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So we had scheduled the River Club and now my husband thinks he may want more hotel like for the two day break between Botswana Safari and going on to Sabi Sands. I know everyone has their own opinion but those of you who know both please advise. I know the Royal is a hotel and the other is more camp like. He says he will be ready for something different. We must make a decison by Monday morning.
River Club vs Royal Livingston
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Hello Spiegel,
Did your husband say exactly what he would prefer about being in a large hotel?
I vote for the River Club - Livingstone will seem like a very busy place after being in Botswana, and you'll enjoy the peace and quiet while still having access to the activities at the falls. I've always preferred smaller places, where the atmosphere is so much more personal and you really feel like a guest rather than just a customer.
Cheers,
Julian
I also highly recommend the RC for it's unique design and the chalets are private and quite romantic with your own large garden facing the river-a wonderful place to unwind and yet it offers plenty of activities and has a beautiful pool.
When I say small and charming he says old and not very modern. Additionally we both read on one of the threads that the rooms are totally open with no screens on one side and that one couple had bats flying around their room at night. This would really put me over the edge. I would not sleep for the enitre time we were there. Any comments on that point.Also all of our friends have stayed at the Royal Livingston and raved about it. Decison time.
Hi Speigel,
Show him the pictures of River Club on the Wilderness website - he'll see that while it has historic charm it's modern in the ways that count.
It is true that the rooms are open in front, but there is mosquito netting to keep the bugs out. I know bats make a lot of people nervous, but they are quite harmless and eat insects which makes them good neighbours IMO!
If staying in a place with open fronts really makes you nervous, you would opt for the Victoria Falls Hotel on the Zim side -- it's a grand historic hotel which is much smaller and more intimate than the Royal Livingstone but will have enclosed rooms.
http://www.victoriafallshotel.com/
Cheers,
Julian
We had no bats, thankfully, and there are some screens to lower for the evening if you wish. I am totally bug-phobic and there weren't many of them either in August.
Ok so now he says it is my decision. Lovely. so this is a question. We are going to be there mid june. I kmow that it will be cold while in Botswana especially in the mornings and I know the camps have no heat. When we get to VF will the weather be the same as in the Delta? We will be at Duma Tau Chitabe and Kwetsani. If so I think I would like a few days of waking up in temperatures over 40 degrees. This may be the deciding factor.
ttt
Hello,
I was in the Delta in June this year, and it was about 11C (52F), so you'll have plenty of warmer mornings. The Linyanti may be a bit chiller, but the Falls are generally closer to the Delta in temperature.
Cheers,
Julian
Hi Spiegel,
I would also vote for the River Club. It certainly is different and quite quirky! It is very colonial and if you go you may meet the owner Peter Jones who is a fantastic fellow. An old English army officer... a guardsman to be more specific. He insists on port after dinner every evening and enjoys croquet on the lawn after dinner with his port. It is set on a wonderfully quiet and wide stretch of the Zambezi.
I was in Botswana and Zambia this past June and we stayed at the River Club. We visited the Royal Livingston and while it is luxurious, it's quite generic. The RC on the other hand is unique, charming and quite chic in its own quaint Colonial way. We loved our open chalet (no bats or wildlife of any type) and found the amenities quite luxe compared to our bush camps (although they were lovely as well). The temperature near the Falls was surprisingly temperate and we were quite comfortable at night.
We found spending the last two nights our African adventure at the RC was the perfect ending to our trip. We could leave our chalet at night, which you can't do in the bush camps, since the Club is fenced. The grounds are exquisite, including the infinity pool. Watching the sunsets over the river from your room's sitting area is spectacular. The food was fantastic and as someone else mentioned, there are plenty of activities -- including getting a massage in the tented pavilion perched above the river. I definitely recommend the River Club. One can stay at a luxurious Western-type hotel anywhere in the world -- but you're in Africa!