Accor has signed a landmark project in Victoria Falls, as the group’s first hotel venture in Zimbabwe, as it adds another African country to its international portfolio.
A new build project, the 111 room hotel is expected to be ready for launch in 2028. It will be created by Eagle Real Estate Investment Trust, a local REIT that concentrates its expertise on hospitality, residential, retail and health developments.
A destination growing in tourism appeal
Novotel Victoria Falls will be located in the Eagle Heights district, with a great position overlooking the Masuwe river. Designed to be family friendly, the hotel will feature amenities including an outdoor swimming pool, kids’ club, a destination bar and restaurant. More broadly, it will be within Victoria Falls, a region recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site – with the falls designated one of the “Seven Wonders of the World”.
In line with its international status as a world heritage site, the Victoria Falls region is building its hotel inventory to meet growing tourism demand. This is a destination that already sees more than 250,000 visitors a year, who come to see the waterfalls, among the largest in the world, to visit the national park and experience a rainforest, or to seek out elephants in the surrounding areas.
Two more hotels are currently in development in the region, for delivery in 2027. Both of these bear IHG brands, with Six Senses catering for the luxury segment visitor, and a more urban offering too.
The luxury Six Senses Victoria Falls is in planning, and will feature lodges at tree level, with a total of 57 rooms for guests. True to the ecological ethos of the brand, the lodges will be partly concealed, while giving guests a unique vista into wildlife and fauna of the destination. Facilities will include a yoga deck, sunset bar, outdoor hot pools and a jungle gym, complete with guardian.
A second property, House of Chinhara will open in 2027 as part of IHG’s Vignette Collection. With 99 rooms, this will be located in the city of Victoria Falls, presenting the option of an urban resort for visitors.
The Novotel Victoria Falls joins a growing list of Novotel project across Africa, being led by Accor as it expands its presence in the region. Other live projects for the brand include Novotel Kolwezi, which is under construction in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A 116 room property, the hotel will support the growth of local businesses that are attracting international visitors, notably the mining of copper and cobalt.
Adding to the Egyptian portfolio
In the north of the continent, Novotel Sidi Abd El Rahman will open on the Egyptian coast in early 2027. With a seafront location and 240 rooms, the hotel will offer panoramic views over the Mediterranean. Guests will be able to enjoy watersports, a fitness centre and – a novelty for a hotel project – a series of padel courts.
The group is also planning a Novotel in Conakry, Guinea where consideration is being given to a joint hotel and Novotel Living development. Close to embassies and the ministerial palace, the hotel will have 120 rooms, and will feature a rooftop lounge.
