Reviews of Spitzkoppen Lodge

"A very interesting place to visit. Quite extraordinary arrangement.

I enjoyed it very much, and a good place to be for the penultimate day, only 3 hours from Windhoek." See all these reviews: 9n in Namibia

"From the buggy ride through the hills to the lodges, the stunning pool area, the beautiful fluid rock formations to the mighty Spitzkoppe itself, this place was a magical alien world.

The lodge had several activities to participate in, as well as guided walk and vehicle guided tours there were bikes to use to go on your own explorations and walking routes around the reserve.

The staff were very helpful and the only suggestion we had was for the main eating area to have a bit more atmosphere. With such beautiful surroundings it felt a bit starkly lit and quiet. But that is a minor suggestion in this great place." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia; 5n in Zimbabwe; 2n in Botswana

"We enjoyed the scenery, less visited location and sympathetic design of this Lodge, however feel that the overall visitor experience will improve once the property has perhaps been open longer.

I note that other reviewers have written very favorably about the property and I hope that my comments will be read in a constructive manner as this is how they are intended. I note that allowances need to be made for staff training and customer interaction and that balancing and managing expectations in such an environment is not easy.

On arrival at the main gate it took at least 30 minutes for us to be permitted to pass through the gates which was frustrating given that our names were on the security sheet and we showed the guard our booking voucher. He was repeatedly talking to somebody, presumably at the lodge, on the radio and eventually handed the radio to me and I reiterated our booking information. After sometime they agreed to permit us entry.

We were greeted by a guide with refreshments and information about the tours that were on offer and he said that if we wanted to take a tour then we would use our own vehicle which we thought was strange. There was no explanation as to exactly why that was. No map was given to us or was in the room to guide us on our own walks. This was handed to us the following day by the Manager/Owner as we were standing talking with her.

There were bicycles which were available to rent, but honestly I feel these should be complimentary although I note that it seems customary that all additional activities seem to be charged for in Namibia. Perhaps it is deemed necessary to be accompanied for safety reasons although I am not sure if it is mandatory that you take a guide with you.

Our guide took us to our room which was towards the end of the walkway in the golf buggy. We loved the style, design, decor and view and thought it was well equipped.

At no point was there any mention of a way to summon the buggy back to go to the main area should we not wish to walk, and at night after dinner we failed to be able to find anybody to take us back. We had not received any details of a schedule or timings of how and when we might make use of the golf buggy facility.

This is where torches in the room maybe useful as it seemed that only part way of the walkway was lit, or some form of telephone or other communication between the main lodge and the furthest rooms.

We stayed for two nights and unfortunately the first night was extremely cold and windy and wind also blew up from between the floorboards and whilst we did have warm clothing with us it was uncomfortable. I requested additional blankets which housekeeping brought.

There were two chairs outside however I have to say that these were not comfortable to while away a few hours enjoying the scenery on the deck. The addition of one or two loungers would have been great.

We felt that the dining room although in keeping with the design was not particularly welcoming and the bar area very sparse and simply functional. Maybe this is the idea but we felt that more could be made of that circular area with beautiful views. Dinner on both nights was fine, from recollection I think the main courses were buffet/hot plate style. Breakfast the first morning was cooked to order but the second was buffet style and hence cold. The waitress offered to order freshly prepared eggs but by this time we were ready to depart. There should be consistency.

There was no apparent all day tea and coffee station which was common in all other places we stayed, and the regular black coffee that I ordered after dinner appeared on the bill which given our experiences elsewhere I do not think it should.
After dinner tea and coffee should be complimentary. Wine selection was fine and reasonably priced.

We found the waiting staff to be very timid and reluctant and when ordering drinks at the bar were somewhat confused about what was available and how to make certain mixtures having to consult a piece of paper. This again will probably improve over time but their hesitation was noticeable to us. Dinner is also served quite early which again is not uncommon in the lodges, however this seemed to be so that the staff could be driven back to their villages and spend time with their families. This does not encourage guests to linger for an after dinner drink or just to enjoy the evening sky. I think there should be one waiting staff at least on site all the time.

Unique pool with lovely panoramic views. I am sure that it is beautiful sitting around the fire pit although was not lit whilst we were there. Granted the first night was windy but it probably could have been used the second night when there were more guests. The first night I think we were only six in total including us.

Wi-Fi was not connectable at all for us during our stay which was also fine, however the staff said that there is a connection which is obviously very sporadic.

Spitzkoppen is a unique place in a special environment and we are glad to have experienced it, and we sincerely wish the Lodge and its owners and staff continued success in a competitive industry." See all these reviews: 22n in Namibia

"Wow! We drove the sandy way from the Skeleton Coast to Spitzkoppen and so this took us longer than we hoped but what a place to arrive to at the end of the road to nowhere.

My children could not believe the 'tented camp' lodges and we felt we were in a proper luxury safari lodge. The location is a long way from anywhere but that is what makes it special. The scenery is unique and the guides were terrific. We were greeted with a refreshing iced tea and little golf buggies that take you and your luggage to your lodge.

The food was good and the pool was a little cold for some of us but the children managed to get in. You need to pay extra for guided trips which is fine and we took one guided trip and then used the map provided to take a long walk on our own. A little bit of climbing definitely makes it easier to appreciate this landscape but you don't have to climb if you don't want to or can't. The guided trips are probably fairly priced but felt a little expensive as we were a family of five.

A great place to visit and I hope these lodges last for many years." See all these reviews: 10n in Namibia

"What a magic appearance, this little pearl hidden between the boulders!

Beautifully laid out and set up and tastefully decorated place with friendly and helpful staff and delicious food.

Fairy-tale-like and beautifully lit boulders (at night) surrounding the cabins.

The pool is one of the most stunning, original and special pools I've ever seen." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia

"We only had one night instead of two but felt we were able to pack in great experiences including bird-watching round the pool and driving to see the rock paintings and rock formations with a local guide (Lazarus)" See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia; 1n in Zambia