Whether you visit Zambia for work or a vacation, you’ll need a place to lay your head. Zambia has plenty of offerings such as international hotels, bed and breakfasts which are called “lodges” and luxury and budget camps in the national parks. Our tip is to try a boutique hotel where you’ll get more personalized attention and service. Here are our picks of the best boutique hotels in Zambia.
Latitude 15
Bar, Boutique Hotel Restaurant, Cocktail Bar, Contemporary, Vegan, European, $$$
Located in the tree filled suburbs of Kabulonga, Latitude 15 boutique hotel is one of the best places to chat with friends over drinks in the lobby, which has a gallery feel with beautiful art work placed around. For a more relaxed feel, sit by the swimming pool or head to ‘The Other Side’ on the same property which has a private members only restaurant/bar with weekly live music performances.
Royal Chundu Island Lodge lies on the banks of the Zambezi River on the Katombara Island in Livingstone . Each of the four villas have private docks and open-air river-front bathtubs for the perfect view. The rooms are in earthy and blue tones. There is free wifi as well as the Chundu’s Children’s Club which runs activities for children such as birding and frog safaris. There is also an infinity pool to cool off in after a day filled with activities that the lodge organizes — such as trips to the nearby Victoria Falls, cruises and more. If you’d rather spend your time relaxing, there’s a spa on the facility as well.
Guests who stay at Lilayi Lodge can expect to see wildlife such as bushbuck and zebra right outside their windows or on a game drive or horseback safari within the estate. The lodge has 12 individual thatch roof chalets (two are family rooms) with a shower and bathtub as well as an outdoor veranda. Guests can visit the Elephant Orphanage on the property daily from 11: 30 am to 1 pm. There is also pool and a library available to guests. All meals and drinks (with the exception of alcohol) are included in the room cost.
The Protea Southern Belle is a houseboat located on Lake Kariba in Siavonga which is in the Southern province of Zambia. It has 22 cabins including a presidential suite with a private balcony, five suites, ten double cabins, four twin cabins and one triple cabin. All cabins except the twin and triple cabins are outward facing. Guests can enjoy off board activities organized by the hotel such as fishing, bird watching and game viewing. There are also two conferences rooms on the boat, which are perfect for business travelers.
The Chongwe River House is a uniquely designed four bedroom private house located in the Lower Zambezi national park on the banks of the Chongwe River. The house comes with a private chef, a house manager and a safari guide who on request can take guests on a walking or canoe safari. The river house is clearly inspired by the environment, with pebbles from the river incorporated into the ceiling and a massive thorn tree, the branches of which make up part of the structure. Rooms are spread across two floors, with the main room boasting views of the river and mountains in the distance. Guests can fly in via a landing strip located 15 minutes away from the property.
Shiwa Ng’andu is an English style colonial house built in 1911 by Sir Stewart Gore-Browne in Muchinga province. The house overlooks a a lake of the same name where guests can enjoy sundowners, boating or fishing. The Shiwa manor house has four ensuite bedrooms decorated with original items from Sir Gore-Browne. Meals are prepared by the owners Charlie and Jo Harvey who possess great knowledge about the history of the house. Guests also have full access to the library which has letters Gore-Browne wrote over the course of his residence at Shiwa. Other activities that can be enjoyed include hiking to the Nachipala Bareback hill and soaking in the Kapishya hotsprings, which are eleven miles from the house.
Located on the banks of the Zambezi river that feeds into the Victoria Falls, Tongabezi has five houses and four river cottages that are individually styled. Guests can choose from The Bird House, The Nut House, The Honey Moon House, The Garden House, The Dog House and The Tree House. The river cottages feature high ceilings, large glass doors and pine wood decks. They are perfect for couples or groups booked together, while The Dog House is more suited to families. All inclusive activities include a trip to the Victoria Falls, fishing, game drives, a trip to the Livingstone museum, floating dinners on the Zambezi and more.
King Lewanika Lodge was opened in May 2017 as the only permanent camp in Liuwa Plain National Park, the site of the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa. It has six villas, including a two bedroomed family villas which were constructed with steel, canvas and thatch. Activities include day and night game drives, boating, walking safaris and guided nature walks. The villas are raised to allow guests to take in views of the expansive flood plains. In April, guests can catch a sighting of the Kuamboka ceremony of the Lozi people. King Lewanika is open from October to July.
