The best accommodations Zimbabwe

Budget & Tips

While a wide range of housing can be found in Zimbabwe, high-end housing is much easier to find than low-end housing. The economic and political crises of the last twenty years have taken their toll on the vast majority of budget accommodations, and the adoption of the U.S. dollar as the official currency has seen prices rise. Sleeping in Zimbabwe is not the bargain it was in the 1990s. On the other hand, the selection is very good; it is almost impossible to find a dirty room, the mattresses are of good quality, and the bathrooms, almost without exception, are clean. Budget travelers are limited to backpacker dorms in major tourist centers or camping, which is much easier to find, but requires a thick sleeping bag during the winter months.

Hotels. All major tourist centers have at least one hotel. This category of accommodation is very diverse: from large hotels with several hundred rooms to small family-run structures, from very refined, even luxurious, to basic comfort. Each hotel offers a restaurant, or even several, depending on its accommodation capacity. In the vast majority of cases, the restaurant is open to the public. A swimming pool is often present, more or less engaging according to the hotels. Golf is very popular in Zimbabwe, and beautiful courses can be found nearby, at affordable rates. To sum up, the hotels in Zimbabwe are expensive, but always impeccable, with all the necessary comforts and a very good level of service. Beware: some establishments in the "hotel" category are called " lodges ". Very fashionable and sometimes abused, the traveler will have no difficulty in distinguishing between them after reading the description of the different accommodations.

Bed and Breakfast. B&Bs and guest houses are an intermediate category before the category of hotels in the strict sense. They are often of modest size and are created on the initiative of locals who start tourism. The atmosphere is therefore rather family oriented. They are installed in the tourist centers. They take on the appearance of small farms in more isolated areas, along paved roads. The comfort is good, the service is personalized and the rates are generally lower than those of larger hotels.

Backpacker hostels. A backpacker is a youth hostel in English. These establishments are generally well kept, clean, dynamic and well equipped. The atmosphere is often festive at night and relaxed during the day. In general, activities and excursions are offered by the establishment. In Zimbabwe, they are counted on the fingers of two hands, whereas they are legion in South Africa. Indeed, the policy of "small volume, large income" tourism does not favor the visit of small budgets.

Campsites. This is obviously the cheapest form of accommodation. Camping is practiced in most tourist centers, urban, rural and in protected areas. Often the price is not calculated per pitch, but per person per night. In the most remote areas, most campsites are simply tent sites with no infrastructure other than a sign indicating the location. The most frequented ones have sanitary facilities, even a functioning shower and a barbecue area. The rule is therefore absolute autonomy, including for water and electricity. In the parks, independent travelers will need to check with Zimparks for all the rules. However, many establishments - such as backpackers and lodges, in town, in the countryside or in protected areas - offer camping sites with very good sanitary blocks with hot water, straw huts for shelter and warmth around a fire, barbecue areas, and even offer to pitch the tent directly in the garden and take advantage of the common facilities inside the establishment (sanitary, lounge, kitchen).

Bush camps and lodges. A bush camp or a lodge is a complete place to stay that goes far beyond the sole function of accommodation. Indeed, the traveler comes to spend several days (on average two or three nights) in a bush camp, essentially for the ecotourism activities it offers. These activities are, in Zimbabwe, centered on the discovery of wildlife and to a lesser extent on cultural encounters with the different peoples of the country. The bush camps are of course accommodation and catering facilities. They are often canvas camps, from the most rustic to the most luxurious, from the closest to nature to the most sophisticated, over a large area. The atmosphere and the clientele vary, partly according to these criteria, but for all the camps, the service is very professional and very careful. The accommodation is always very comfortable and the food is of very good quality. Lodges are sometimes located in the reserves themselves or in nearby, equally wild areas. They offer daily packages including accommodation, food and activities (except perhaps some exceptional activities). It goes without saying that the prices charged remain high.

As for meals, the price of accommodation varies greatly. The tourist accommodation market favors more comfortable to luxurious options, while budget accommodations are more rare. Regardless of the price, cleanliness is a major plus: there are few dingy, dirty places in Zimbabwe, and the mattresses are also of good quality. Count on 10 USD per person for camping, from 30 to 60 USD for a basic room, from 60 to 120 USD for a cozy nest with bathroom and more than 200 USD for a luxurious room. Note that it is not uncommon for bush accommodations to be "all-inclusive", in which case the rates are over $300 per person per day, including activities.

To be booked

Advance bookings, while always advisable, are not mandatory in the majority of Zimbabwean destinations, and unannounced travel can be achieved quite easily for flexible travelers. The exceptions to this rule are the national parks where, for logistical reasons, one cannot arrive unannounced. In fact, establishments far from the city need to know exactly when their guests are arriving and departing in order to organize transfers and to stock up on food accordingly. Using an agency or a tour operator to take care of all the arrangements can make the job easier.