Zimbabwe eco-boutique luxury hotel

Matifadza Nyazema has secured a landmark place in Zimbabwe’s tourism sector with the development of Mbano Manor Hotel, the country’s first 5-star eco-boutique luxury property created from the ground up by a Black Zimbabwean woman.

Zimbabwe’s first eco-boutique luxury hotel
Set within a secluded teak forest just minutes from Victoria Falls, Mbano Manor reflects a growing shift in global travel toward intimate, experience-led luxury. Opened in January 2020, the hotel emerged as Zimbabwe worked to restore international tourism confidence, offering a refined alternative to large-scale luxury resorts.

Inside Mbano Manor, Victoria Falls
Nyazema, a hospitality executive with decades of experience across Southern Africa, deliberately avoided mass luxury. Mbano Manor features fewer than 20 expansive suites and villas, prioritising privacy, personalised service and environmental preservation, qualities increasingly favoured by honeymooners, executives and ultra-high-net-worth travellers.

Sustainability underpins the hotel’s design and operations. Limited tree removal during construction, energy-efficient systems and locally sourced materials anchor the property within its natural surroundings, allowing it to compete globally while remaining authentically Zimbabwean.

African ownership, global recognition
International recognition followed when Mbano Manor joined Accor’s conservation-focused Mantis Collection, becoming the first Zimbabwean hotel under the luxury brand. The partnership expanded global reach while preserving local ownership, an uncommon model in Africa’s premium hospitality sector.

Beyond accolades, Mbano Manor supports local employment, artisans and suppliers in Victoria Falls. For Nyazema, the project represents more than a hospitality investment, it is proof that African women can originate, finance and operate world-class luxury assets without compromising ambition or standards.