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Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar

Lodge with outdoor pool, near Victoria Falls

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Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar puts you a short five-minute drive from Victoria Falls. You can splash around at the outdoor pool, grab a bite to eat at the restaurant or unwind with a drink at the bar/lounge. Fellow travellers love the helpful staff.
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Airport transfer
  • Free parking
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Bar

Main amenities (12)

  • Restaurants and bar/lounge
  • Outdoor pool
  • Breakfast available
  • Airport shuttle
  • Garden
  • Self-serve laundry
  • Barbecue grills
  • Luggage storage
  • Limited hour front desk
  • Tour/ticket assistance
  • Playground
  • Bike hire

Feel at home (6)

  • Playground on-site
  • Separate sitting area
  • Garden
  • Laundry facilities
  • BBQ(s)
  • Free self-parking
£23
includes taxes & fees
7 Oct - 8 Oct

Room options

Showing 6 of 6 rooms
A bathroom with a shower, a sink, and a mirror.
A room with a bed under a canopy, white bedding, and two bedside lamps.
A room with a bed under a white canopy, a red blanket, and a fan.
A neatly made bed with a white canopy, a red towel, and a white pillow.

Masasa Rooms

  • Garden view
  • 15 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
A narrow bathroom with a wooden bench, a sink, and a toilet.
A bed with a canopy, a window with a view of greenery, and a bedside table with a lamp.
A four-poster bed with white linens and decorative towels, a wooden frame, and a canopy.
A neatly made bed with a white bedspread and a rolled towel on it.

Teak Rooms

Exceptional
  • 15 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Single Beds
A white wall with a power outlet and a cable running along it.
A dormitory room with bunk beds numbered 3 to 9, wooden walls, and a fan in the corner.
A compact room with a bunk bed, a small window, and a wooden wall.
A dormitory room with bunk beds numbered 3 to 8, wooden walls, and a fan.

Mopane Dorm

  • Garden view
  • 15 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 3 Single Bunk Beds
A white wall with a power outlet and a cable running along it.
A dormitory room with bunk beds numbered 3 to 9, wooden walls, and a fan in the corner.
A compact room with a bunk bed, a small window, and a wooden wall.
A dormitory room with bunk beds numbered 3 to 8, wooden walls, and a fan.

Acacia Dorm

Very good
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 5 Single Bunk Beds
A tent with two beds, a small table with a fan, and a window.
A tent with a bed inside, a fan, and a window.
A row of tents under a metal roof, with a paved walkway in front.
A tent with a single bed, a small table with a fan, and a pillow.

Dome Tent

Exceptional
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Single Beds
A white wall with a power outlet and a cable running along it.
A compact room with a bunk bed, a small window, and a wooden wall.
A dormitory room with bunk beds numbered 3 to 9, wooden walls, and a fan in the corner.
A dormitory room with bunk beds numbered 3 to 8, wooden walls, and a fan.

Standard Shared Dormitory

  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 5 Single Bunk Beds

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About the area

Map
12 West Drive, Victoria Falls

What's nearby

  • Victoria Falls National Park - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Victoria Falls - 2 min drive - 1.9 km
  • David Livingstone Statue - 2 min drive - 1.9 km
  • Victoria Falls Bridge - 4 min drive - 3.5 km
  • Zambezi National Park - 5 min drive - 4.6 km

Getting around

  • Victoria Falls (VFA) - 23 min drive
  • Livingstone (LVI) - 49 min drive
  • Airport shuttle (surcharge)

Restaurants

  • ‪Sea Spice - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪The Travelers Bar - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪The Lookout Café - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪S'lo Lounge - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪The Three Monkeys - ‬10 min walk

About this property

Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar

  • Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar puts you a short five-minute drive from Victoria Falls. You can splash around at the outdoor pool, grab a bite to eat at the restaurant or unwind with a drink at the bar/lounge. Fellow travellers love the helpful staff.

At a glance

Hotel size

    • 12 rooms

Arriving/Leaving

    • Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: 5:00 PM
    • Contactless check-in and check-out are available
    • Early check-in subject to availability
    • Late check-in subject to availability
    • Minimum check-in age – 18
    • Check-out time is 10:00 AM
    • Late check-out subject to availability

Special check-in instructions

    • The front desk is open daily from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    • Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
    • To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
    • If you are planning to arrive after 5:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
    • Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
    • Guests booked in the "Campsite" room type are required to bring their own tent and bedding. Tents, beds, and linens are not available for rent or purchase on-site.

Required at check-in

    • Credit card, debit card or cash deposit required for incidental charges
    • Government-issued photo ID may be required
    • Minimum check-in age is 18

Children

    • No cots (infant beds)

Pets

    • No pets or service animals allowed

Internet

    • Free WiFi in public areas
    • Free WiFi in rooms

Parking

    • Free on-site self-parking

Transfers

    • Airport shuttle*

Other information

    • Smoke-free property

Property amenities

Food and drink

  • Cooked-to-order breakfast (surcharge) each morning 7:30 AM–11 AM
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/lounge
  • Barbecue grills

Travelling with children

  • Playground

What to do

  • Pool table
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horse riding nearby
  • Fishing nearby

Services

  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Tour/ticket assistance
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Bike hire

Facilities

  • Garden
  • Mosquito nets
  • An outdoor pool

Room amenities

What to enjoy

  • Separate sitting area

Freshen up

  • Rainfall shower heads
  • Shower only
  • Towels

Stay connected

  • Free WiFi

Food and drink

  • Shared kitchen access

Special features

Dining

On-site venue – This restaurant specialises in local and international cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Open daily.

Fees & policies

Optional extras

  • Cooked-to-order breakfast is offered for an extra charge of approximately USD 5 to 10 per person
  • Airport shuttle service is offered for an extra charge

Policies

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
This property does not have lifts.
Guests can rest easy knowing that there's a fire extinguisher on-site.
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property. The policies listed are provided by the property.
If you cancel your booking, you'll be subject to the host's cancellation policy. In accordance with UK consumer law, property booking services are not subject to the right of withdrawal.

Also known as

Shoestrings Backpackers Bar Lodge Victoria Falls
Shoestrings Backpackers Bar Victoria Falls
Shoestrings Backpackers Bar
Shoestrings Backpackers Bar V
Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar Lodge
Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar Victoria Falls
Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar Lodge Victoria Falls

Frequently asked questions

Does Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar offer free cancellation for a full refund?

Yes, Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in, depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure that you check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.

Is there a pool at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Yes, there's an outdoor pool.

Are pets allowed at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Sorry, neither pets nor service animals are allowed.

Is parking offered on site at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Yes, there's free self parking.

Is an airport shuttle service offered by Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Yes, an airport shuttle is available.

What are the check-in and check-out times at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: 5:00 PM. Check-out time is 10:00 AM. Contactless social distancing is available.

What is there to do at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar and nearby?

Have fun with nearby activities such as fishing, hiking and horse riding. Enjoy a swim in the outdoor pool or use the lodge's other amenities, which include a garden.

Are there restaurants at or near Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Yes, there's an on-site restaurant that offers local and international cuisine.

What's the area around Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar like?

Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar is located a short 14-minute walk from Victoria Falls National Park.

Have a question?

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar Reviews

8.0

Very good

7.6

Cleanliness

8.0

Location

8.4

Staff & service

7.4

Property conditions & facilities

What guests liked

  • The restaurant served delicious meals at very reasonable prices with great coffee and drinks. (5 reviews)
  • Breakfast was reasonably priced and well-prepared with tasty options available. (3 reviews)
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Popular mentions

Service staffFoodCampingBreakfastBedRoom
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Located at the heart of the town. Restaurant in premises is adequate but a bit pricey. Staff are friendly and helpful.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Good location, friendly staff
Verified review

8/10 Very good

We had an awesome stay. I travelled with my friend staff was friendly and helpful
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Lovely stay. Amazing, helpful and Friendly staff. Walking distance to Victoria falls and town. Will definitely advise if you like casual travelling.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Straight forward Hostel with extra amenities like swimming pool, bar, little restaurant and the friendliest staff ever
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

The staff are very nice and helpful!
Verified review

6/10 Good

Tent was good. Staff were very good. Amenities were ok. Shared toilets need to be checked more often and disinfected to maintain good hygiene. The place had very good ambience. It is safari right in the middle of CBD. I enjoyed my stay and I recommend it to other travellers.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Fun in Victoria Falls

I had a fantastic stay at Shoestrings Backpackers. The accommodation, staff, and atmosphere were all excellent. My stay was so enjoyable that I decided to stay three extra nights. I highly recommend.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Highly recommended and good value

This place is such a green oasis for a very reasonable price. The staff were friendly and helpful. The pool area was very comfortable but could be bigger and have more lounge chairs.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Very safe and quiet area. Good vibes. Clean and the workers were friendly and helpful all the time. Will come back.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Good place to a person who want to meet new people and can accept a hostel setup with simple but clean water toilets and showers. Some weekends music until late, and some guests might talk at night, can be a problem in the tents. Fantastic staff who go the extra mile for you. The service get an extra star, so my experience was six stars!
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Loved, loved, loved it!

If you're a hostel traveler, this place is amazing!! We loved it... from the accomodations to the central gathering place, the food and friendly staff, the ambience and security measures, plus walkable to Vic Falls. As with most anywhere, could use some upgrades, especially in the few ensuite bathrooms (and maybe some pop-in screens for the windows to allow enjoyment of the cooler night air), but even the least-best about this place was acceptable... and the best-best more than made up for slight shortcomings. Obviously, anyone used to upscale hotels probably should not stay here, but if Motel6, hostels, camping, etc., are an acceptable mode of travel for you, I cannot imagine you would not also love Shoestrings Backpackers. We would absolutely stay again!
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

I picked this one out of the two hostels in the area, because you could pay for it upfront when you booked (so on your credit card in your own currency) and the fact you could pay for stuff with the credit card too. In fact other than the taxi from the airport, I never used cash in Victoria Falls. Everything I went into, including the nearby supermarket was in US dollars though. Shoestring does the main things you want in a hostel. Has a comfortable bed (I was in the six bed dorm, although the bar is behind the room, you could here music but it wasn't so loud it stopped you going to sleep or anything. The only thing I didn't like about the dorm room was you couldn't lock the door (you don't get a key). There are small lockers outside the dorms (outside area) where you can put your own lock on to lock anything valuable, but it doesn't fit anything bigger than a daypack. The cleaning and ground staff were all really friendly whenever I came across them. Showers were good and toilets clean. The only thing missing though is some soap, so you've got to have your own. Likewise towels. The falls are within easy walking distance of the hostel, likewise Clearwater where G Adventure and other tour companies start their tours to other parts of Africa.
Verified review

6/10 Good

Shoestrings is a property that is in the heart of Victoria Falls, which is a touristic town, but many locals live there too so you get a mix of both vibes. We chose the hostel due to its location. We were given an orientation when we first came, which was good, so we knew where things were. Upon entering our twin private ensuite room, there were two mosquito nuts, but I didn’t realise until later from the evening that there were holes in them, so we got bitten. We were also not made aware that there were parties happening that evening and the evening after, so the music was loud for a good while. It is a hostel, so it is expected for it not to be quiet, but a heads up would have been good. The quality of the room was somewhat okay. However, the sheets did have stain from them and we did find a hair in our bed, so I do think they need to be more far in their cleaning. But when we bought it to their attention, things were change quite quickly. The breakfast is reasonably priced from around $5. However, I ordered something where the main component of the dish was not available but wasn’t told until I got my breakfast and I wasn’t offered a refund in anyway shape or form. Would I stay there again, probably not there are other places, that are slightly more expensive, but you get more. But if you are looking for a central hotel, like to party then this potentially might be the place for you.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

You will love this property if you like music playing for most of the day. You will also like this property if you enjoy a lot of socialization. The beds are comfortable. The bathrooms in the private rooms are functional, and the staff is generally helpful. The avocado toast with poached egg was good the day I had it. If you enjoy very, very, very loud music on Friday and Saturday nights until 2 AM you will love this Hostel. When I was there, they also had a market on Saturday and Sunday that took up all of the space in their very lovely manicure line. There was no room to sit because of the market. Without the market, the grounds are absolutely beautiful.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Shoestrings has a laid back casual vibe. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The meals were well prepared and tasty. A walk with the lions was arranged by the hostel and went very smoothly. There was a football watch party and a sing along. Altogether a pleasant experince.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

I have mixed feelings about this place. If your younger and like to stay up late boozing this is an awesome spot. On the weekends the bass from the bar kept me up till past 1 when they finally shut down. The bar pool area is also outside and there are many smokers. The bed was great, had mosquito nets which u will need. And of course the price was decent .
Verified review

2/10 Poor

Be careful of misguided information from the office and taxi drivers.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Love the food and the staff
Verified review

8/10 Very good

You get what you paid for It’s reasonable Close to all the Downtown main event
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Other than a couple of bugs in our room (somewhat expected), we had a great overnight stay at Shoestrings. Staff was nice, location was great (walkable to the falls!), and the restaurant/bar were great additions.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

It's a very popular place and good for the evening and night life
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

I stayed in one of the tents with beds in. It was super comfy and great value for money. I had dinner and breakfast which were both lovely and great value for money. The staff were friendly. Would recommend.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

The doom tent was classic and adventurous.
Verified review

4/10 Fair

Great place to walk around the city and Victoria falls. There’s loud music and song/shouts until midnight every night, so it may be not good for people who want to be calm, or sleep well for early morning activities. Using washing machine is expensive(us$10).