The Nesbitt Castle
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About
4.5
#2 of 9 hotels in BulawayoLocation
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Bulawayo's most sought after destination. Ten gloriously individual suites lie behind these castle walls, stone-chilled in the heat of summer, cozy and welcoming for those cooler days. Be enchanted by the carved four poster beds, enviable antique collection and Gothic curiosities that await you along every twisting passageway and behind every Gothic oak door. Nesbitt Castle is everything a modern luxurious boutique hotel should be whilst retaining all the mystery & chivalry of a golden age.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Wifi
Pool
Bar / lounge
Business Centre with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Non-smoking hotel
Dry cleaning
Paid wifi
Restaurant
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Laundry service
Room features
Room service
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Romantic
Boutique
Location
6 Percy Avenue Hillside, Bulawayo 00002 Zimbabwe
Getting there
Bulawayo Airport
19 km•
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41 Restaurants
within 10 kilometers
192Reviews8Q+A38Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
Generally it's a Beautiful clean place, perfect for weddings and family gatherings, beautiful scenery. The historical development of the castle is interesting. The staff are very warm and welcoming. I highly recommend this place.
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Date of stay: December 2018Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Amy-Leigh M, General Manager at The Nesbitt Castle
Responded Dec 12, 2018
Thank you for your review, we really appreciate your very positive feedback. We thrive to keep it a place of beauty that will make for the most memorable celebrations. Please feel free to visit whenever you are in the area. Kind Regards, Amy-Leigh
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A very nice and memorable place.Although l have lived in Hillside for years but l had never visited this incredible gem in the city of bulawayo.
A real castle. l loved the building like old historic bricks.
Amazing view of the grounds if you are a nature lover like me. Big rocks, trees(forestry), a few animals (impala) l think its the name, the ducks.
Unfortunately when we went there we wanted to have a pizza, but the restaurant was closed.
Rooms and meeting rooms have a cosy feeling. Leather couches and great furniture.
We stayed there for 30mins since we didnt have anything else to do but explore the area only.
A real castle. l loved the building like old historic bricks.
Amazing view of the grounds if you are a nature lover like me. Big rocks, trees(forestry), a few animals (impala) l think its the name, the ducks.
Unfortunately when we went there we wanted to have a pizza, but the restaurant was closed.
Rooms and meeting rooms have a cosy feeling. Leather couches and great furniture.
We stayed there for 30mins since we didnt have anything else to do but explore the area only.
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Date of stay: October 2018Trip type: Travelled with family
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Amy-Leigh M, General Manager at The Nesbitt Castle
Responded Dec 5, 2018
Good Day, thank you for your feedback. It is wonderful to have people who appreciate the rich historic nature of the Castle. So glad you decided to come through and view the place. We are looking forward to a grand re-opening of the suites in 2019. The Pizza Den and Dragons Den pool bar are open Wednesday through to Sunday 12pm-10pm. You and your family are welcome to come through to enjoy the surroundings anytime. Take Care, Amy-Leigh
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Very very nice luxerious Hotel...the staff is absolutly friendly but having problems with the booking (expedia said full board and the said no we dont offer full board) and i had a confirmation (full board) even the boss didnt solve it...absolute no go for that kind of Hotel!!! Everything else was really really fantastic!!!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Amy-Leigh M, Manager at The Nesbitt Castle
Responded Sep 7, 2016
We appreciate your feedback. We offer accommodation on a Bed and Breakfast basis, not sure how the mix up occurred but we do apologise for any inconvenience caused. We are happy to hear that you had a fantastic stay nonetheless.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Been here twice and still don't get the wow factor when staying overnight. Its a beautiful place to have weddings, gatherings, or even the Dragons Den Bar at night. But the rooms so need a lot of work! If they would just clean the corners, sweep out the cobwebs, take out the spider nests in the bathrooms; that would help immensely! Orange the furniture to make it look like its suppose to be a special room. ( They have names for each room)
The staff was ok, but you almost need to get a fire under the manager to replace fire detectors that go off all night. Change the batteries people before someone has to tell you too. It isn't hard. We had to ask.....Then it was done-
The bartender at night - a cute girl with a great personality was the best part about our stay. That said- visit, walk around, take in the beautiful grounds, but ask to see rooms before you commit. Some are nice and redone but 3 out of the 4 rooms we occupied on our trips were not-
They gave you free wifi codes but most don't work that farther you get from the front area of hotel.
The staff was ok, but you almost need to get a fire under the manager to replace fire detectors that go off all night. Change the batteries people before someone has to tell you too. It isn't hard. We had to ask.....Then it was done-
The bartender at night - a cute girl with a great personality was the best part about our stay. That said- visit, walk around, take in the beautiful grounds, but ask to see rooms before you commit. Some are nice and redone but 3 out of the 4 rooms we occupied on our trips were not-
They gave you free wifi codes but most don't work that farther you get from the front area of hotel.
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Date of stay: June 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â ask to see it first.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Amy-Leigh M, Manager at The Nesbitt Castle
Responded Jul 15, 2016
Thank you for your review and sharing your opinion with us. We do appreciate that the establishment is a rather quirky place and the rooms very different to each other. It is our desire to give them all a face lift in the long run without losing the uniqueness that we offer. We will ensure that the housekeepers pay more attention to detail to deter all the little castle spiders that make their home here. Unfortunately due to the nature of the castle structure WiFi signal is quite weak in certain areas and works best in our public lounges or outdoors. In regards to the fire detectors we will endeavor to stay on top of the battery changing. I am glad that there was a highlight to your stay in our Dragon's Den and that you enjoyed the scenic gardens. In the mean time we will focus on strengthening our weaknesses and building on our strengths.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Visited Nesbitt Cadtle during May 2016, sadly to attend a funeral. Although I did not stay there our group had dinner there. The food was good and the waitress did a sterling job with the rather large and noisy group
Lovely grounds and well maintained
Lovely grounds and well maintained
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Date of stay: May 2016Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Amy-Leigh M, General Manager at The Nesbitt Castle
Responded Jul 8, 2016
We were happy to host your group here at The Nesbitt Castle - unfortunate about the circumstance. We do hope that you will stay with us when you travel this way again and have more time to enjoy the establishment and all that we offer.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What an unusual place to stay - a castle in Africa! The bedroom, although dark because of the trees outside, was very comfortable. The gardens are wonderful, very lush and colourful,and looked after immaculately by a singing gardener! We chose The Nesbitt as our son and daughter-in-law had their wedding ceremony and reception there and it was beautiful day and excellent evening. We ate at The Nesbitt three times, we had a tasty snack and the most excellent Irish coffee in the bar and an excellent meal when it was just the two of us. The only downside of our stay was our meal on the last I night when we invited our son, our daughter-in-law and her parents for a meal. My son and husband had very poor starters and mains and the service was poor, totally different from our other experiences!
The Nesbitt is certainly a superb wedding venue.
The Nesbitt is certainly a superb wedding venue.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: May 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Amy-Leigh M, Manager at The Nesbitt Castle
Responded Sep 4, 2014
Thank you for sharing your experience with us as we are delighted to see your positive feedback regarding the Castle grounds and comfortable rooms. It is unfortunate to hear that your experience with our restaurant was not a pleasing one the second time around. We do apologise for this and hope that it did not leave a bitter memory of your son's wedding here. We are always striving to improve in areas that are lacking and we can assure you that all measures were taken to ensure that all guests receive more professional service and the best quality meals from our kitchen. Thank you once again for your review and all the best to the newly weds.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Upon arriving at Nesbitt Castle is was quite apparent that this was going to be an unusual place to stay and I was not disappointed. Patrick runs a great show and he was most kind take time out of his busy day to drive me into Bulawayo to point out the places I was trying to get to see. The staff are most polite and the chef and his team provide excellent dishes from the kitchen. Becky was the hostess on the night I was eating in the restaurant and she was superb. Having just completed a course in Cape Town she definitely knew how to handle some of the more obscure requests that were put her way by a visiting party that evening. The reception staff were very gracious and were able to provide answers to all my questions and requests.
I forgot to lock my car one evening and not only was it superbly cleaned the next morning everything was completely in order within which is a testament to the security and people working there.
There were some quirky bits about the castle but there again this is exactly what one would expect a small castle to be like. There are some great artifacts in the various rooms so do take time to wander around to see them.
The gardens are wonderful, well kept and a delight to walk around in.
It is a great location for a wedding or an event which requires some grandeur about it.
Be warned Percy drive is not one continuous road and it did take me a bit of time to get to the right end of it!
I forgot to lock my car one evening and not only was it superbly cleaned the next morning everything was completely in order within which is a testament to the security and people working there.
There were some quirky bits about the castle but there again this is exactly what one would expect a small castle to be like. There are some great artifacts in the various rooms so do take time to wander around to see them.
The gardens are wonderful, well kept and a delight to walk around in.
It is a great location for a wedding or an event which requires some grandeur about it.
Be warned Percy drive is not one continuous road and it did take me a bit of time to get to the right end of it!
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Date of stay: February 2014Trip type: Travelled solo
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â The Diamond room does have windows but don't expect to see much from them.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Amy-Leigh M, Manager at The Nesbitt Castle
Responded Apr 16, 2014
Thank you for making The Nesbitt Castle a part of your Bulawayo experience. So glad that you were able to enjoy the different aspects of the Castle - the pleasant staff, the historical artifacts as well as the lush green gardens that do make for a picturesque events venue. We appreciate your awesome review and will strive to continue to provide the services much appreciated by all!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
By chance I found this gem of Africa when looking for a place to stay while in Zimbabwe
Not only is it breathtaking (gorgeous girls work there) but out brought back fond memories of Shiwa N'gandu in Zambia to me.
It is a place built with so much love, skill, blood and tears, that you know bears a story and it really should be told
The food was nothing short of outstanding.
I can only think of one place in Africa that produces such excellent cuisine in amazing surroundings and that is Hartford House in the Natal midlands.
While the castle doesn't have a world class chef in the league of Jackie Cameron, this by no means implies their food is bland.
My compliments to the chef, the lamb I had was absolutely amazing (and lamb is my favourite fish) and Jackie would have thought highly of it's flavour and presentation.
A very comfortable four poster bed, big bath and excellent nights sleep and a hearty breakfast.
We found our vehicle had been bathed too.
Attention to detail while maintaining excellence
Don't miss what I feel is a tall gem
Not only is it breathtaking (gorgeous girls work there) but out brought back fond memories of Shiwa N'gandu in Zambia to me.
It is a place built with so much love, skill, blood and tears, that you know bears a story and it really should be told
The food was nothing short of outstanding.
I can only think of one place in Africa that produces such excellent cuisine in amazing surroundings and that is Hartford House in the Natal midlands.
While the castle doesn't have a world class chef in the league of Jackie Cameron, this by no means implies their food is bland.
My compliments to the chef, the lamb I had was absolutely amazing (and lamb is my favourite fish) and Jackie would have thought highly of it's flavour and presentation.
A very comfortable four poster bed, big bath and excellent nights sleep and a hearty breakfast.
We found our vehicle had been bathed too.
Attention to detail while maintaining excellence
Don't miss what I feel is a tall gem
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Date of stay: July 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The rooms were musty & dank. There was a rodent trap under the bed. My hayfever/ allergies flared up within minutes of being in the room so I suspect there was plenty of dust & possibly mould. The staff are however friendly, & the food was ok, not super though. I think they can still maintain the "castle" ambience & feel even if they upgrade and give their facilities a thorough clean. Was expecting so much more.
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Date of stay: December 2012
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from LeeNesbitt, Public Relations Manager at The Nesbitt Castle
Responded Dec 29, 2012
Dear Sir, thank you for the feedback on your stay at The Nesbitt Castle. We are very sorry to hear that your stay was so disappointing. We have taken note of all your constructive criticisms and these will be investigated and acted on in due course. Thank you again.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
As an extensive business traveller in Africa, it’s nice to come to a Hotel that is clean, friendly, very well appointed and interested in your comfort, which is not going to charge you over the odds for the accommodation.
The only complaint I can possibly make is the fact that the staff, in their entirety, knock off at 9pm which means that if you are late back into the hotel, you cannot get a drink or something to eat!, However, they certainly make up for this in spades during the time they are there! I cannot fault the service, the smiles and the pleasantness of the staff for the entire time I stayed with them on this trip.
The rooms are a joy and I would seriously consider bringing my family to stay if here on holiday.
The only complaint I can possibly make is the fact that the staff, in their entirety, knock off at 9pm which means that if you are late back into the hotel, you cannot get a drink or something to eat!, However, they certainly make up for this in spades during the time they are there! I cannot fault the service, the smiles and the pleasantness of the staff for the entire time I stayed with them on this trip.
The rooms are a joy and I would seriously consider bringing my family to stay if here on holiday.
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Date of stay: February 2011Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Good Day, thank you for your message. The Coach House restaurant is currently closed for refurbishment however, the Pizza Den is open Wednesday - Sunday from 12pm and their pizzas are $10 each
Good Day, sorry for the late response. Our restaurant is currently closed for refurbishments.
Morning - packages are customised to what you need and are emailed direct. Please phone us or email us direct through our website.
hi. thank you for you question... i was only a visitor to the castle. you should find their details in google or trip advisor i guess....lovely place for a wedding and it will host 300 people with comfort....ideal place for a wedding and i think the do specialise in it....sorry i cant provide more info dont know if this number still works +263 9 282 735 and nesbittcastle co zw
Good Day, Thank you for your interest in The Nesbitt Castle for your lunch booking. A three course lunch is US$25 per person and Two course is US$20 per person.We do also have a Day TIme Menu that has various dishes ranging between US$12 - US$18.
"After staying there a number of times we always request the most expensive room, which is not a lot more than the standard room"Read full review
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ALSO KNOWN AS
the nesbitt castle hotel bulawayo
LOCATION
ZimbabweBulawayo ProvinceBulawayo
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
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Frequently Asked Questions about The Nesbitt Castle
Which popular attractions are close to The Nesbitt Castle?
Nearby attractions include Matobo National Park (4.5 km), Bulawayo Railway Museum (5.5 km), and Natural History Museum (2.8 km).
What are some of the property amenities at The Nesbitt Castle?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at The Nesbitt Castle?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to The Nesbitt Castle?
Conveniently located restaurants include Indaba Cafe, Deja Vu Restaurant & Coffee Shop, and Middys Coffee Shop.
Are there opportunities to exercise at The Nesbitt Castle?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Are any cleaning services offered at The Nesbitt Castle?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does The Nesbitt Castle offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business centre, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.