The Victoria Falls Hotel

The Victoria Falls Hotel is the historic Edwardian-style hotel of Victoria Falls town in western Zimbabwe, and the reason to stay here is its position: the terrace looks across the Second Gorge to the Victoria Falls Bridge, with the spray from the Falls rising beyond it. Built by the British in 1904 to house workers on the Cape-to-Cairo railway, the property still belongs to National Railways of Zimbabwe and is run as a partnership between African Sun and Meikles Africa.

The character is colonial-era grand rather than contemporary: long shaded verandas, wide lawns under old trees and an Edwardian swimming pool. Rooms range from classic rooms in the main building to the Stables Signature Wing, a stand-alone wing with its own courtyard, private lounge and check-in, plus a small number of suites. Some rooms look out over the gorges and the bridge, so ask for that view when you enquire if it matters to you.

Afternoon high tea on Stanley's Terrace is the hotel's best-known ritual, served daily, and non-residents can pre-book it too. For dinner there is the formal Livingstone Room and the thatched, outdoor-style Jungle Junction, plus Stanley's Bar and poolside service.

The hotel suits travellers who want a characterful base in town for the Falls rainforest trail, the bridge and river activities over two or three nights, as on our Victoria Falls Adventure.