Established in 1904 for the first "tourists" to the area (and hence located right next to the station), it''s grand and gracious - royal portraits, antique furniture, elaborate swags of curtains, deep carpets and black-tie waiters.
The best thing about the place is the hotel terrace which commands a perfectly glorious view over the gorge and the Zambezi bridge (you can even see - and hear - the bungy jumpers). Despite the pricey cocktails and lunches, the beers and G&Ts are modestly priced and the afternoon tea looked pretty good too.
Having said that, I wouldn''t recommend actually staying (given that the non-resident rate is a whopping US$372 per double compared to significantly cheaper places minutes away in the town) - it''s undeniably genteel and has some of what you expect for a top-rate hotel - good swimming pool with waiter service and glorious bouganvillia, rooms with T/V, fluffy bathrobes, a panoply of toiletries, chocolate on your pillow - but breakfast was uninspired (maybe because of a lack of ingredients), as was the buffet the previous evening (for a further whopping $20). Overall, for me, it just didn''t quite make it into the super-hotel category that I expect for that price. However, if you''ve got money to spare or something to celebrate - and you''re into gracious living - maybe it''s your kind of place.
Overall, I''d drop in for a wander around the turn-of-the-century English countryhouse lounges and make the most of the terrace with a sundowner or afternoon tea and cakes but wouldn''t splash out unless you''ve won the lottery.