Zholela lodge

The rooms are clean. It’s a good lodge.

I’ve stayed here regularly, so the drop in accommodation quality and service really shocked me. It’s staggering that the public profile still shows 3 stars. 😱 On my last visit, the room lock was broken, so the door wouldn’t lock from inside. The hand basin leaked and left a huge puddle between the bathroom and sleeping area. When I asked the receptionist for help, she told me to keep the valve underneath closed. 🤣 The hot water tap didn’t work, making a shower a nightmare. I could put up with cold water after a long, hot day, but in the morning I asked for it to be fixed so I could have a hot bath. After ages of fiddling around, staff said someone had checked out of another room and asked if I’d mind bathing there. I was running late for the airport by then, so I politely said no. 🤢 At checkout, the same receptionist gave me the full bill without any remorse or shame. I’ve honestly stayed in better places in some of Zambia’s most rural areas. It was a big disappointment from somewhere I used to recommend, and felt like a proper shakedown, daylight robbery. 🥷

The location is good, but the service is poor. The English breakfast needs work, and customer care from the kitchen staff is bad. Workers make noise in the corridor early in the morning.

The accommodation is beautiful, affordable, and conveniently located. The rooms are lovely, but the ceiling boards in the passage need replacing or major repairs. They make the place unpleasant.