Victoria Falls
 

Going to The Falls end of september for 3 days and would like to know if anyone can give me a comparison between Ilala, Victoria fall Hotls and Sussi & Chuma.

Thanks
Pirates

Pirates,

My own choices would be:

1. Matetsi Water Lodge
2. Stanley Safari Lodge
3. Tongabezi

Matetsi will offer morning & night game drives, daily transfers to the falls, canoeing, your own private plunge pool and an exclusive experience away from the falls.

Stanley Safari Lodge would be best for staying near the falls.

Tongabezi is also very highly regarded but is inexplicably more expensive than Stanley Safari Lodge even though it is not nearly as close to the falls.

Honestly, I don't think I would put any of your choices in my top five.

Rocco,
Just wondering what has changed your mind about Matetsi. You gave it an awful review on your first trip there (and I don't think you have been back), but now seem to be recommending it. It does seem like a great place to stay and see Victoria Falls and be able to go on game drives. The situation seems to have gotten worse in Zimbabwe since your last visit, so would there be an improvement at Matetsi? Some of your original complaints seem trivial such as no phones in the rooms, no internet access, etc. (I appreciate getting away from all of this on safari, but to each his own). But some complaints were more serious such as lack of sanitation and bad food. Anyway, why the turnaround? Not trying to be rude, just interested since I haven't been to Vic Falls yet.
Thanks

brandywine,

I was just a spoiled @$$ when I was at Matetsi, having just arrived from Singita. Plus, I did get sick from the first day, I suspect from something I ate in Joburg, or heaven forbid, something I ate at Singita. So I was under the weather for half my stay.

I did have a major hiccup when my flight on Air Zimbabwe was cancelled and I was stranded in Victoria Falls instead of spending the night at La Grande Roche in the Cape Winelands. Matetsi said it had reconfirmed my flight but had not. Still, I should not have let that ruin my trip.

Matetsi was generous enough to put my wife and I up in a suite at the Victoria Falls Hotel that night, with dinner and breakfast included.

I did have great elephant, giraffe and buffalo sightings, despite visiting in March when the bush was very thick. I did read Wild Watch http://www.wildwatch.com/sightings/default.asp and it did say that wild dogs had denned in the Matetsi reserve, so there is more than just elephants and giraffes around.

We did have the best dinner I have yet had in Africa when we were surprised with a dinner in the bush one night, complete with torches everywhere, armed guards, white linen, silver and fine china and a full bar! All the other guests during my stay loved Matetsi, but after Singita, I was just being way too picky and pointing out little faults rather than seeing all the positives.

I would not hesitate to return to Matetsi now that I have more experience in Africa and everything does not have to be Singita.

OK, Thanks Rocco. I can see the issue with the flight would have been very irritating when you were told that they had confirmed the flight.