Amanzi Lodge

Amanzi Lodge is a boutique lodge in Harare's northern suburbs, set in four acres of landscaped gardens with waterfalls, ponds and a collection of rare cycads. Amanzi means flowing water in Ndebele, and water runs through the whole property, from the cascades beside the rooms to the pond garden that is lit up at night.

There are sixteen thatched rooms and suites, each decorated in the style of a different African country with antiques, textiles and contemporary African art. The Morocco Suite is tiled in blue and green mosaic and has an outdoor shower in a private courtyard; the Egypt Suite's bed stands between columns carved with hieroglyphs; the Kenya Suite has its own sitting room and garden courtyard; and the Mozambique Room is furnished in driftwood carved by Wayne Stutchbury. Every room has an en-suite bathroom with a bath and shower, air conditioning and heating, electric blankets, a minibar, satellite TV and a veranda or patio onto the garden.

Around the gardens are a swimming pool, a gym, a tennis court and a spa offering massages, reflexology, facials and nail treatments. There is a bar and lounge, a restaurant, room service, and meeting rooms for conferences and private functions. Breakfast is included.

For longer stays, families and groups, Amanzi also lets four private houses in the northern suburbs, each booked as a whole: Pevensey Studio, Pevensey House, Orange Grove and Lewisam House. Breakfast, a daily clean (except Sundays), a gardener, a generator and security are included, with a minimum stay of three nights.

Amanzi was founded by Andrew and Julia Mama, who opened the original Amanzi Restaurant in 2000 and created the lodge in 2003. Their landscaping business still designs water-wise gardens across Harare.