Victoria Falls lodge named among Southern Africa's best

Victoria Falls continues to stand out as the preferred destination, with Matetsi Victoria Falls Lodge, situated on the banks of the Zambezi River, ranking as the seventh-best resort in Southern Africa.

This accolade was bestowed by Conde Nast Traveller, an international travel index that gathers responses from readers and travelers worldwide.

Over 520,000 readers submitted their ratings of travel experiences across the globe, and Matetsi Victoria Falls secured a position among the top 15 resorts with an impressive score of 96.40 points. Bumi Hills in Kariba also made it into the top 15, securing the 14th position with 93.83 points.

The list is dominated by Zambia, which boasts eight resorts, with Lolebezi Jeki Resort leading the pack with 99.3 points. Botswana contributes three resorts to the list, while Namibia has two.

Matetsi Victoria Falls has garnered recognition in the past. Just three months ago, this luxury lodge, alongside the Victoria Falls Hotel, was voted among the top five facilities in Africa based on Travel + Leisure Readers' feedback.

Travel researchers concur that Southern Africa is home to some of the continent's finest resort hotels, from South Africa's Winelands to Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls, Namibia's expansive Namib Desert, and Zambia's Bush Camp.

Victoria Falls itself ranks as the third "must-visit" natural wonder globally, attracting global attention to Zimbabwe's prime tourism city. This UNESCO World Heritage site provides a habitat for various unique plant and animal species and offers breathtaking views of natural beauty and grandeur along the Zambezi River, forming the natural boundary between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Conde Nast Traveller's latest study, the readers' choice for 2023, positioned Matetsi Victoria Falls at the seventh spot out of the top 15.

Conde Nast Traveller is a highly regarded accolade within the tourism industry and remains the ultimate symbol of excellence and recognition in the travel sector.

Sara Gardiner, a representative of the Gardiner family that operates Matetsi Victoria Falls Lodge, expressed gratitude for the recognition, emphasizing that it highlights the high-quality service at the lodge and the destination as a whole.

Being listed among the best resorts in Africa is particularly significant because it reflects the experiences of guests who leave Matetsi Victoria Falls feeling like part of an extended family. It also underscores their commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences while conserving vast areas of pristine wilderness and providing employment, upskilling, and opportunities for Zimbabweans.

Numerous other local establishments have also received recognition from various researchers in the past. Matetsi Victoria Falls is a family-owned facility renowned for its uniquely African interiors, offering an ultimate safari experience and an idyllic accommodation retreat.

Spanning 136,000 acres of land, Matetsi Victoria Falls has its own game scouts dedicated to the protection of dozens of animal species, including four of the Big Five. The facility features 16 suites, two family suites, and a private villa.

Tourism executives have consistently advocated for the promotion of other destinations in Zimbabwe to distribute the benefits of tourism more evenly. Mrs. Barbara Murasiranwa-Hughes, Chair of the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe in Matebeleland North, highlighted the importance of Victoria Falls as a regional hub from which tourism businesses should launch their services and expand to other destinations, particularly within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.