matetsi redefines the luxury victoria falls experience
Matetsi Victoria Falls, set on a private 15 km stretch of the mighty Zambezi, just 40 km upriver from Victoria Falls, is unique in its offer of both world-class safari experiences and an idyllic retreat from which to visit the Falls. Stellar five-star service from attentive butlers and an array of premium facilities are rivalled only by the spectacular natural wonders surrounding the lodge. Accompanied by knowledgable conservation-minded guides, Matetsi Private Game Reserve’s 55,000 hectares of pristine wilderness can be explored on foot, by vehicle and by boat, while great herds of elephant, buffalo and plains game delight and amaze.
Having visited the finest camps all over Africa, and spent years travelling the world for business, John Gardiner has set the standards of the camp high. The design is distinctly African, but with every world-class comfort. Comprising two intimate river-facing camps of nine suites each, featuring local beaten-copper, carved wood and polished earth finishes and hand-made contemporary African furnishings, the property offers guests plenty of space in which to retreat and indulge in the wilderness in privacy. Shaded by old trees above the river, each of the spacious air-conditioned suites, with sliding doors framing views of the mighty Zambezi river, is sumptuously furnished with a king-size bed, a candle-lit circular bathtub, indoor and outdoor rain showers as well as a private plunge pool and deck with comfortable loungers overlooking the river.
At the heart of the property are the stylish contemporary living spaces – wide, stone and wood open-plan spaces offering a massage studio, fitness room, library/conference centre, private cellar and a 20m lap pool in which to swim under Zimbabwe’s famed blue skies.
For those in search of the ultimate in seclusion and privacy, there’s River House: a spacious, exclusive-use four-bedroom villa, decorated in the same contemporary African style as the lodge, with both open-plan indoor and outdoor seating and dining areas, a wide verandah with loungers and banquettes on which to relax, as well as a private swimming pool around which to soak in the bush sounds, and a fire pit around which to enjoy starlit nightcaps. River House is looked after by a dedicated team including a private chef, butler, guide and tracker.
Since early 2017, dynamic hotelier Franco Rienzo has brought considerable flair to the property with more than three decades of luxury international hotel experience to his credit. John’s daughter Sara, who graduated from Oxford in 2010 and has been part of the Matetsi project since inception, now oversees the ground-handling operations, ensuring an exceptionally high level of service, from arranging flawless airport transfers, by luxury vehicle or by helicopter with aerial views of the Falls, to creating personalized Victoria Falls trips – catering for the most discerning culture seekers through to avid adventure enthusiasts. Bespoke activities are also on offer, from dawn breakfasts in the bush and sundowner boat cruises on the river to safari walks with knowledgeable Zimbabwean conservationists.
The Gardiner family has not just devoted themselves to creating the finest game-and-cultural experience in the region, says Sara, but the best luxury bush retreat, hosted by the family members who have spent years creating and polishing it. “We want our guests at Matetsi Victoria Falls to really feel a sense of provenance and authenticity,” she says, “and to feel a warm welcome that is peculiarly Zimbabwean. Hopefully, by personally sharing with our guests our love and hope for the property, they will leave with a greater insight, and wonderful memories, about this incredibly beautiful part of Africa.”
Rates at Matetsi River Lodge start from US$705 per night per person staying in a suite, with Family Suites, which can accommodate 2 adults and 2 children, starting from US$2,470 per night based. Matetsi River House rates start from US$4,230, this private villa can accommodate 8 guests. Rates include accommodation, meals, the house selection of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages in the lodge and on safari activities, laundry, safari activities, including game drives, birdwatching, a boat cruise on the Zambezi River, canoeing, and amateur fishing, as well as emergency medical evacuation insurance and VAT.
12 march 2018