Travel reviews by The M & N party from UK

"A clean, comfortable, historic hotel in the old centre of town within easy walking distance of museums and shops. Staff were helpful and friendly and we were given plenty of information and advice about local attractions as well as tours, wineries and restaurants.

This is a safe area to walk around at night and we had off street parking for our car.

Breakfasts were very good.

NB: The hotel does not do lunch and dinner all the year round so if you are eating out you will need to book a table (especially if it is wet, because many of the usual tables are out of doors and so rain limits the number available).

We would recommend lunch at the Delaire Graff estate - superb views and an exceptionally good lunch. You will need to book.

if you have a car Franshoek is a pretty place to visit for wine lodges, coffee or lunch and has some nice shops."

"We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Our room in the main lodge was extremely comfortable with lovely views over the garden, and the rooms situated at the top of the hill away from the main house were in a stunning position. This really is a place to relax in, and the staff were all extremely helpful and considerate. We were the only guests staying but they still lit the fire and put candles next to our table for dinner to make the dining room more cosy, and nothing was too much trouble. The food was good.

The manageress was very helpful in finding me a dentist when I broke a tooth on our last night there.

Would thoroughly recommend Naries.

Naries is about 23k out of Spribngbok but we felt that the extra distance was not a problem and I imagine it would be wonderful in the flower season. It is very quiet and peaceful."

"We felt this was a very special place to stay. Fantastic desert views and stunning swimming pool area with views of the desert. Well positioned for driving to view the Canyon and a great place to relax in.

All their tours were fully booked by bus groups, so it is probably worth booking well ahead if there is anything you particularly want to do.

Staff were very helpful in that we had rung to say we were arriving a day late and asked if we could still stay for two days. By the time we arrived they had arranged this for us. They were also helpful in phoning to cancel our booking at Luderitz and making a booking for us at a hotel in Hemeringhausen so that we could catch up on our travel schedule.

Sundowners on the high rocks behind the hotel were fun, but you need good shoes.

The only disappointment was the buffet breakfast and dinner which was a bit dull, however lunch was freshly cooked and excellent."

"We adored Hoodia. From the warm welcome, rapid provision of lunch because we arrived unexpectedly early, to the super room, great food, extremely well informed guide and quite excellent trip to the dunes, everything was perfect.

The owner/manager was extremely solicitous about problems we had encountered before our arrival and made sure we were well looked after.
Didn't want to leave this super place."

"This modern small hotel provides everything that you need with secure parking and clean comfortable rooms. Staff were friendly and helpful and the breakfast was great.

The position of the hotel is a bit dull and there is only a tiny garden, but it is an easy walk to the centre of town and the shops and not far from the sea front."

"We had a great stay here. The position of the lodge is beautiful and the staff were helpful without being intrusive.

The tented accommodation was great fun, a wilderness feel with Hot Water Bottles and all mod cons in a rocky desert valley. Perfect.

Dinner was very tasty and the cakes for tea were particularly good and served in generous amounts, while the views from the dining area were lovely.

The general ambience very relaxed on the surface but still very well organised.

NOTE: We loved the trip to the cave paintings, but it is not for the unfit and you absolutely need appropriate shoes to cross the boulders. One of our party is not particularly well and also found the walk up the long steps to the dining room quite hard work although the rest of us were fine.

We were very sorry to have to leave so soon."

"This is a big and busy place with little in the way of atmosphere.

The food was limited and not particularly inspiring and the buffet was not kept hot enough, while breakfasts could have involved quite a bit more in the way of choice.

The rooms are a good size and beds clean and comfortable, and have all the facilities you need except for a fridge and chairs on the terrace, but the gardens do not appear to have been completed, terraces weren't swept, the pool areas needed TLC and the area around some of the room looks like a work in progress.

The hotel was not actually uncomfortable but impersonal. Several members of the staff tried very hard to be helpful and efficient but the general atmosphere failed to impress, perhaps because they appear to cater for bus tours and large groups visiting the park and people are always moving on."

"We were warmly welcomed by extremely efficient and friendly staff and warthogs on the lawn! The reception area and restaurant is a large, open and attractive area and there is a well stocked tourist shop with a rather wider selection of nice goods than is usual.

The food was very good and the staff charming.

The tented rooms were spread out in the bush behind the lodge. We had everything we needed and we liked this camp enormously. We would have been happy to stay longer and have no hesitation in recommending Mushara.

Mushara is close to the East side of Etosha and the park is easily accessible."

"The lodge is in a great position overlooking the river and its bar and restaurant have fantastic views.

We were upgraded from tented rooms to bungalows right by the river bank and next to the hippo! The rooms were large and comfortable if a little tired, but we had everything we needed. Staff were helpful when asked but not particularly proactive and food adequate without being inspiring.

As the rooms are literally by the water, we felt that safety advice on the proximity of hippos and crocs might have been offered to foreign tourists before they went back to their rooms at night, without us having to ask.....

This is a suitable place for a night stopover in Caprivi but wouldn't particularly want to stay longer."

"A great position on the edge of the Chobe River.

The large rooms had good views and were comfy and well equipped.

The staff were extremely helpful and friendly, providing a very personal service.

The food was variable and the dining area very cold.

Our boat trip was excellent and our day long game drive was very enjoyable.

The elephants and hippo in the garden were an added bonus.....if unplanned."

"We were lucky to be upgraded to a suite. Not sure why as our travelling companions weren't, however their room had a lovely view over the gardens to the river and bridge, so no complaints there.

This lovely classic colonial style hotel has retained its atmosphere and excellent standards. With great views of the bridge and river it has a wonderful location and old world charm and the falls are an easy walk from the hotel.

Breakfasts and terraced lunches were excellent. The famous Livingston Room dinner was set in an elegant dining room but the food was a little lacklustre.

We did not feel unsafe, but as anywhere where there is hardship in the local community, you do need to be careful about valuables.

We took a tour with Wild Horizons which we booked at the hotel, and which was extremely disappointing. It was supposed to be a sundowner cruise, not a booze cruise, but having spent nearly an hour in the coach collecting other people from different hotels, we arrived to find that we could not choose where to sit, or with whom, and as soon as we sat down alcohol was being handed out very liberally. We spent some time moored up before a pretty short trip on the river, took a few photos as the sun was beginning to go down, and were back on the bus heading home long before sunset."