Chanters Lodge

The atmosphere is pleasant and quiet, and the food was surprisingly good with decent portions. Prices seem fair for locals but high for visitors from abroad. My room was run down and needs a facelift, and the bathrooms need major work. The drainage was blocked, a power outlet was loose, and the lighting wasn’t enough. The pool looks bad and needs repainting. I wouldn’t mind staying again if they fix up the rooms.

We stayed in family room unit 8, with modest expectations since this definitely isn’t a five-star resort. The beds were good, mosquito nets were provided, and there was round-the-clock security with a guard, gate, and wall. The bathroom let us down. Its door had no lock or key, which mattered since we were travelling as a group, and the shower curtain was mouldy. They cleaned it after I complained. It’s within walking distance of the town centre, with a restaurant and a small pool. Would I return? Probably not, but if you’re on a tight budget and can’t find somewhere better for the same money, it should do the job.

We had clean rooms, the lodge is well located, and they addressed the problems to our satisfaction. We got breakfast for free and a refund for the trouble, so we’d be willing to try staying again in the near future. There was no WiFi anywhere in the lodge when we arrived. A staff member said the owner hadn’t paid the bill. That was okay for the first night since we had our own data and were planning to leave the next morning. But we ended up booking another night for convenience, since we were only in Livingstone for two nights. When we came back from the Falls that evening, there was no water in our rooms. They said the pump had failed, so we couldn’t use the toilets or shower that night. There was still no water in the morning. After we spoke with reception, they turned the pump on and we had enough water to shower for a few minutes before checking out. Breakfast was sparse at first: one fried egg, three spoonfuls of beans, two fried onion rings, and toast each. They had no butter, only jam. Sausages would cost extra, and they didn’t have any in the kitchen, so someone would have to go buy them. They offered only coffee, so one person in our group had to ask for tea. The complimentary breakfast they later gave us had two fried eggs, beans, sausages, toast, and butter.

This place didn’t meet even basic standards. My husband and in-laws are Zambian, and they couldn’t bear how dirty it was. The sheets, shower, bathmats, walls, and mosquito nets were all dirty, and I found hair in my food. We’d hoped to swim, but the pool was dirty too. We stayed one night, checked out, and went to the Marriott, where we had a much better experience. The only good thing was that the staff were nice.