9 Best places to stay in Victoria Falls

The ‘grand old lady’ of Victoria Falls retains a loveable colonial charm, combined with a glorious location – the best on the Zimbabwean side – just a few minutes’ walk from the Falls.

The terrace and expansive gardens have picture-perfect views of the iconic Batoka Gorge bridge, and on blistering summer days you’ll be glad of the large hotel pool.

A range of bars and restaurants mean you’ll be happily fed and water without leaving – don’t miss the High Tea on Stanley’s Terrace – a classic slice of colonial cuisine, with spectacular views of the spray from the Falls.

This Upper Zambezi camp offers it all: spacious thatched riverside cottages, valets to provide personal service, 12 inclusive activities – and a beautiful position upriver from the Victoria Falls.

Set in a beautiful ebony grove on a wide stretch of the Zambezi, with spectacular river views, shade and cool breezes. Victoria Falls in 10 minutes’ drive away.

The rooms are open to the elements (even baths have views) and delicious meals are served in various spots, from a boat to a riverside deck.

It’s a place where both romantics and activity-lovers are happy, where one can do three activities a day – and return to five-star comforts.

Set on the banks of the Zambezi, just upstream from the Falls, this hotel’s location is unrivalled – so close to the Falls that you can hear their roar from your room’s private terrace.

There’s a good-sized pool with plentiful loungers, and great Zambezi views. The hotel spa offers excellent massages in open-air gazebos right on the river’s edge, and if you take a walk near the electric fence at dusk, you may see white hippos emerge from the river to graze.

Throw in African-infused decor, ever-smiling staff and a raft of facilities and you have what is easily the best – but not the cheapest – large hotel on either side of the Falls.

This intimate lodge is set 20 minutes from the Victoria Falls on a scenic bend in the Zambezi River, amidst untamed African bush – with game roaming freely in and around the lodge. The 12 luxury treehouses and two villas offer glorious river views, as do the riverfront bar and dining area. The two exclusive-use ‘Chuma’ villas are ideal for families, as children under six years of age are not allowed in the Sussi suites.

A range of activities, from tours of the Falls to sunset cruises, is included in the all-inclusive rate, ensuring you don’t miss out being upstream. For safari-goers, they also offer game drives, kayaking safaris and guided bush walks.

Enjoying 15km of exclusive Zambezi River frontage as part of its 50,000-hectare private wilderness concession, Matetsi Victoria Falls offers a perfect mix of aquatic adventure and bushveld escapism.

Set 45-minutes’ drive upstream from the Falls, the 18 luxury suites – plunge pools come standard – are divided into two intimate camps, each with its own dining and communal areas.

Multi-generational travellers will love Matetsi River House, a four-bedroom exclusive-use villa that includes a dedicated chef, butler and field guide. Activities range from boat cruises and safari drives to guided tours of Victoria Falls.

Although the hotel recently expanded to offer 73 rooms and suites, it hasn’t lost its boutique charm, and the homely touches make it a good place to avoid the crowds of nearby resorts.

With rooms giving onto serene gardens, and the Victoria Falls just a short walk away, the location and setting are hard to beat.

The Palm Restaurant is one of the best places to eat around Victoria Falls, and offers contemporary cuisine with views of the spray from the lovely terrace.

If you’re not adding a separate safari onto your Victoria Falls visit, this lodge – set in the only ‘Big Five’ reserve in the area – is a great option. It’s close enough for a taste of the Victoria Falls action, but you can equally fill your days with game drives and bush walks, or lazing by the shimmering pool that overlooks the waterhole.

Suites are decorated in a contemporary safari style, with billowing mosquito nets and statement wallpaper, but it’s the wilderness vistas – especially from your private veranda – that you’ll remember most.

As the first private lodge to be built in the Zambezi National Park, a short way upstream from the Victoria Falls, this riverfront escape has an enviable location on the banks of the Zambezi River. And it’s put to good use in the bold Scandi-chic suites, that take full advantage of glorious river views.

There’s a wonderful range of accommodation on offer too, from under-canvas tented suites suitable for families – with lovely, private plunge pools – to the romantic Treehouse Suites set on a private island.

The Starbed Suites are unforgettable, with a rooftop deck and bed above the forest canopy.

This upmarket but affordable lodge on the outskirts of town feels surprisingly intimate, thanks to the private balconies and colourful African decor. Within easy reach of the Falls, yet far from the tourist hubbub, it has a relaxing, slow-paced feel.

The convivial bar area with its bushveld views is one of the best sundowner spots in town, and there are two good restaurants on site. It offers great value and runs a regular shuttle to the Falls, with most rooms having splendid views of the waterhole and national park.