The Victoria Falls Hotel
The Victoria Falls Hotel is an icon of the area and also has a prime location a short walk from the Falls.
Built in 1904, The Victoria Falls Hotel is steeped in history and grandeur and well-regarded throughout Africa. The history of the hotel is fascinating and the Edwardian charm of the property is still there in places. The hotel offers a range of luxury levels at varying costs to suit a mix of clientele. We would not recommend the hotel for clients looking for high-end luxury and slick service as we have noticed a decline in the overall running of the hotel in recent years. It is idea for those wanting to immerse themselves in history, enjoy the superb high tea and the stunning view of the Batoka Gorge.
Rooms
The hotel has a total of 149 rooms and suites including Classic, Stables Signature and Premium Rooms together with Deluxe and Executive Suites. The hotel has recently been refurbished and the rooms have a more modern feel without losing the essence of the ‘Old Lady of the Falls’. All rooms are air-conditioned and contain all the modern conveniences of a five star property including satellite television, room safe, telephone, tea/coffee facilities, and of course en suite bathrooms with walk in showers (suites have a bath tub also). Inter-leading rooms are available for families. Guests staying in the Stables Wing (which houses the 44 Stable Signature Rooms) benefit from a private check in, included (limited) mini bar, and afternoon tea and cake served between 15h00-17h00 in the Stables Signature Lounge. None of the rooms in the Stables Wing have views towards the Falls.
Central Areas
The central areas include several private lounges and reading rooms, three restaurants, a curio shop, chapel, hair salon, gym, spa and business centre with internet access. The Stanley Terrace which offers a la carte dining as well as afternoon cream teas, overlooks the gardens and bush to the spray of the Falls. For a fine dining experience The Livingstone Room serves dinner only, Monday to Saturday. There is a large swimming pool around which you can spend the heat of the day.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming Pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
Victoria Falls, known by the local Kololo tribe as ‘Mosi au Tunya’ (the smoke that thunders), is one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World” heritage sites and one of the largest and most spectacular waterfalls on earth.
Victoria Falls National Park is a small park that encompasses the falls themselves and the immediate surrounding countryside, including the town of Victoria Falls.
Spanning a width of some 1,700 metres, the waters of the mighty Zambezi actually plunge down five distinct waterfalls, separated by islands which account for just over 300 metres of the total span. Four of these falls are in Zimbabwe: The Devil’s Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls and Horseshoe Falls, and one, The Eastern Cataract, is in the bordering country of Zambia. The average height is just less than 100 metres.
During the peak flood season (April and May), the flow increases to some 625 million litres per minute. At this time, the spray makes viewing of the falls from the ground almost impossible and it is advisable to take an aerial view on what is commonly referred to as a ‘flight of angels’. By September, the waters of the Zambezi have dropped significantly to allow views of the individual falls. This remains until March when the river starts to rise again.
David Livingstone was the first European to ‘discover’ the falls when he visited them in November 1855. He later wrote, “no one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.” He named them after his Queen, for the first and only time deviating from his practise of naming places and features after their local native names, in this instance “Mo ku sa tunya mosi” (nowadays shortened to mosi-au-tunya). The David Livingstone statue can be found near the spectacular Devil’s Cataract viewpoint.
The rainforest area is filled with many species of fig, mahogany and date palm groves, as well as an impressive list of birds and smaller mammals such as vervet monkeys, baboons and bushbuck.
From the centre of Victoria Falls town, the Falls are a leisurely 10 minute walk away.
Activities
Aside from a tour of the Falls themselves (either guided or self-guided), some of the many optional activities which can be undertaken during your visit to the Victoria Falls include:
‘Flights of Angels’ helicopter tours over the Falls. The shorter flights concentrate on the Falls themselves, while the longer flights include flying over the Batoka Gorge below Victoria Falls.
Trips to Livingstone Island on the Zambia side of the Falls – you can plan for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea on the island and can also take your swimming costume and include a swim in Devil’s Pool – a natural rock pool on the edge of the falls!
White water rafting – experience some of the finest white water the world has to offer (dependant on water levels).
Bird watching, sunset cruises or dinner cruises by boat on the Zambezi River.
For those that like to be active, other excursions include a full day canoeing on the upper Zambezi, horse-riding and an array of adrenaline-fuelled activities such as a bungee jump, gorge swing and zip line.
Most excursions can easily be booked direct at the property, but some do require advance booking to secure availability.
Seasons
The Victoria Falls Hotel is open all year round, though it is the rainy season from November to March.
Children of all ages are accepted at the hotel and family accommodation is provided subject to the availability of interleading rooms. The hotel generally caters well for children and can offer a good value base, depending on room type booked, with a very convenient location.
The Victoria Falls Hotel has implemented a number of sustainable measures in their operations including the use of ‘green’ air conditioner units and mini bar fridges in all rooms; reducing waste by using kitchen biodegradable waste as manure which is used in the hotel’s own garden for production of organic produce and herbs for the kitchen; 90% of all lighting is now energy saving with the introduction of solar lighting; borehole water is also pumped by solar; flow restrictors have been fitted in all bathrooms to conserve water.
In terms of procurement, the hotel supports local suppliers and community based growers wherever possible. The emphasis is on buying vegetables from suppliers who grow using natural methods of farming. The hotel bottles its own water for guest use, reducing the need for plastic bottles. Environmentally friendly cleaning products and methods are used by the housekeeping team to reduce harsh chemicals and minimize the impact on indoor air quality
The hotel also supports community organisations and establishments including refurbishments to Victoria Falls Hospital and donations to Chidobe and Monde Primary School.
