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Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar

2.0 star property
Lodge with free parking, near Victoria Falls

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Breakfast, lunch, dinner served; local and international cuisine
Masasa Rooms | Free WiFi
Breakfast, lunch, dinner served; local and international cuisine
Billiards
Reception

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Breakfast available
  • Laundry
  • Pool
  • Free WiFi
  • Parking included
The current price is AED 62
AED 164 total
includes taxes & fees
24 Feb - 25 Feb

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 6 of 6 rooms

View all photos for Masasa Rooms

Masasa Rooms | Free WiFi

Masasa Rooms

Highlights

Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Rainfall showerhead
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • 15 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Dome Tent

Dome Tent | Free WiFi

Dome Tent

Highlights

Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Rainfall showerhead
4 bathrooms
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Standard Shared Dormitory

Free WiFi

Standard Shared Dormitory

Highlights

Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Rainfall showerhead
4 bathrooms
  • Sleeps 1
  • 5 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Teak Rooms

Teak Rooms | Free WiFi

Teak Rooms

Highlights

Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Rainfall showerhead
Private bathroom
Desk
Desk chair
Daily housekeeping
  • 15 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Mopane Dorm

Free WiFi

Mopane Dorm

Highlights

Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Rainfall showerhead
4 bathrooms
Daily housekeeping
  • 15 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 3 Twin Bunk Beds

View all photos for Acacia Dorm

Free WiFi

Acacia Dorm

Highlights

Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Rainfall showerhead
4 bathrooms
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 1
  • 5 Twin Bunk Beds

Similar properties

Front of property

The N1 Hotel & Campsite Victoria Falls

  • Pool
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
8.0 out of 10, Very Good, 501 reviews
The price is AED 275
AED 325 total
includes taxes & fees
25 Mar - 26 Mar
The N1 Hotel & Campsite Victoria Falls

About the neighborhood

Map
12 West Drive, Victoria Falls

What's nearby

  • Victoria Falls National Park - 6 min walk
  • Devil's Pool - 3 min drive
  • Victoria Falls Bridge - 3 min drive
  • Zambezi National Park - 4 min drive
  • Victoria Falls Field Museum - 5 min drive

Getting around

  • Livingstone (LVI) - 46 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Munali Coffee - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪The Boma - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪The Lookout Café - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Royal Livingstone Lounge - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Rainforest Cafe - ‬2 min drive

About this property

Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar

Lodge near Victoria Falls
A garden, a playground, and laundry facilities are just a few of the amenities provided at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar. The on-site restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi, and guests can find other amenities such as a bar.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • An outdoor pool
  • Free self parking
  • Cooked-to-order breakfast (surcharge), bike rentals, and a roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Tour/ticket assistance, barbecue grills, and luggage storage
  • Guest reviews speak highly of the helpful staff
Room features
All guestrooms at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar include thoughtful touches such as separate sitting areas and separate dining areas, as well as amenities like free WiFi.
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Separate sitting areas and separate dining areas

Languages

English

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free self parking on site
  • Roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)

Food and drink

  • Cooked-to-order breakfast available for a fee daily 7:30 AM–11 AM: USD 5-10 per person
  • 1 restaurant
  • 1 bar

Things to do

  • Bicycle rentals
  • Billiards/pool table
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Separate dining area

Guest services

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

Outdoors

  • BBQ grill(s)
  • Garden

Accessibility

  • This property does not have elevators

More

  • Mosquito nets
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bathroom

  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shower
  • Towels

Food and drink

  • Dining room

More

  • Separate sitting area

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 5:00 PM
Early check-in subject to availability
Contactless check-in available
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 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
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 onsite.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for cooked-to-order breakfast: approximately USD 5 to 10 per person

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is 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 have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

How much does it cost to stay at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

As of 22 February 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar on 24 February 2025 start from $44.71, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; Check-in end time: 5:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Does Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle.

Where is Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar located?

Situated in Victoria Falls, this lodge is within 1 mi (2 km) of Victoria Falls National Park and Victoria Falls. Zambezi River and Devil's Pool are also within 2 mi (3 km).

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Shoestrings Backpackers & Bar Reviews

Reviews

7.8

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 17 out of 41 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 41 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 41 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 41 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 41 reviews

7.4/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

ALEX

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Straight forward Hostel with extra amenities like swimming pool, bar, little restaurant and the friendliest staff ever
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy Duckett

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The staff are very nice and helpful!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Noemi

Liked: Amenities
Love the food and the staff
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sofia

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Good location, friendly staff
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Arlene Estelle

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We had an awesome stay. I travelled with my friend staff was friendly and helpful
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Eurico

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very safe and quiet area. Good vibes. Clean and the workers were friendly and helpful all the time. Will come back.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Pune

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
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.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It's a very popular place and good for the evening and night life
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Exactly what you’d expect at a backpackers
Great staff. Close to town and the Falls. We would definitely stay again!
Stayed 9 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Abigail

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Becky

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
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!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Constance

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The doom tent was classic and adventurous.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay at shoestring
We absolutely loved staying at shoestring. The staff was wonderful and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. Ann made sure we had some great adventure booked and was happy to arrange them for us. The food was good. We are vegan and they were able to modify some meals that worked for us. I would definitely recommend shoestrings to friends and family.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2023

8/10 Good

Elisa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Chill and Fun
A great hostel to hang out and relax while in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Was an easy walk from the petrol station where I dropped on the Intercape bus. Was easy to organize tours and activities and conveniently located walking distance to shops and grocery stores. Also, about a 15-20 minute walk to the entrance to Victoria Falls. Has a self-serve kitchen and good vibe with a bar, pool, and pool table.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

4/10 Poor

Jorge Fernando

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Poor accommodation, dirty showers, poor food.... No further comments....
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

6/10 Okay

Mia

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
overall experience was very average with breakfast being the redeeming feature. the shower was broken and the hot water tap didn’t work, and it was barely more than a trickle. room was smaller than it looked. kinda glad i only stayed one night.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

6/10 Okay

Marion

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Poor comfort, nice outdoors
More care is given to the garden than the comfort of the rooms. Beds and dorms are poorly maintained, mattresses are way too thin. Bathrooms are outdated and in poor condition. But staff is pretty friendly and the outdoors are nice.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cheap but you know why...
We were given a room much smaller than the one advertised. We did not even have enough room to put our luggage. No charm whatsoever. Bed sheets dirty.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

2/10 Terrible

Michael

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Mosquitos in room, algae in pool
The dorm was not worth the price. More like camping for high price. Mosquitos get inside room . Shower and toilet are basic. Pool is unusable - algae. WiFi only in bar area.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
No electricity as far as I could tell, no lights in the dorms anyway, terribly dirty bathrooms, no warm water or pressure, no WiFi, the dorms are tiny there is no where to put your stuff. Tha staff wasn’t able to locate my reservation or a key to the dorm so check in took ages. None of the staff were friendly which, for Zimbabwe, is incredibly rare. I hung round for a couple hours but could bring myself to stay over.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to stay at if visiting Victoria Falls
We travelled to Zimbabwe for the sole purpose of visiting the Victoria Falls. On a limited budget, the closest accommodation we could find with good reviews was Shoestring Backpackers & Bar. We had a wonderful time at the place where we stayed for three nights. The place is a typical hostel-kind atmosphere where you can get to meet folks from all parts of the world. As we were a family and were out most of the time we were awake - we literally came back only to eat something and sleep - we didn't take advantage of the music and dancing and making connections with folks from all over. We did interact with a couple of the guests while using the kitchen facilities. While not up to the standards of the kitchens we've used in Switzerland, the kitchen was very well maintained and there was nothing we lacked while there. While walking around in the area, one is frequently accosted by folks trying to get you to purchase an excursion or buy old Zimbabwe (worthless) currency. Instead of going with any of them, we used the services of the local lady at Shoestring, Angie, who got us the two outings we wished to do at a very reasonable price. Overall, the place was great for us.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018

6/10 Okay

zoie

Disliked: Cleanliness
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.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

R M

Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Docile

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Ines

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023