Sunbird Ku Chawe

Sunbird Ku Chawe is situated high up on the Zomba Plateau - one definitely needs a car to get there. It has perfectly manicured beautiful gardens. Even though it was very hot the time that I was there, there is always a cool breeze as it is so high up! I loved my room with the views of the Zomba town & far off mountains such as Chiradzulu and Mulanje. Had a wet room and modern fixtures in the bathroom. There was a good selection of dishes for breakfast and varied menu for dinner. Although the menus seem to be the same in all the hotels I stayed in: Chigumula, Zomba & Blantyre. The food, however, is tasty and fresh. Again the staff were very nice and welcoming: Dumisani, who is so knowledgeable of the history of the Ngoni people (my roots), Miss Loveness, the restaurant supervisor, Gobery the manager and Mr Yason the big boss were all very attentive to ensure a comfortable stay. Second day in Zomba, we hiked about 12 km with my guide. We did William's Falls, Emperor's & Queen's Views, Chagwa lake and Mulunguzi Dam. That was exhilarating! There is so much more to do... but that is for another time. I loved my stay on the plateau. The town of Zomba itself could benefit from regeneration - it is so rundown!

Without a doubt this is the best place to stay in the Zomba area. If I returned to Zomba, this is the only place to stay even if it meant driving up and down the mountain everyday because, otherwise, Zomba does not have any other truly nice places to stay. The Ku Chawe is excellent in every respect...food, service, friendly staff, and well-maintained gorgeous grounds and views of the valley. Beware the baboons as they are out of hand and the WIFI is not reliable unless you are in one of the main areas. Doesn't work well in the rooms. But this is a great place to stay!

We had an amazing visit. Our booking and Check in was handled so well. Just want to thank Joel and the Kuchawe Inn team for a wonderful experience. They have done great updates on the rooms and just to say the food was great service was wonderful. Thank you to the Kuchawe Sunbird Team. Patrick you were great with the family and took care of us. The Bez family😊❤️

Positive was the friendliness and competency of staff. Negative was the absence of the once unique trout dish.

Sunbird Ku Chawe was worth the visit. It is set in a peaceful a**osphere above the Zomba mountain which speaks to the great views. The staff was welcoming and friendly. They were also very accommodating to our needs. The amenities are a bit dated but all in all a lovely breath of fresh air.

We spent 2 nights in Sunbird Ku Chawa on a short birding trip, the staff were friendly and helpful, the room was nice and neat and the grounds as well, breakfast was very good and dinner as well. The surrounding area is beautiful but unfortunately most of the indigenous forest has been cut down, the weather was not great for birding, rainy and wet but we did manage to find Malawis only Endemic bird at Zomba, the Yellow Throated Apalis. We walked to William falls that was fun as well as a number of other trails around the area.

Overall, a great experience. A few points: 1. The pictures included in the listing are inaccurate. It makes it look like all the rooms are suites (separate seating area with an overlooking patio). While the room was renovated and nice, it was smaller than expected. The patio opened into the back garden but it wasn’t an overlooking patio. My friends had this room and switched into a suite, which apparently was a little more worn down than the room I stayed in 2. Our view was obscured with fog most of the time. The beds were very comfortable. The location was excellent and close to the main hiking options on the plateau 3. The breakfast buffet was excellent and accommodated people of all kinds of dietary needs. It has an omelet bar, oa**eal, fresh fruit, and standard Western-style hot food offerings 4. The Mulunguzi restaurant was good as well with a good mix of Western, Indian, and local Malawian offerings. Great value for the price and good, timely service 5. The maintenance came quickly and accommodated minor needs from our group 6. Wifi speeds were good, not great. Usable 7. A multitude of tour offerings. My group went with Isaac, a local guide, that wasn’t listed through the hotel, but found through online means. He was AMAZING and we loved him and his prices were very competitive 8. There are a few small shops on the road leading up to the hotel. Prices are pretty reasonable. One shop, a little further down the road from the hotel had really interesting furniture/art I would stay here again if I found myself in the area

Beautiful location on top of Zomba mountain. Rooms are pleasant and staff are accommodating. Wifi does not reach all rooms.

Ku Chawe's situation and views are uniquely beautiful. The buildings somehow achieve the impression of a mountain hideout. Staff service was very good, going out of their way to please. Having stayed there before I was pleasantly surprised with the improvement in food standards, particularly in the evening. However, its a good idea to order well in advance if you don't want to be waiting at the table for too long. They do need to improve their culture with regard to coffee - for the price charged one would expect a far better service around it. Strangely penny pinching with regard to amenities, low quality toilet tissue provided with only one roll in the bathroom, only one towel when we checked in as a couple with a young child. Nevertheless, overall a very pleasant stay.