Olive Grove: Our full report

The Olive Grove is a stylish guesthouse in Windhoek's Klein Windhoek suburb.

Taking its name from the neighbouring grove of olive trees, the guesthouse is located in a renovated old house. It was opened in early 2004, and has become a favourite place to stay in Namibia's capital city.

The contemporary design and décor of the Olive Grove has been carefully thought out. The minimalist style is softened by lanterns and locally printed fabrics, while the neutral shades of grey and green are reminiscent of the olive trees growing outside.

Wide sweeping stairs lead from the car park to the covered veranda where simple, well-crafted metal furniture is set up for dining, with an open-plan kitchen inside that helps create an air of informality. The Olive Grove prides itself on delicious, well-presented food from an à la carte menu which – unusually for a guesthouse – is available at both lunch and dinner. The meals we've enjoyed here have been generally excellent, so while there are plenty of very good restaurants in Windhoek, we recommend at least one meal at the Olive Grove during your stay.

The ground floor of the house also features a reception area, and a cool, comfortable lounge where there is a computer with internet access for guests.

Up a level at the Olive Guesthouse there's a pretty patio area with a small plunge pool, garden chairs and sunloungers set under umbrellas. The guesthouse even has its own small wellness centre offering a range of massages, though treatments must be prebooked.

Olive Grove Guesthouse has a total of 11 rooms – five "standard", five "'luxury", and an "executive suite" – all with air conditioning and all beautifully furnished to a similar standard. Natural-coloured cement and stone have been used for the floors, shelving, bathrooms and even the bed bases, while individually selected fixtures and fittings are made from wrought iron, bronze or tin. Mosaics and lanterns create a slight Moroccan feel to the rooms. This contemporary design is offset by white cotton linen bedding, luxurious down duvets and fluffy towels. Satellite television, a tea and coffee station and a well-stocked minibar – including nuts and crisps – are standard; white kimonos add a touch of class; and waffle-weave slippers and hot-water bottles are a warming treat during the winter months. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, all with a shower and toilet. Two of the standard and one of the luxury rooms have a shower only, whilst the rest also have a bath.

The five "standard" rooms are on the ground floor. Although beautifully furnished to the same high standard as the 'luxury' rooms, their location is not as attractive, and thus they are priced a little lower. Three of them lead directly off the veranda, so can feel a little dark, and noise tends to filter in from both the dining area on the veranda and the reception. The other two are in a separate building next to the pool patio area.

The five "luxury" rooms (which we'd normally recommend) are on the first floor, reached either by outside stairs leading up to a large balcony or inside up a wooden staircase into a turret at the back of the house. These rooms are a little larger than those on the ground floor, and all open out onto the balcony where metal tables and chairs with comfortable cushions offer a relaxing place to sit under the cover of large sail awnings, as well as an alternative dining area.

A particularly spacious executive suite, also upstairs, has a large bedroom, a roomy and luxurious bathroom and an adjacent lounge with a day bed, chairs and tables.

The service at Olive Grove is warm and professional. On our stays over the years, most recently in December 2015, we have appreciated the friendly welcome from the team here and their attentive service throughout our stay. We've found them ready with restaurant recommendations or information for any onward journey in Namibia, and willing to reserve a table or book a day trip when requested. And while check-out time from the rooms is 10.00am, luggage can be left with the reception staff while guests continue to use the guesthouse facilities or explore the city before departing.

Our view

The Olive Grove remains one of our favourite guesthouses in Windhoek. We have always received a warm welcome from the team here. Its contemporary style might not be to everyone’s taste, but well-appointed rooms and excellent service make this a very comfortable place to start or end your trip to Namibia.

Sabina Hekandjo

Namibia expert

Geographics

Location: Windhoek, Namibia
Ideal length of stay: One or two nights, usually at the start or end of your holiday in Namibia.
Directions: The guesthouse is at 20 Promenaden Road, in the Klein Windhoek suburb of Windhoek, about five minutes’ drive from the city centre, or 45 minutes from Windhoek International Airport.
Accessible by: Self-drive or Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Bed & Breakfast
Food quality: We've enjoyed some excellent food at Olive Grove over the years. Simple, fresh and healthy ingredients are used to create well-presented meals. Rather unusually for a guesthouse in Windhoek, Olive Grove offers lunch and dinner, as well as breakfast.

You have the choice of enjoying a lavish breakfast in your room or on the veranda. Although this is normally served between 7.00am and 10.00am, with advance notice the team will be happy to arrange something a little later. A variety of cereals and fruit are available for those who'd like a quick or cold breakfast, but if you have time we recommend one of their cooked meals, especially the smoked salmon scrambled eggs!

An à la carte lunch menu is available late into the afternoon. When we last stayed, in December 2015, we particularly enjoyed the Mediterranean chicken salad. Other choices were fish and chips, quiche and a selection of sandwiches – plain or toasted.

Dinner, also from an à la carte menu, is usually available until about 10.00pm. Although we ate out on our most recent visit, on a previous stay we enjoyed starters such as beef tartare with soft-boiled egg, deep-fried camembert with fig and blueberry sauce or a house salad. The main course was a choice of game fillet with red wine butter, medallions of pork, free-range rib-eye steak with pepper sauce, chicken breast stuffed with mustard cream cheese and baked in spinach leaves, or grilled line fish. Desserts vary from baked cheesecake or brandy and date pudding with custard to chocolate brownie with custard or apple galette with custard or ice cream. At the time of our most recent visit, all starters were N$65/£3.25, a main course was N$170/£8.50 and desserts were N$50/£2.50.
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Yes
Drinks included: Drinks are not included. Each room has a stocked minibar and an all-day waiter service is available in the main areas.

Children

Attitude towards children: Children of all ages are welcome at the Olive Grove.
Property’s age restrictions: None.
Special activities & services: Mealtimes can be flexible depending on a family's needs and children’s preferences.
Equipment: A highchair and cot are available on request.
Generally recommended for children: Yes.
Notes: Parents need to be aware that the pool is not fenced and that there are a lot of stairs. Children must be under the constant supervision of their parents.
Note that the Olive Grove tries to have only one family group booked at a time to minimise any possible disruption to other guests.

Communications

Power supply notes: There are plug points in each room for charging batteries and electrical equipment. Travellers should bring their own adaptors.
Communications: There is a telephone and fax machine. There is also cellphone reception and WiFi, plus a computer with internet access for guests to use during their stay.
TV & radio: Each of the rooms has a TV with satellite channels.
Water supply: Mains
Water supply notes: Three rooms have a shower only; the remaining eight have a shower and bath. All are plumbed and and each room has a flushing toilet.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: No
Medical care: There are doctors and hospitals in Windhoek.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: Olive Grove is a walled property with electric fencing and locked gates. There is secure parking available and guests are supplied with keys to the gates for 24-hour access. A security guard is on the property during the night.
Fire safety: Fire extinguishers are positioned throughout the guesthouse and there are fire detectors in each room and in the main area. Each room also has direct access to an outside area.

Activities

Cultural excursion

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: A laundry service, including ironing, is available at additional cost.
Money: No currency exchange is available. There is an electronic safe in each room for storing travel documents and valuables.
Accepted payment on location: Visa and MasterCard are accepted, as are cash payments in Namibian dollars and South African rand.