Reviews of Ilala Lodge
Wildlife sightings and reviews
273 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
Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Jul-2019, 62 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Ilala Lodge.
Leopard
0% success
Hippo
67% success
Elephant
54% success
Buffalo
14% success
Zebra
13% success
Mr P M & family
UK
"Ilala Lodge review"
2 nights Arrived 13 May 2018
"A very comfortable and friendly hotel with knowledgeable and helpful staff. The hotel has a very good restaurant ( The Palm) and there is also an excellent restaurant virtually next door (The Three Monkeys).
The Lookout, another good restaurant with spectacular views over the Zambezi gorge, is nearby.
We enjoyed the Zambezi sunset cruise on the hotel's own small boat. The Falls themselves are only a short walk away. We had two nights here and saw everything we wanted to in that time.
The hotel is very good value - you don't need to stay in the more expensive hotels." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe; 2n in Namibia
The Lookout, another good restaurant with spectacular views over the Zambezi gorge, is nearby.
We enjoyed the Zambezi sunset cruise on the hotel's own small boat. The Falls themselves are only a short walk away. We had two nights here and saw everything we wanted to in that time.
The hotel is very good value - you don't need to stay in the more expensive hotels." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe; 2n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Mrs CH
Guildford
"Well sited hotel 10 mins walk from Vic Falls"
2 nights Arrived 11 May 2018
"This large hotel came as a bit of a shock after a month of more intimate lodges and camps. However the staff were helpful and friendly.
the rooms are typical standard hotel fair. Unfortunately a new block is being built(May 2018) and there was drilling and banging during the day. There is also a disco behind the hotel with music playing until after midnight.
Breakfast was excellent but service at dinner on the 2 nights we stayed there was painfully slow though they are recruiting new staff." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
the rooms are typical standard hotel fair. Unfortunately a new block is being built(May 2018) and there was drilling and banging during the day. There is also a disco behind the hotel with music playing until after midnight.
Breakfast was excellent but service at dinner on the 2 nights we stayed there was painfully slow though they are recruiting new staff." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Poor
Rooms:
Average
Food:
Average
Alice
Dusseldorf
"Ilala Lodge review"
2 nights Arrived 10 Feb 2018
"Ilala is perfect stay to visit the Falls. Very conveniently located. Nice view from the garden.
It is walking distance from all attractions. Rooms are nice, comfortable with a nice garden access. You can relax at the pool/bar area. The service is fantastic.
Breakfast very good with all options and the team always ready to help. Front Desk super helpful nice people.
We also dinner at the Palm. Great wine and food perfect evening." See all these reviews: 3n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
It is walking distance from all attractions. Rooms are nice, comfortable with a nice garden access. You can relax at the pool/bar area. The service is fantastic.
Breakfast very good with all options and the team always ready to help. Front Desk super helpful nice people.
We also dinner at the Palm. Great wine and food perfect evening." See all these reviews: 3n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Ms M
CambridgeHeath
"Excellent Location"
2 nights Arrived 15 Jan 2018
"Excellent location to falls. Rooms very good, lovely colonial looking Hotel.
Breakfast excellent.
Absolutely no need to spend on more expensive Hotel. We went for high tea at Victoria Falls Hotel, which was good but I preferred the look of Ilala Lodge.
Discovered a great cafe called Wild horizon cafe. Looked over the Zambezi river and also the bridge linking Zimbabwe and Zambia. Ate dinner while the sunset.
Anything good cafe was the Three monkeys." See all these reviews: 10n in Namibia; 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Breakfast excellent.
Absolutely no need to spend on more expensive Hotel. We went for high tea at Victoria Falls Hotel, which was good but I preferred the look of Ilala Lodge.
Discovered a great cafe called Wild horizon cafe. Looked over the Zambezi river and also the bridge linking Zimbabwe and Zambia. Ate dinner while the sunset.
Anything good cafe was the Three monkeys." See all these reviews: 10n in Namibia; 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Piotr & Glen
London
"Very comfortable place to stay"
2 nights Arrived 6 Dec 2017
"Ilala Lodge was a very nice if not overly-colonial looking place, although perfectly nice and thus enjoyable for our stay at Victoria Falls.
We enjoyed the swimming pool and the room we had, also breakfast was abundant and tasty, but otherwise we spent lots of time in the Falls park and both nights ate outside of the hotel, at The Three Monkeys right next to the hotel.
That is a place we definitely recommend for excellent food, really affordable prices, great cocktails and superb staff service." See all these reviews: 6n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
We enjoyed the swimming pool and the room we had, also breakfast was abundant and tasty, but otherwise we spent lots of time in the Falls park and both nights ate outside of the hotel, at The Three Monkeys right next to the hotel.
That is a place we definitely recommend for excellent food, really affordable prices, great cocktails and superb staff service." See all these reviews: 6n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr P
Eastleigh
"Ilala Lodge review"
2 nights Arrived 1 Dec 2017
"Ilala Lodge is very well situated, the food is great and the service from staff is execellent. Happy to recomend to my family and friends which is always testiment to a good hotel."
See all these reviews: 7n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Beeeater
UK
"Great experience, staff, falls and views"
2 nights Arrived 3 Nov 2017
"What a start to our trip.
Loved location and the place was magical." See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe; 1n in South Africa
Loved location and the place was magical." See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe; 1n in South Africa
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Peter & Olga
France
"Ilala Lodge review"
1 night Arrived 2 Nov 2017
"This was our second stay at Ilala Lodge and it is a very good and convenient place to spend a night in Vic Falls.
Rooms are spacious and comfortable and the restaurant is excellent." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia; 8n in Zimbabwe; 1n in Botswana
Rooms are spacious and comfortable and the restaurant is excellent." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia; 8n in Zimbabwe; 1n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Mrs K
Florida
"Very comfortable"
2 nights Arrived 2 Nov 2017
"Our room was attractive and comfortable, and we could see the "smoke" from the falls from our porch, and walk there in 15 minutes.
The food in the lodge's restaurant was very good, with local specialties like crocodile, warthog and kudu.
We were told there would be construction going on during our stay, and to make up for it, they offered a breakfast cruise on the Zambezie river. The construction turned out to be barely noticeable, and the cruise was wonderful - we saw two herds of elephants play in the river." See all these reviews: 3n in Zambia; 2n in Zimbabwe
The food in the lodge's restaurant was very good, with local specialties like crocodile, warthog and kudu.
We were told there would be construction going on during our stay, and to make up for it, they offered a breakfast cruise on the Zambezie river. The construction turned out to be barely noticeable, and the cruise was wonderful - we saw two herds of elephants play in the river." See all these reviews: 3n in Zambia; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs & Mr S
Yorkshire
"Nice hotel for our last night"
1 night Arrived 16 Oct 2017
"We stopped at Ilala on our last night after 6 nights in Hwange National Park. It suited our needs perfectly. Close to town to purchase last minute souvenirs and to have a lovely meal at The Three Monkeys.
The ample and delicious breakfast set us up perfectly for our long haul flight home to the UK." See all these reviews: 9n in Zimbabwe; 5n in Namibia
The ample and delicious breakfast set us up perfectly for our long haul flight home to the UK." See all these reviews: 9n in Zimbabwe; 5n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
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