Reviews of Ilala Lodge
Wildlife sightings and reviews
260 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Ilala Lodge and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
0% success
53% success
17% success
17% success
"Good accommodation at Ilala Lodge"
"Water water everywhere"
The room, meals, outdoor areas and level of service were excellent." See all these reviews: 7n in Botswana; 4n in Rwanda; 3n in Namibia; 2n in Zimbabwe
"Manager"
"Perfect spot to visit the falls"
The short walk to the Falls and the city center made it very convenient for us to explore on foot in our own time." See all these reviews: 8n in Namibia; 2n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
"ilala lodge #1"
The falls were wonderful and quite an experience. Not there for an extended period but liked the area." See all these reviews: 12n in Botswana; 5n in South Africa; 2n in Zimbabwe
"Ilala Lodge review"
Ilala Lodge was a pleasant step back in time. The colonial pictures and atmosphere of the public rooms was charming. The bed and bath was comfortable and clean. Front desk staff were very helpful.
We walked from the hotel to Victoria Falls, about 10 minutes." See all these reviews: 8n in Zimbabwe; 4n in Botswana
"Adequate night at Ilala Lodge"
Internet absolutely useless - difficult to connect and only lasted a few minutes.
Dated hotel which needs money spent on it. Room like rooms were 30 years ago. Bathroom dated. No mosquito nets around beds. Had two single beds so not ideal for honeymooners!
Food adequate but rather spartan breakfast with tinned fruits. Not a lot of choice in the Continental breakfast. Swimming pool was cloudy and needed "shocking" so I was reluctant to use it.
Bar was really pleasant and airy. We had cocktails at The Victoria Falls Hotel and wished we had stayed there!
Wilderness Safaris organised our tour of the Falls which was very good albeit an expensive $60 each for 2 hours walking and a one minute bus ride. (Abiot was the guide)
When we asked for a late check-out the next day at 12.30 we were told that the latest was 11.30 - eventually we managed to negotiate 12 midday! We were a little peeved as we had only stayed one night anyway so they could have let our room the night before as they had adequate notice from Expert Africa. We returned to our room at 11.50 and were locked out. This was the last straw and this ranks as the worst hotel on our holiday.
Surrounding area is not very nice to walk around as you are accosted by locals and one man even tried to bargain for my husband's M and S deck shoes! Wilderness Safari drivers very good and pleasant." See all these reviews: 4n in Zimbabwe; 4n in Zanzibar
With regards to the internet, internet speeds in Africa are seldom as fast as in Europe or the US. Ilala Lodge are very aware of this; they have the fastest link that they can get, but its still slow. They will upgrade as soon as they can; currently theyre hoping this will be in Aug 2013.
With regard to the hotel looking a bit dated, thats probably fair. Like many hotels and lodges in Zimbabwe, Ilala Lodges dcor has dropped behind the curve. However, now things are changing there and Martin commented, We look at all our linen and towels every year and replace where needed. We have completed the installation of flat screen LCD TV units in all our rooms at the end of February 2013 and, although the air conditioning unit in their room was installed in 2007, we are half way through replacing all of these units, and will have the rest finished by August. [Ed: Aug 2013!]
Readers should remember though that Ilala is very affordable in comparison to other properties in the area, and the hotel is decorated in a colonial style, which some may feel adds to a feeling that it is dated.
Ilala doesnt have mosquito nets in the rooms. Martin explains that: We spray the rooms on a quarterly basis, have plug in mosquito repellent, offer mosquito repellant spray and insect spray in all the rooms. We also encourage the use of the air conditioning units as this discourages mosquitoes as well.
Martin was surprised to read these comments on tinned fruit, as they only ever serve fresh fruit at breakfast. He says that they We offer only fresh fruits. We offer 3 types of fresh cold meats, 3 types of croissants, 3 types of muffins, various seeds/nuts and dried fruits and a cheese and biscuit platter. We also offer 8 hot egg-based options on the a la carte menu.
About late check-outs, Martin was sorry they didnt do better on this. He explained that they try to arrange these for guests where they can but because Ilala is often very full, it can be difficult. In this case, he explained that: The key system is also defaulted, as a security measure, to expire at 11.30am but our team should have realised this and renewed their card I will address this with our reception., and he apologized for this.
We are extremely sorry to hear that these guests did not like Ilala, but are pleased that they enjoyed the rest of their trip with us.
"Senior Africa Specialist"
"Ilala Lodge review"
The comfort,design and location of the Lodge is wonderful but the staff a bit less personable than we found in safari camps. This is quite understandable as it is a hotel in a tourist town and has to cater for many different tastes.
The breakfasts were magnificent and the dinners at the restaurant were tasty but slightly fussy and over designed.
We paid a handsome sum to go microlighting over the Victoria Falls from the Zambia side. It was worth digging deep in our pockets as to see the falls this way is possibly a once in a lifetime experience.
We liked Victoria Falls town but fear for it's future. The tourist police are very helpful and do their best to stop tourists being hassled by local people selling anything and everything they can to you. The Elephant Walk shopping centre in town is nice (no hassling) and has a great friendly little cafe where one can escape from the heat and eat some nice food such as Warthog ciabatta! It's quite fun to watch the wildlife including baboons, warthogs and mongoose wandering around town." See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
"Great hotel"
Close to the falls and the bridge.
[Ed: see below for comments on their first stay here at the start of this trip.]" See all these reviews: 10n in Zimbabwe
"Great start and finish hotel!"
It was a great place to start and finish." See all these reviews: 10n in Zimbabwe
"Ilala Lodge - great location for Vic Falls"
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Other lodges in Victoria Falls
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Victoria Falls Hotel
With its unique setting, authentic style and excellent service, the Victoria Falls is one of the world’s most iconic hotels.
Batonka Guest Lodge
Small, comfortable and in lovely gardens, Batonka Guest Lodge is a perfect base for exploring the Victoria Falls away from the bustle of the town.
Victoria Falls Lodge
High on a plateau a short distance outside Victoria Falls Town, the comfortable Victoria Falls Safari Lodge overlooks its own waterhole.
Sprayview Hotel
In close proximity to both the town and the Victoria Falls themselves, Sprayview is a value-for-money hotel in a convenient location.
The Elephant Camp
The Elephant Camp is a luxury tented camp in its own private concession within Victoria Falls National Park, just 15-minute's drive town.
Victoria Falls Club
Just outside of Victoria Falls Town, Victoria Falls Safari Club offers an exclusive, relaxing and luxurious base to explore the area.
Old Drift Lodge
A lovely addition to the options in Victoria Falls, the stylish Old Drift has a great location in Zimbabwe's Zambezi National Park, with a range of activities.
Gorges Lodge
Gorges Lodge has spectacular views from its perch on the edge of the Batoka Gorge. Although it is out of town it isn't too far from the main attractions.
Palm River
Palm River Hotel offers a high-quality stay in a picturesque location on the banks of the Zambezi, with excellent food and a shuttle to the Victoria Falls.
Little Gorges
Set high above the Zambezi River, Little Gorges Tented Lodge is a tranquil spot to watch black eagles and from which to visit the Victoria Falls.
Zambezi Sands
Zambezi Sands is a stylish new camp with a range of activities on a remote stretch of the Zambezi River.
Pioneers
Located a five-minute drive from the buzz of Victoria Falls town, the mid-size Pioneers offers a relaxing stay in one of Zimbabwe's most iconic destinations.
Matetsi River Lodge
Situated in the private Matetsi Reserve, Matetsi River Lodge offers luxury suites, game drives and river activities within reach of the Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls Suites
Just out of the town, Victoria Falls Safari Suites offers an exclusive, relaxing and luxurious base from which to explore.
Mpala Jena
In Zambezi National Park, Mpala Jena offers a luxurious but eco-friendly experience, within easy access of the Victoria Falls.
528 Victoria Falls
528 Victoria Falls is a charming, owner-run, boutique B&B in a leafy suburb of Victoria Falls town, offering an oasis of calm in an often-busy location.
Matetsi River House
Situated in the Private Matetsi Reserve Matetsi River House offers families and small groups privacy, game drives and access to the falls.
