Travelodge Gaborone

Rooms and decor

Walk into Travelodge Gaborone for the first time and you immediately read it as a midscale hotel that delivers comfort without making a fuss about it. The modern, pale-painted building stands out on Belabela Road in the Block 3 district of Gaborone, the Botswana capital. The lobby is wide and high-ceilinged, the tile floor clean and plain, with sofas to settle into while you wait and a front desk where staff greet you in fluent English. The overall feel is friendly — a hotel that hosts business travellers and tourists alike, neither so formal it's stiff nor so casual it feels thin. The standout is the outdoor pool set in the middle of the grounds, open to the full Botswana sun, ringed with canvas loungers and white umbrellas, with the Pool Bar & Grill in one corner sending out the smell of wood-fired pizza from mid-afternoon. That corner is what turns Travelodge from an ordinary 3-star into the place people start recommending by word of mouth.

Food and amenities

The 115 rooms are built around getting things done. Beds are comfortable to the midscale standard, every room has a work desk with plenty of plugs, a flat-screen TV, a small fridge, an in-room coffee maker, and free Wi-Fi that holds up well enough for online meetings. Bathrooms run to a modern shower with strong, steady hot water and the basics covered. Higher floors on the pool side get a more open outlook, while the Belabela Road side is easy to come and go from but can catch some traffic noise in the morning. For shared facilities, beyond the pool and the Pool Bar & Grill — which has become the guest hangout — there's a compact fitness room with the basics, a bar that runs late, and a main restaurant serving a full buffet breakfast: hot dishes, fresh-baked bread, fruit and coffee. The feature that keeps corporate events coming back is the conference centre, which seats up to 600, splits into smaller rooms and comes with full sound and projection, so it's no surprise that government and private seminars often book it.

Location and getting there

The location lands in a sweet spot for anyone using Gaborone as a base. It's on Belabela Road, one of the city's main routes, just 4 km from the CBD — an easy 10-minute drive to the business district, malls and main restaurants. Sir Seretse Khama International Airport is about 15 km out, and the better part is that the hotel runs a free airport shuttle for guests — book a slot ahead and a car meets you at the door, saving both the steep Botswana taxi fares and the time spent finding a ride. If you want some wildlife, Gaborone Game Reserve, an in-city sanctuary, is only 5 km away — good for half a day of zebra, impala and warthog before a meeting or an onward flight. Main Mall and Riverwalk Mall are both a short drive for souvenirs or a meal. Getting around town is doable by Combi minibus taxis or Uber, which is catching on in Gaborone.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to make the call easier. First, weigh the location: it's about 4 km from the CBD, too far to walk, so the hotel car, Uber or a taxi is the play every time you head into town — less convenient than a central address if you like strolling out for a bite. Second, the room style. The design is practical and built for business travellers, plain rather than chic or boutique-modern, so anyone hoping for an Instagram-ready room may find it a touch ordinary. Third, on nights that coincide with a big conference or event, the public areas, restaurant and lobby get busy and crowded, and the wait for breakfast or service can run slower than a normal day — if you're after a quiet stay, check the event calendar with the hotel before you book. Last, on local food: the in-house menu leans international and pizza, so for real Botswana dishes like Seswaa (salted boiled meat) or Bogobe (sorghum porridge), you'll need to ride out to a local spot in town.

Our take

After reading through real reviews on both Agoda and Booking, Travelodge Gaborone is the best-value answer in Gaborone's midscale bracket. It sells itself as a mid-size hotel that loads up on facilities — a pool, wood-fired pizza, a free airport shuttle and a conference centre big enough for major events — all from around $69 a night. It suits business travellers in for meetings, anyone using Gaborone as a transit stop before pushing on to the Okavango Delta or Chobe, and mid-budget families who want somewhere convenient and complete. But if you're set on a central hotel you can shop around on foot, or you want a styled boutique feel, this may not be your first pick. On balance we give it 8.3/10 — a well-priced, dependable midscale choice for a stay in the Botswana capital.