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Reviews of Lilayi Lodge

4.5 out of 5
Lilayi Lodge
Lilayi Road, Lusaka

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 26 out of 36 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 36 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 36 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 36 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 36 reviews" "

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Staff & service

10/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Annie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My stay at Lilayi Lodge was amazing. The staff were outstanding, and the food was absolutely delicious. I’d give each room a 5-star rating, as everything was in immaculate condition. The lodge combines the luxury of a modern hotel with the calm and relaxation of a secluded retreat. I'm eagerly looking forward to my next visit!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
Response from Lilayi Reservations Team on 1 Apr 2024
Hello AnnieVery many thanks for taking the time to let us know about your stay at Lilayi Lodge. We are delighted to know that you found our Lodge to be a calm and relaxing environment. We will pass on your to the staff and management who are always pleased to know that they have do their jobs well and that their service as well received.We do look forward to welcoming you back to Lilayi.All the best andKind regards

10/10 Excellent

Alexander

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Where else can you have Axis deer and Warthogs coming up to your chalet and do a bit of people watching. It's a paradise
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Reservations on 26 Oct 2023
Very many thanks for taking the time to make comment on your visit to Lilayi.We are delighted to know that you found the experience so enjoyable.

10/10 Excellent

Brent P

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Res on 14 Aug 2023
Morning Mr WiersmaMany thanks for your response to our request for your review of your stay at Lilayi.We are pleased you were happy with the Lodge and the environment and look forward to a return visit in the not too distant future.Kind regardsLilayi Lodge Reservations Team

8/10 Good

Daniel

Stayed 1 night in May 2023
Response from Lilayi Lodge on 20 Jul 2023
Hello DanielVery many thanks for your review of our Lodge which we have shared with our staff.All the very bestand Kind regards

10/10 Excellent

Sarah, Golden

Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from Lilayi Lodge on 20 Jul 2023
Hello SarahThank you for your review of our Lodge.We are pleased to know that you have a happy stay at Lilayi Lodge.All the very best andKind regards

10/10 Excellent

Chimwemwe

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

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Everything about the place is just breath taking.the food is so good and they have a variety on their menu.the view from our room and just felling the breeze is everything.Very neat and tidy.The staff are all friendly.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023
Response from Reservations Team on 16 Mar 2023
Hello MichelleVery many thanks for your lovely review. We are delighted to hear that you had a lovely stay and that you enjoyed all we have to offer. We will certainly share with our staff your welcome comments.Kind regards Lilayi Reservations Team

10/10 Excellent

Boyd

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was a beautiful environment
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
Response from Reservations Team on 16 Mar 2023
Hello BoydVery many thanks for your welcome comment with regard our beautiful environment.We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed what is on offer at Lilayi and look forward to welcoming you back to our Lodge in the not too distant future.Kind regardsReservations Team

10/10 Excellent

Joseph

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very relaxing place to stay as well as nice walking tracks for exercise.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

meryt

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

8/10 Good

Saviour

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Prepare to be patient...
Took us nearly an hour to get checked in, as our room wasn't ready at check in time. Also took nearly an hour for our breakfast orders to be served. The lodge is lovely, but service needs serious work.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2021
Response from Reservations Team on 3 Dec 2021
Thank you for your comments with regard your stay at Lilayi Lodge. We are sorry your time at Lilayi was marred by the slow delivery of your breakfast and that housekeeping were unable to ensure your room was ready for you at check in time. We have passed on your comments to our Manager as well as the relevant departments and hope that your next stay will be a far more pleasurable experience. All the very best Lilayi Lodge Reservations Team

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
What can you say about this oasis of peace and quality on the outskirts of Lusaka without the use of superlatives... STAY THERE IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021
Response from Reception on 3 Jul 2021
Thank you very much for your positive feedback concerning your stay at Lilayi Lodge. It was a pleasure to welcome you to the Lodge and we look forward to your return. Safe travels and keep well. All the very best Kind regards Reservations Team

10/10 Excellent

Maurizio

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic experience !!
It was excellent ! It is a hotel made of typical African huts in a game reserve. Absolutely a marvelous experience amidst nature ! Great friendly service. The food was excellent. But there is one thing they really need to improve: the restaurant closes 9 pm with last orders 8:30 pm, and this is ludicrous. My first day I didn’t manage to be back in time so pre-ordered food, which was served on the veranda of my very beautifully, but was cold by the time I got there. My second and third day I had to pre-order at the last minute (lot of stress) while rushing. I really think the restaurant should be opened until 11 pm at the very least — giving people the option to have a more relaxed holiday and enjoy the African nights as much as the day.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2021

8/10 Good

Lars-Erik

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Christmas Eve
We had a wonderful stay, the place it self, the food and the service was impeccable!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020
Response from Lilayi Lodge Reservations Team on 28 Dec 2020
Hello Lars- Erik Thank you for your very complimentary comments with regard your stay at the Lodge. We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful stay and we look forward to welcoming you back in the very near future. Kind regards

8/10 Good

Amanda

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely Retreat
We really enjoyed our stay at Lilayi Lodge. The room was quite tidy and comfortable. The food at the restaurant was delicious. Unfortunately, the lodge must have had some sort of staffing shortages while we were there because we had to wait 2 and a half hours to check in to our room, even though we had arrived after 2pm. We also had to wait a long time for service at the bar and restaurant. We've been there before and not had trouble, so I am assuming it was just a short staffed weekend. The grounds are great for kids - with a playground and walking trails.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020
Response from Lilayi Lodge Reservation Team on 28 Dec 2020
Hello Amanda Thank you for your comments with regard your recent stay at Lilayi Lodge. We are pleased to hear that the playground and the walking trails were enjoyed by your family and that you found the food in the restaurant delicious. With reference to your comments regarding staffing, indeed the Lodge has been very busy in the past couple of months. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Lodge in the near future. With kind regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Highly recommend
Delightful lodge, so close to the city but totally peaceful and relaxing. Great food and fantastic staff. We stayed for two nights and they even made a delicious takeaway breakfast for us when we had to leave very early. Will definitely return!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2020
Response from Lilayi Lodge Team on 14 Oct 2020
Thank you for your review of Lilayi Lodge. We are pleased to know that you found our environment peaceful and relaxing and that you enjoyed our food. The staff will be proud to receive your compliments with regard to their service and we certainly look forward to a return visit by you. All the very best Lilayi Lodge Team

10/10 Excellent

Charity

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2020
Response from Lilayi Lodge Team on 14 Oct 2020
Thank you for your review of Lilayi Lodge. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay. Kind regards Lilayi Lodge Team

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The Place to Stay Near Lusaka
Amazing, highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best getaway in Lusaka! Romantic, beautiful
We have been going to Lilayi since 1996 because it’s wonderful!
Stayed 1 night in May 2018
Response from Lilayi Reservations on 11 Jun 2018
Morning Susan Thanks you for your review. We certainly value your input and look forward to your regular visits. All the very best and Kind regards

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Give it a try!
Great food, good service by all staff. Loses some points for a lack of certain amenities usually associated with a 5-star hotel, (ladies shower cap, slippers, robes and not well stocked mini-bar). But overall we enjoyed our stay and thought it was a great escape from the city. Fully enjoyed and recommend the elephant sanctuary associated with the place.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018
Response from Lilayi Reservations on 11 Jun 2018
Morning Thank you for your review of Lilayi Lodge. We are pleased you had an enjoyable stay with us. The Elephant Orphanage is indeed to be recommended. GRI do an amazing job managing and caring for the Baby Elephants. We have taken note of your comments regarding the Chalet amenities. All the very best and Kind regards

10/10 Excellent

Arlene, Boston, MA USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful lodge, elephants or not.
I chose to stay at Lilayi Lodge primarily because of access to the baby elephant sanctuary but I found the lodgings and grounds to be so stunningly beautiful, the food superb and the staff so friendly and helpful that even if baby ellies aren’t one’s cup of tea, Lilayi will be.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2018
Response from Alix on 18 Apr 2018
Hello Arlene Thank you very much for taking the time to review your stay at Lilayi Lodge. The Elephant Orphanage is indeed an excellent reason to arrange couple of nights at our property. It is heart-warming to hear that your stay was an enjoyable experience and that you found our staff to be friendly and helpful. We are also appreciative of your comments regarding our restaurant. It was a pleasure to meet you and we wish you all the very best. Kind regards

10/10 Excellent

Maria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing
Lilayi is a lovely and relaxing place. Staff were so friendly and attentive. The room and bathroom were clean and large with very comfortable beds. A lovely view from our veranda. Price wise, it was a little more expensive than we wanted to pay, but we could not fault anything. Thank you so much
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing stay
Amazing staff, amazing environment where wild life is close to the huts. Saw Zebra, giraffes etc. Small hotel with few huts, with great view & privacy.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

Susan, ZEHRP

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
20 years of experience with Lilayi
We have been vacationing at Lilayi for 20 years and the renovations have made our experience that much more memorable! Each year we retreat there for a romantic interlude and we also bring our students and interns there for a Sunday lunch, pool time and game drive. Our 4 grown children have joined us there too.

10/10 Excellent

Anthony, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great lodge, fantastic restaurant!
This place is awesome. Fantastic setting in a game park, great service and the restaurant has very yummy food. Highly recommended if you are going to Lusaka.

8/10 Good

dr chalwe, nc

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful wifii and wilderness
They waited for us when meal time approached. Wait time is at least an hour to prepare the food this is the norm for Zambia. Game drive was excellent. We didn't see the giraffes but that was the only one we didn't see. The guide recommended aug-oct as the best time to view game because the bush is low. Rooms have bed nets and bug spray. These chalets are in the wild so late at night the animals roam between the chalets. Roofs are thatched so definitely spray. All in all a great serene all around loving place to be. If you want to walk with the elephants you have to register early to plan for it. You can view the elephant orphans feeding from 11:30-12 each day.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Terrific "stay-cation"
Wonderful lodge just outside of Lusaka. Luxury chalets and a first-class restaurant.

8/10 Good

pj, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very comfortable stay
Friendly staff, lovely location if somewhat remote. Would recommend a stay of no longer than a couple of days, as location is isolated, with little to do once you have spent a couple of hours at the Elephant Orphanage, and explored some of the trails or hour long jeep safari around the grounds. As you would expect, this is an up-market location, so be prepared to pay up-market prices for food and drinks. There are no shops nearby if you want to just grab a snack. Having said that, it is a fantastic spot to relax at, and Scott and the staff did a fantastic job at giving first class service in everything. The chalets were almost certainly the cleanest I have stayed in.

10/10 Excellent

Lusaka Dweller, Lusaka, Zambia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect Retreat
Booked this spontaneously to get out of the city for a night. It was perfect for a quiet relaxing retreat.

10/10 Excellent

Ulrika

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastiskt ställe! Med naturen utanför fönstret.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from Lilayi Reservation Team on 18 Dec 2019
Hello Ulrika Thank you very much for taking the time to send us your positive comments. We are very pleased that you enjoyed your stay and that you were able to view the wildlife outside your window. All the very best Lilayi Reservation Team

6/10 Okay

Stoffelchecker, Baden Württemberg

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Cleanliness
Mehr Schein als Sein
Die Anlage und die Zimmer sind schön angelegt und in einem guten bis sehr guten Zustand. Ambiente plus Lage sind einfach toll. Die Sauberkeit der Zimmer/Hütten ist prinzipiell ok, wobei wir in Afrika und auch Sambia für deutlich weniger Geld auch schon sauberere Zimmer erlebt haben. Leider waren bei der Ankunft alte und dreckige Handtücher im Bad, die zwar nach Reklamation ausgetauscht wurden aber dennoch nicht zum Anspruch und Preis der Lodge passen. Das Essen fanden wir ganz in Ordnung, wobei es auch hier etwas unschön war wegen einer Veranstaltung am ersten Abend das Essen am Wohnzimmertisch auf dem Zimmer einnehmen zu müssen. Fazit: Eigentlich nette und schöne Lodge deren Service leider absolut nicht zum Preis passt