Palm River Hotel

We stayed here for 3 nts in mid June. The hotel is in a great location on the Zambezi river, making for great views and a peaceful atmosphere. The property hosts baboons, warthogs and hippos on the lawns which was so fun to see. Also an elephant wandered through the back lawn while we were there. No worries as there is an electric fence so the animals cannot get too close. The physical property is beautifully designed as are the rooms. They offer sunset cruises on the Zambezi River which are phenomenal. This property has only been open a few years and could use some minor improvements to up its status to 5*. Our room temperature controls were not working and were not corrected for 2 days. Our bath was lacking enough towels and I had to ask for more. There is no Kleenex in the bath except a tiny travel size packet. There are no robes/slippers (which after a trip to Victoria Falls where you get drenched, great time by the way!) to use after a hot shower. These are minor issues which could be easily addressed. Palm River also has a sister property in Victoria Falls called Ilala where we had dinner one evening. It is lovely and close to artisan markets. I preferred the quiet of Palm River. If you visit, seeing Victoria Falls is a must! Also we went to an elephant sanctuary where we got to touch the elephants, walk with them and feed them!! What an experience!

Beautiful facility, staff is very friendly & helpful. Concierge helped with additional activities & transportation to & from. Food was very good. Breakfast buffet plentiful! Since had trouble using ATMs in town & we stayed there during weekend, it would have been nice to had front desk be able to give change for $ 50 or allow a cash advance on credit card. We needed smaller amounts for tips.

Loved everything about this hotel - the hotel on the lawn sloping down to the Zambezi River, architecture, ambiance and location. It was very convenient, a short walk to the boats that took us on a sunset river cruise. Food was excellent, the room was spacious, comfortable and with a view out over the grounds and river. Very impressed.

We lost all our luggage on our way here but the hotel was very helpful with toothbrushes etc. This place is fantastic with a free shuttle to the local area (emergency shopping) including the falls or restaurants. The place was so peaceful but we had a river cruise, riverside dining and arranged activities such as helicopter over the falls through the hotel and were visited by warthogs, elephants and hippos. Loved this place and it is a great centre for visiting the falls and surrounding areas. The luggage did get to us before we left.

I rarely write bad reviews, but this experience was beyond unacceptable — especially for a hotel that charges $600 per night. Upon arrival, we were placed in a room that was absolutely filthy. There were black stains on the sheets, dozens of long hairs all over the bedding, and a disgusting, dirt-covered carpet. It was immediately clear the bed had already been sat on or used. The sheets smelled odd and felt old — like they hadn’t been properly laundered in weeks. To make matters worse, a cockroach was waiting at the door. When I brought this up, a supervisor came and dismissed it by saying bugs are “normal due to the environment.” No — it is not normal to sleep with cockroaches and mosquitoes, especially when no mosquito net was provided and they “forgot” to plug in the mosquito repellent devices. They offered to move us to another room. That room was no better — I counted 20 to 30 hairs on the bed alone. A third room we were shown had actual blood stains on the sheets. Completely inexcusable. Let’s talk about the beds — they were comparable to what you’d find in a cheap roadside motel in the U.S. Thin, springy mattresses and sheets that felt like they came from a budget shelter. I’m a hotel owner myself, and I can say with confidence these are the same low-quality linens used in establishments charging $59–$79 per night, not a supposed luxury hotel. Amenities? Nearly nonexistent. No shower gel, no slippers, and we were given only one large towel for two guests. At this point, I question the legitimacy of many of this hotel’s glowing reviews. Our experience was so off from the way this property markets itself. I plan to dispute this charge with my credit card company because this is not what was promised or advertised. For the price, I expected luxury — what I got instead was closer to a poorly run 2-star motel. Do not stay here. You’ve been warned.

This is a nice hotel for its location and the grounds are pretty , but room and service was not good . Our room was cramped , the ac and wi fi didn’t work , and service and food in the restaurant were sub par . It may be the best in the area - but this isn’t a 5 star hotel