Samanzi

A beautiful boutique hotel with warmly decorated rooms and very friendly and helpful staff. Really has a great vacation feel with a lush garden surrounding a sprawling swimming pool and each room has enough privacy to feel you're on your own.

A Michelin Star worthy chef - Samanzi Lodge, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. I am a seasoned traveller with a background in the airline, hotel, and travel industry. I later changed career and became a business owner within hospitality. I have around five hundred posts on TripAdvisor, all concerning private travelling, for which I have paid myself. I am currently in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, enjoying a six-week stay. This is my fourth extended stay here. I have local friends. I have stayed at different venues, and while I am not an in-house guest at (Shongwe’s) Samanzi Lodge, I have enjoyed quite a few meals here. Introduced by local friends, this has become my go-to place, when I am not dining out around town with friends, though we all tend to favour this place. There are many lodges getting away with serving mediocre food, simply because their guests stay two or three nights and move on after seeing the Falls and a little of town. There are a few lodges serving tasty food, and what a pleasure that is. Then there is Samanzi Lodge. I would evaluate the food here on the level of those wineries in South Africa where food and wine are given such a high priority that they only engage highly professional, dedicated, and knowledgeable staff. One such South African gem has landed here, and I take the liberty of writing this review having enjoyed both lunches and dinners at the hands of Chef Jason and his team. I very much hope that the management and ownership of Shongwe / Samanzi Lodge are aware just how special a talent they have in Chef Jason and his team. Their professionalism, creativity and dedication must be a real asset to Samanzi and, in my view, to Victoria Falls as a whole. Chef Jason and his team produce dinners that any high-end restaurant would be proud to serve. It is not only about the presentation, although the dishes certainly look the part. (See photos.) It is the knowledge, creativity, diligence, and the work behind the scenes, that really stand out. It is obvious for a foodie, that the kitchen makes its own stocks from what would otherwise be discarded from fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat. That says quite a lot about the way this kitchen works. Nothing is simply treated as waste, and flavour is built carefully from the ingredients available. This is the sort of professionalism that may not be immediately visible to a guest sitting at the table, but it is exactly what makes a kitchen exceptional. You will see from the photo documentation that I am not kidding you. I am one hundred per cent honest. You should also know that the prices here are completely on a level with menus for dinners and lunches at other venues, lodges, cafés, and restaurants in town. Samanzi still welcomes guests who are not staying in-house. Not all lodges have the capacity to offer this service. While in-house guests naturally take priority, I have been able to get a table every time I have turned up. The staff here are s

A wonderful hotel. The pools and other facilities are fantastic. There is even a lookout tower for sundowner cocktails. Room was spacious and spotlessly clean. Staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. They organised taxis for us - about 7 USD each way to the main sites. Lovely breakfast and dinner. Just book it.

Samanzi – Hospitality That Really Does Go Above and Beyond If you’re heading to Victoria Falls, I honestly don’t think you could do much better than Samanzi. From the moment we arrived, it was obvious that this is somewhere very special. The entire property is immaculate, beautifully maintained and clearly looked after with an incredible eye for detail. But what really sets Samanzi apart is the people. The level of hospitality throughout our stay was nothing short of 7-star. A huge thank you to Jamie and Brian, who were fantastic from the very beginning. They helped us enormously with our planning before we even arrived, were incredibly attentive and responsive on WhatsApp, and seemed to always be one step ahead of what we needed. Jamie even went out of his way to arrange a late departure for us during an extremely busy period — something we really appreciated. One of the unexpected highlights was the tropical outdoor shower area. There is, of course, a beautiful bathroom inside as well, but the outdoor shower is something completely different. The setting is gorgeous, the hot water was perfect and the bathroom toiletries were exceptional. With plants all around us, a banana tree literally dripping with bananas and a pawpaw tree loaded with pawpaws, my wife and I couldn't help but smile every time we went for a shower. It’s those little touches that make Samanzi so memorable. The pools and their design throughout the property are incredibly unique, creating an atmosphere and ambience that is difficult to put into words. You really have to experience it for yourself. The food was excellent, the facilities first class, and even the WiFi was fast and reliable. Another first for us was that the rate included complimentary washing and ironing. We have travelled extensively and have never experienced that level of service being included as part of the stay. But ultimately, it is the people who make Samanzi. Every member of staff we encountered was friendly, attentive and genuinely seemed to care about making our stay special. We would go back in a heartbeat and will definitely be pushing our friends to go and experience Samanzi for themselves. A massive thank you to Jamie, Brian and the entire team. You have created something very special and have set the bar incredibly high for hospitality.

We enjoyed our stay, but the bar service could have changed. The not so good was the bars. There are two, but the one near the wine cellar that had the beer taps was never open. The bartender at the top bar would have to go down to the other bar if someone ordered a draft beer. Also, one night my husband ordered a beer that was almost all foam. The bartender apologized and offered to pour another without us saying anything. My husband had to teach them how, and they mentioned they were never shown this. They were thankful for the instruction. One the up side, the drinks in the room were included. The room itself was nice. I very much enjoyed the large bathroom, the outdoor shower, and the patio. The psuedo private pool was nice, though it was too cold for us to get in. It was mostly private-ish, which was something I was curious about. There are only 15 cabanas, and we hardly saw anyone walking around. We did enjoy the breakfasts and the coffee service in the mornings. Would definitely recommend people to stay here and hope to return someday.

Booked Lookout - got upgraded here. 3 properties are attached so fun to visit the bars in all of them. Was indeed an upgrade. Individual spacious cabins (with outdoor showers!) all with direct access to pools. The bottom pool is the deepest, longest, and coldest. Glorious to dive in right from one’s deck. None of the pools are ‘private’ so could try them all (about 6). Gracious service. Good food, if some sauces slightly oversweet. Can walk to town in 30 minutes. Helicopter noise less than other more expensive properties.

The best fit for us of the three properties. The multiple pool/waterfall configuration was cool - everybody gets a pool directly from their patio. Food was good. Service was excellent - and Melissa went above and beyond to really take care of us. She made a huge impact in making sure our stay was amazing, helping us out with recommendations and took care of arrangements so we can stay in vacation mode. Huge shoutout to Melissa!

Absolutely amazing, Nathan divine and Melissa were especially awesome at catering to our needs. Will definitely come again when I return to Zimbabwe!

If you're planning a trip to Victoria Falls, look no further than Samanzi — this place is an absolute gem. From the moment I arrived, I was blown away by how spotlessly clean everything is. The attention to detail in maintaining the property is exceptional, and it shows in every corner. The staff here are truly the heart of the experience. Friendly, warm, and always on hand to help with a smile — whether it's arranging activities, offering local tips, or simply making sure you're comfortable. Their genuine hospitality makes you feel right at home. The facilities are amazing — everything you need and more. Whether you're relaxing after a day at the falls or gearing up for your next adventure, the amenities here exceed expectations. And the food? Beautifully prepared meals that are as delicious as they are thoughtfully presented. Dining here has been a highlight of my stay. Even the WiFi is solid — reliable and fast enough to stay connected, share photos, or get work done if needed. Samanzi has set the bar incredibly high. I can't recommend it highly enough and will definitely be returning. If you want comfort, cleanliness, great food, and genuinely wonderful people looking after you, this is the place to be in Victoria Falls.