Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar

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.

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 .

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.

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.