Gaborone Hotel Accommodation

Gaborone Hotels

A fast-growing, somewhat sprawling city, the capital of Botswana presides over one of Africa’s great, peaceful, success stories. Thousands of people have exchanged the countryside for the bright lights of Gaborone in recent years, bringing bags of optimistic energy. Its buildings may be modern and somewhat anonymous, but it has the pleasant feel of the garden city it was designed to be, and has a sense of community far more like a collection of villages than a hard-core urban metropolis.

Things to see

Gaborone is a great city to shop in. With its mixed population of well-heeled locals, uni students, expats, and those nostalgic for village life, there’s a constellation of ethnic markets and western-style malls to cater to all tastes. On the southern edge of the city, Game City Mall is a bright, modern, air-conditioned space with well over 100 high-street stores, as well as a food court. If you prefer your shopping more independent and artisanal, then visit Botswanacraft just outside the Government Enclave in the city centre. It’s a great place to pick up handcrafted souvenirs, and the price you see is what you pay, no haggling etiquette required. Right next to this shopping zone is the Botswana National Museum. Historians will be in their element poking about the exhibits of the ground floor, which highlight slave history. Art-lovers should head upstairs, where rotating collections by local artists are on show.

Hotels in Gaborone

You get a lot of bang for your buck in Gaborone, with superb hotels available for great discount prices. Luxury Gaborone hotels offer a choice of lavish contemporary styles and period colonial grandeur. The larger hotels have a range of leisure and business facilities – if you need to work, there are business centres, meeting rooms, and some even have a limo service to whisk you across town. For play, outdoor sports, poolside bars, and even casinos are on offer. The rooms and suites are generously-proportioned and filled with modern comforts, such as WiFi, minibars, and premium bedding for a great sleep.

Where to stay

There’s a great selection of hotels in central Gaborone, close to the Government Enclave. Staying here, you’ll be surrounded by shopping malls and markets, as well as cultural attractions like the museum and art gallery. It’s also got great transport connections, with the main train station within walking distance. In East Gaborone, you’ll find romantic resorts and boutique guesthouses, right on the edge of the Gaborone Game Reserve, which is like something straight out of the Lion King. You’re still within easy reach of the city centre and its shopping opportunities, but you’ll feel the heart of Africa beat here.

How to get to Gaborone

Botswana’s main international airport is located just 14 kilometres north of Gaborone, and with flights from major global hubs like Nairobi and Johannesburg, it’s easy to get to. Navigating the terminal is a mainly swift experience, then it’s just a short drive or taxi ride into the city. Long-distance buses also arrive from Johannesburg and Pretoria – it’s a comfortable ride on modern coaches which takes just over 4 hours from either city. Around town, private and shared taxis supplement a fleet of minivans, or combis, as they’re known, and as African capitals go, it’s a noticeably stress-free city to drive in.