Few hotels anywhere in Africa carry quite the same weight of history as the Victoria Falls Hotel. Built in 1904 to house workers on the Cape-to-Cairo railway, this grand Edwardian landmark has been welcoming guests for well over a century — royalty, adventurers, and dignitaries among them — and has earned its affectionate nickname, the Grand Old Lady of the Falls, many times over. Perched above the first gorge, its famous Stanley's Terrace frames a postcard view of the historic Victoria Falls Bridge, while the distant roar of Mosi-oa-Tunya drifts across manicured lawns planted with bougainvillea and palm.
The hotel's 149 rooms and suites sit within a quietly impressive Edwardian shell that has been thoughtfully modernised without losing its soul. Afternoon high tea on the terrace remains an institution, and a private pathway leads through damp forest directly to the rainforest entrance. It is, quite simply, the most characterful address in Victoria Falls.
