Ilala Lodge Hotel, is a family run 4-star boutique style hotel and is the closest hotel to the actual Victoria Falls, so close in fact that often you can see and feel the mist from the falls falling when dining al-fresco in their gardens off the restaurant patio.
The lodge was named after the Ilala palms that grow in the area and also has the most beautiful Indian Laburnums trees, known as the ‘Golden Trees’, planted at the entrance to the lodge. Ilala is most famously known for its award-winning restaurant, the Palm Restaurant which offers scrumptious gourmet cuisine. One of the perks of dining here is the wildlife viewing, animals such as warthog and impala, often graze on the hotel lawns and entertain guests during their meals.
Aside from the restaurant located in the main entertainment area, there is also a recently renovated swimming pool area, offering a choice of 2 pools, both with stunning views across the bushveld towards the falls themselves. The lodge bar is conveniently located adjacent to the pools with the décor of the lodge being specifically chosen to “evoke an era of early adventure and the quest for discovery in Africa.”
The lodge has 24-hour reception services and complimentary Wi-Fi in all the rooms and public areas. Ilala is a multi-story facility, with various wings offering a variety of accommodation options. The rooms on the upper tier open out onto a private balcony, while the lower floor rooms open onto the manicured gardens. Guests can choose rooms in the Deluxe Wing, the Garden Wing or the Pool Wing.
There are 73 rooms/suites in total, which consist of:
- 32 x Twin/Double Standard Rooms
- 36 x Deluxe Rooms
- 2 x Standard Suites
- 2 x Executive Suites
- 1 x Strathearn Suite
All rooms are non-smoking, with their own private patio, a mini-bar (which is opened upon request and for the guest’s account). There is room service, laundry and baby sitters also available upon request.
The Standard Rooms have:
- En-suite bathrooms with bath and separate shower;
- 2 by ¾ beds OR 1x King Size Bed;
- Satellite television, hair dryer, ceiling fan and air conditioner;
- Tea & coffee making facilities, safe.
*Children can only share with parents in a standard suite.
The Deluxe Rooms have:
- En-suite bathrooms with shower only;
- Twin/double rooms with 2 by ¾ beds OR 1 King Size Bed;
- Satellite television, hair dryer, ceiling fan and air conditioner;
- Tea & coffee making facilities, Coffee machine, minibar fridge, safe.
The Standard Suites have:
- En-suite bathrooms with bath and separate shower;
- 1 by king-size bed & 1 by ¾ bed in each suite;
- Satellite television, hair dryer, ceiling fan and air conditioner;
- Tea & coffee making facilities, Coffee machine, minibar fridge, safe.
The Strathearn Suite has:
- 1 by king-size bed;
- Satellite television, hair dryer, ceiling fan and air conditioner;
- Tea & coffee making facilities, minibar fridge, safe;
- Private lounge;
- Kitchen;
- En-suite bathroom with double vanity basins, walk-in shower and an indulgent bathtub;
- Private balcony, with a large spa bath;
- Espresso Machine; and
- Robe & Slippers.
Guests will also receive an inclusive private balcony dining experience prepared for by the lodge chefs, a complimentary in-room couples’ massage, and an intimate breakfast or lunch cruise onboard the hotel’s luxury cruise boat, the Ra-Ikane. The suite can be transformed into a comfortable and spacious family villa, via a pair of interleading doors into a secondary suite and deluxe guest room.
Ilala Lodge is unique in that it owns and hires out their own beautiful boat called the Ra-Ikane, which operates cruises on the Zambezi River above the mighty falls (not exclusive to Ilala guests).
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