victoria Falls Hotel Rates
Per person per night sharing
Rates are in US Dollar
*Rates may vary according to season
- En-suite accommodation
- Breakfast
- Statutory 2% tourism levy
- VAT
- All other meals
- All drinks
- Transfers
- All flights
- All activities
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
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Zimbabwe Travel Topics
The Perfect Zimbabwe Honeymoon
Most honeymoons are an exercise in doing very little at considerable expense, and there is a great deal to be said for that. Zimbabwe simply arranges better company for it. Elephants come down to drink below the deck while you are still on your first coffee; the guide turns out to know which lion crossed the airstrip in the night; dinner happens on a Zambezi deck while the light goes orange and then goes altogether. Nobody puts Zimbabwe at the top of the shortlist — Kenya and the Cape get there first — which is precisely why the lodges are quieter and the guiding is better than it needs to be.
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Livingstone named it after a queen who never saw it, and the Tonga had been calling it Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders, for a very long time before he turned up. Theirs is the better name. Five hundred million litres a minute go over the edge in full flood, which is enough to soak you through a hired raincoat before you are halfway along the Zimbabwe footpath, and enough to hide the falls entirely if you have come in the wrong month. There is also a rock pool at the very lip of the drop that people swim in. We will come to that.
5 Best Lodges In Victoria Falls
You can see the falls properly in ninety minutes. The rest of the week happens wherever you are sleeping, which makes the choice of lodge matter more here than almost anywhere else in Zimbabwe. Some of them are town hotels with a shuttle and a buffet. Others sit far enough upriver that the loudest thing at breakfast is one hippo disagreeing with another. The gap in price between those two experiences is usually smaller than you would expect, and the gap in the holiday is not. Here are five I would put my own money on.
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The Zambezi begins as a spring in a patch of Zambian woodland you could step across, and ends two and a half thousand kilometres later in the Indian Ocean, having spent much of the journey acting as the border of half of southern Africa. Six countries. One waterfall that needs no introduction, a dam that made an inland sea, and a stretch below that dam at Mana Pools where you are permitted to walk. It is also, at six in the evening with the light going, the single best place in this part of the continent to be sitting still.
Luxury Tented Safari Camps in Zimbabwe
"Tent" is a word working extremely hard in this part of the brochure. It covers canvas on a hardwood deck with a four-poster and plumbing that would pass in Kensington, and it also covers a bucket shower and a zip. What the two share is the actual reason to choose either: canvas does not keep sound out. You hear the elephants arrive at the Hwange waterhole at two in the morning. You hear the hippos settling their differences on the Zambezi. You lie there listening rather than sleeping, which is rather the point of the whole arrangement.
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Hwange should not really work. Most of it sits on Kalahari sand with no permanent river anywhere near it, and the reason elephants stand shoulder to shoulder at Nyamandhlovu Pan in October is that somebody is running a diesel pump. That decision was taken in the 1920s by a warden named Ted Davison, and it has been kept up, more or less, ever since. Fourteen thousand square kilometres of managed thirst. The Big Five are all present on paper, though I would not build a holiday around seeing the rhino. The elephants are an entirely different proposition.
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For most of the last century the Rhodesian authorities preferred to believe that Zimbabweans had not built Great Zimbabwe. Phoenicians were proposed. So were the Queen of Sheba's architects. The stonework is Shona, laid without mortar, eleven metres high in places, and it is the only ruin I can think of that gave its name to the country containing it. That is the sort of country this is. The obvious things — the falls, the Hwange elephants, the rapids below the gorge — are worth every hour of the flight, and underneath them sits a second Zimbabwe that most itineraries never touch.
10 Reasons to Visit Victoria Falls for an Unforgettable Experience
The bridge was cast in Darlington, shipped out in pieces and bolted together over the gorge in 1905, and people now jump off it on an elastic rope. Victoria Falls has been like this ever since: a serious piece of natural history with an adrenaline economy bolted to the side of it. You can run the grade five rapids in the Batoka Gorge in the morning and be on a boat with a gin and tonic by six, watching the same water arrive flat and innocent above the lip. Both are honest ways to spend a day here. So is doing neither.