The Best Hotels and Resorts in Africa and the Middle East: The Gold List 2025
"This lodge, set along a nine-mile stretch of the Zambezi and staffed almost entirely by Zimbabweans, is one of the best in southern Africa. All of the 18 suites and four-bedroomed villas face “the Great River,” in which hippo snort and crocodiles float. Within walls the hue and texture of elephant skin, graphic local art hangs amid midcentury-style nature-inspired furnishings, and you’ll find tubs as well as indoor and outdoor showers. Fridges have fabulous South African wines and edible treats to nibble while lounging beside the plunge pool. In the elegant open-sided main living space, delicious meals are served in the shade of giant trees or on shaded candlelit terraces. Alternatively, picnics can be packed for day trips—to go on game walks, kayaking excursions, visits to crocodile farms, bungee jumps, gorge swings, guided tours of Victoria Falls—or just enjoyed out in the wild, in the company of healthy herds of buffalo and elephant, big prides of lions, and varied bird life. Not many lodges offer such a diversity of activities, in such style and in such a wild, UNESCO-protected destination. Which makes this place pure gold. From $1,095. —Lisa Grainger" - CNT Editors
