Accommodations range from deluxe resort properties to modest local hotels and campgrounds. We recommend staying in as deluxe a property as possible to minimize potential hassles. International guests are normally required to pay hard currency for hotel accommodations. In the cities such as Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo, there are large modern hotels with international standards and facilities. These, however, can be rather featureless and with little character. A better option are the upmarket guesthouses and, in Victoria Falls, safari lodges, which offer a more pleasant atmosphere. In some of these, much thought has gone into the decor, which may feature Zimbabwe wooden carvings, colorful local fabric and handcrafted furniture. In the game parks and regions where there are animals (for example along the Zambezi River), you'll find lodges and tented camps with game-viewing decks that usually overlook water holes or the river frontage. Away from the main tourist areas, many hotels have either fully or partly closed because of the lack of business.