Eminently Eve.
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Click on the subheadings below to jump to their contents:
- Introduction
- Booking & contact details
- Directions, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use
- Arrival & experience with the staff members
- Accommodation, WiFi & fees
- Meals & fees
- Activities
- Other Packages offered
- Conclusion
NB: It is strongly advised to read all the reviews on this site in their entirety to ensure that the destinations really suit all your needs & preferences.
VISITS ARE STRICTLY BY BOOKING.
Introduction
My husband’s birthday was fast approaching and I had always wanted to surprise him with a birthday trip but never really got the chance to do it. The stars seemed to have aligned though this year so it was going to be the year without fail. Based on a few factors that I was bound by, such as a place close to Harare but also one he had never been to, only two places made it onto the list.
The one that I ended up choosing was due to the great customer service I had got during the booking process (I will get into more detail about it below). I was of course extremely nervous to pull this surprise out because even though we have always taken risks with visiting new and not so popular places (with some disappointments at times), this was a huge risk to take because it was his birthday. So ideally I did not want the day to go down as a failure, BUT what’s life without risks lol… Of course I took the chance and proceeded to make the booking.
Booking & contact details
The contact number for The Village Place Resort was actually quite simple to find, +263772237344, as they have a Facebook page and a Website. The Facebook page was last updated in February 2017 though so that worried me a bit – in case the pictures I was seeing were not the true representation of the current status of the resort. I had already committed to this place at this point though so my worries made no difference.
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I sent them a WhatsApp message of enquiry and received a timely and professionally written response which had all the information I needed. In the response were prices of accommodation, meals, activities and also directions to get to the resort. I was to pay a 50% deposit to their Nostro bank account to secure my booking so as soon as I had made sure that the birthday boy had taken some days off of work I went on to make the payment. Again, their communication was par excellence because as soon as the amount reflected in their bank account, they sent me a receipt and now it was just a game of waiting.
Directions, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use
Eventually the travel date came and I was extremely nervous, “is the resort going to give us the experience I am hoping for, is my husband going to like the place?!” is all that I had running through my mind. I did keep on trying to comfort myself with the fact that so far I had seen nothing but only professionalism from these people so no way they would invest so much in customer service but not in the actual product.
The Village Place Resort is located approximately 57 km from Harare CBD, along the old Mutoko road. From Harare you take ED Mnangagwa/A2 road previously known as Enterprise road. There is one toll gate at the time of publishing this review though we saw another one in the process of being constructed on our visit. From this toll gate you will drive exactly 30 km and get to a growth point called Juru Growth Point where you will take a left turn into the growth point. On that left turn there is a service station on your left. After driving a few metres, turn right and drive another 7 km. You will see The Village Place Resort on your right. The tar is in semi-decent condition with chipped edges. The last 7 km are dirt and a small vehicle can manage during the dry season if driven with caution. I do not think a small vehicle is advisable during the rainy season though.
Arrival & experience with the staff members
Check in is at 2pm but we arrived around 11am because I wanted us to have lunch there and we normally have our lunch at 12 noon. Upon arrival, Colleta came to open the gate for us. She struck me as someone who is professional but reserved. She asked for the name we booked under, allowed us in and directed us to the reception parking. She followed behind since we were driving and invited us into the office. I paid the balance and she showed us where to park the vehicle (closer to the lodges) and also the swimming pool area where we were going to sit while we waited for lunch and check in at 2pm.
My first impression of the resort as we drove into the second gate (where the actual resort starts) was “Wow! This is beautiful!!!”. Firstly, our visit was during the dry season so every vegetation we had seen from the Juru Growth Point was dry as expected. Secondly, being someone who is a travel blogger and consumes a lot of travel content, I had never heard of this place ever so my expectations were not so high. You can imagine all of a sudden now driving into this place with a garden which looks like it is in Vumba. The garden was green, gorgeous and thriving. It is also quite a huge garden which no doubt costs a significant amount of money to maintain but they are really doing a tremendous job maintaining it. All the bushes dotted in the garden were well trimmed. I was just impressed with what I was seeing. I also loved how they paved most of their surfaces and in a more natural-looking rocky design. I can just imagine how much dust would have been floating around had the area not been paved.
We got to the swimming pool area and relaxed while waiting for our lunch and also to see if the lodge would be true to the pictures that I had seen. In that waiting period, we interacted with quite a number of the staff members and we had a good experience with all of them. As soon as we sat down though, music started being played so I kindly asked if they could turn it off because I had a headache. I did have a headache but generally when I visit nature-themed destinations I prefer to only hear Mother Nature’s sounds. I find her sounds to be more calming & relaxing. The gentleman operating the music responded politely and indeed turned it off.
After our lunch we decided to stretch our legs by walking around the garden since there was still another hour or so before we could check in. We loved everything we were seeing and hearing until I heard the music turned on again. By this point we were no longer at the swimming pool area and I noticed other clients had driven in. So I assume it is the other clients whom the music was being played for. It is unfortunate though that because the resort is relatively small in terms of space and the swimming pool area is situated somewhat central to all the other parts of the resort, the music could be heard everywhere we went so that was a bit of a disappointment.
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Accommodation, WiFi & fees
As soon as 2 o’clock started approaching, we walked towards the lodges and bumped into Colleta who was already coming to check us in. Something caught my eye before we even got any further and that was the architectural design of the lodges which intricately accommodated and incorporated the native trees growing in the vicinity. That was really heartwarming to see how this team took the concept of intimacy with nature to a whole other level. A few more steps and we were right by the door. The moment of truth was now upon us, “Is the interior going to be a comfortable home away from home or just an epic disaster?!”.
I remember vividly Colleta opening the door, and I taking a deep breath with my fingers tightly crossed hoping for the best. It was time to face my worries though so I took the first step in and my eyes glanced at the elegantly tiled floors. The bright colour was quite inviting and honestly the best colour for any space used by different people. I raised my head and immediately saw the bed with white bedding. One of my biggest pet peeves in lodges is bedding of any other colour but white. That never sits well with me so seeing that the linen had seen better days but was immaculately clean and smelling fresh was a big win. The bed also had a few accessories in a subtle dark print giving it a lovely contrast. Of course the arty headboard could not be missed with its remarkable reed material which was also used to make the bedside tables.
To the left of the bed was the lounging area with two brown couches set parallel to each other and a huge wooden coffee table in the middle, making the lodge practical and cosy. Further to the wall was another giant black piece of furniture, the dressing table, plus a light fixed just above it and also a Tv set. On the other side of the room (on the right side of the bed) was an oil heater, which I’m not really a fan of as I find they never warm up the room to my satisfaction but I guess they are better than nothing. This room was exactly what I had seen in the pictures except it was bigger than I had expected which I absolutely loved. I remember just relaxing my fingers which were still crossed and taking a huge sigh of relief with a massive smile building on my face wondering how it’s even possible that not many people knew about this place. I then faintly heard Colleta saying, “Would you like to check out the bathroom?”, “Of course,” we said, walking in the direction of the bathroom.
The bathroom was even better than the bedroom/lounge. On the immediate right was an inbuilt open cupboard with a space to hang clothes and then large shelves, one which was free and the other one which had two extra blankets. Next to that was a comfortable-sized bathtub which ended up becoming my favourite area in this bathroom. I saw a gorgeous stone wall next to that bathtub and went to investigate if it was what I thought it was. Indeed it was a shower enclosure with enough space for more than two people and above it was a geyser. Oh! I was in awe. My expectations had been met and surpassed even at this point. On the other side were the toilet and sink. The sink was sitting on a stone wall matching the shower enclosure. I proceeded to turn on the hot water tap and it was boiling hot just exactly how I love it.
I walked around the lodge one more time and I was convinced that this one definitely had a woman’s touch. There were not only so many mirrors but also perfectly placed. The one above the sink also had a bright light just like the one on the dressing table did. The wall decor was minimal and elegant. The icing on top for me was the thatch roof which we could still see from the inside. So beautiful, I had not made a mistake in my choice it seemed.
At the time the accommodation was $67.50 per couple per night, WiFi, bed and breakfast included. It was a 50% discount winter promotion which would last until July 2023. If you make your booking at a later date, do contact them for their current rates on +263772237344.
Meals & fees
The Village Place Resort has a traditional menu which at the time of our visit was $7.50 per plate and a non traditional menu which was $11.50 per plate, both on a 25% discount, again because of the winter promotion they were running. Drinks are charged separately. We decided to order plain white sadza and a T-bone steak which came with a fresh tomato & onion sauce and covo vegetables. This was charged as a non-traditional meal I guess because of the T-bone steak.
The choice of drinks was limited at the time to coke, fanta and sprite. It was okay for us though since we drink coke and fanta. The drinks were $1 each which I thought was a fair price. You can bring your own drinks and they will charge you a corkage fee of $5 per person. They will keep the drinks in the fridge for you.
Unfortunately I was so hungry that I did not take any pictures of our meal but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I even finished every single food particle in that plate even though my stomach was complaining that it had had enough. The taste buds would just not allow me to stop so the consequence of that choice was skipping dinner even though I wanted so badly to have the dinner experience at this resort.
The next morning we were served an English breakfast consisting of an egg, bacon, sausage, fried potatoes, tinned beans, toasted bread, margarine and rooibos, coffee and another type of tea. If you do not eat any of the above I suggest you make it clear to them during your booking because we just got served without prior conversation. We didn’t have a problem with it but I do know that some of you may have dietary restrictions.
Activities
Activities offered at The Village Place Resort include:
1. Game drive – $10 per adult; $5 per child
A game drive or any chilled activity that allows me to spend time in the bush is not something I am going to miss for anything in this world. Just seeing all the different components of nature up close, be it small or big, mobile or immobile, crawling, walking or flying is a refreshing, calming and relaxing experience for me. I have been asked if I do not get tired or bored of seeing zebras, wildebeest or other plains game since they are usually just relaxed and of course I never get bored. I don’t know how that would even be possible since each individual animal in every species is so different character wise so I enjoy observing those differences. Not to mention that animals interact differently with their environment and each other according to the different seasons of the year, different parts of the country and again their unique characters.
At the time of our visit, we were told that the Village Place Resort had three species namely zebra, wildebeest and impala which is understandable because the park is really small. We saw all of the three species during our game drive while enjoying the peaceful bush.
For clarity to clients I wouldn’t call it a game drive though considering that the word is inherently associated with touring a game park and by definition a game park is a large area of land set aside for animals to inhabit. While the word “large” here can be open to interpretation I personally think the area at The Village Place Resort is really small to qualify as a game park. I would call the wild animals there resident wild animals and the activity, a drive to see the resident animals up close. I believe that will reduce chances of expectations ending up not being met. One advantage of visiting animals in a small space like this is the guarantee of actually seeing the said animals, unlike in larger game parks which may have a lot of species but not always possible to see them.
Do I think $10 per person is a fair price to see three species?!
Considering that this area can be extremely dry and the animals literally survive on supplements like game blocks and game pellets which cost a lot, yes I do think that the price was fair. Unlike in other game parks where the grazers and browsers largely survive on natural vegetation, in this resort the diets of the 20+ individual animals of the three species are mostly supported by the “supplements” which are quite expensive. I will forever support any private citizens who choose to share their space with wildlife. Space is the biggest threat our African wildlife is facing mainly because as our human population is continuing to grow at an alarming rate, we are encroaching on all the spaces that used to belong to wildlife through expansion of cities/towns, agriculture, mining, among others. So sometimes when it comes to wildlife projects, it stops being just about our amusement but supporting those making the effort to protect our wildlife.
During our “game drive” we also saw a pair of stunning birds (Red-crested Korhaan) with incredible spots which seemed to have their nest nearby. That sighting was really magical as we witnessed the special type of love that “parents” have towards their young ones. We also saw the Domborembudzi mountain from a different side during this drive which gave a unique view. I am a sucker for mountains, hills, and rocks so that was a big highlight for sure.
Other activities $ fees
2. Swimming – free
3. Bird watching – free
4. Bonfire night – free
5. Playing area for children – free
6. Riverside picnic – $10 per person
7. Mountain hiking – $10 per person
Other Packages offered
The Village Place Resort offers many packages that cover different people with different needs from couples, individuals, schools and corporates who are in need of a team building facility or conference venue. I can not speak definitively to any of these services though since I was only there for their couples package but if my experience is anything to go by, I would say it is a place that you can give a try. For enquiries on prices & what’s included in the different packages you can contact them directly on +263772237344.
Conclusion
The Village Place Resort is one place that definitely took me by complete surprise. How it is not one of the popular hangout places in Harare remains a mystery to me. I enjoyed the time we spent there. Of all the places I have blogged about to date I would say it came out top for hot bathing water and size of the lodge. The rocks that are a prominent landscape in this resort and the well maintained garden caught me off guard in the best possible way ever.
The only downside for me was the music which was played in some hours of the day that ended up causing us to cut our two night stay to one night. I did talk to the admin afterwards and I got the impression that maybe if I had raised my concerns with them they may have done something about it. Overall I say, if you have read this review in its entirety and you have no reservations about any of the things mentioned then it is a perfect destination for you. I hope to hear all about your experience when you visit here or on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.
Until then, Remember to have a little intimacy in your life & as always I’m talking about Intimacy With Nature.
