Travel reviews by Ms P from Clayton
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
9
Excursions taken
0
The most incredible trip we have ever taken!
Namibia and 1 other country between 18 Dec 2014 and 5 Jan 2015
"This was our "trip of a lifetime." All of the arrangements and advice from Tracy Lederer were excellent. Tracy worked with me by email and phone to plan a unique arrangement to bring our five family members from the USA, Namibia and Mozambique together for this trip. She was extremely patient, and answered my questions even when asked several times.
The voucher system for the lodgings worked well, and I was happy not to have to rely on using a credit card at each location.
I wish I had known the time it would take to travel between each location ahead of time, and possibly have spent three nights at some locations such as Etosha. There were several long driving days.
There was the unfortunate DHL incident, where my vouchers and maps did not arrive before our trip. Tracy scanned and sent our vouchers and some maps by email. The partner organization in Windhoek met us and gave us the Namibian maps and were a great help. This was the only problem we had - which was easily overcome.
Thank you very much for everything. It was an amazing trip that we will be talking about for a long time."
The voucher system for the lodgings worked well, and I was happy not to have to rely on using a credit card at each location.
I wish I had known the time it would take to travel between each location ahead of time, and possibly have spent three nights at some locations such as Etosha. There were several long driving days.
There was the unfortunate DHL incident, where my vouchers and maps did not arrive before our trip. Tracy scanned and sent our vouchers and some maps by email. The partner organization in Windhoek met us and gave us the Namibian maps and were a great help. This was the only problem we had - which was easily overcome.
Thank you very much for everything. It was an amazing trip that we will be talking about for a long time."
Arranged By Tracy Lederer
Galton House
"Galton House comfortable stay in Windhoek"
1 night
Arrived
18 Dec 2014
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Food
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Facilities
Average
Ongava Lodge
"We loved Ongava Lodge"
2 nights
Arrived
20 Dec 2014
"Ongava was one of our favorite lodges. We enjoyed eating our meals on the open deck overlooking a small waterhole. Even though we visited in December, there were always animals at the water hole. We saw rhinos, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes and several other animals. This was all before we entered Etosha.
The staff were very pleasant and helpful. We enjoyed all of the meals. We appreciated the cook made sure there were vegetarian options for our vegetarian family member.
We had a scare after dinner when a very large python blocked our path back to our rooms. The staff member leading us, simply took a different route, but we worried where the python would show up again. This is when we realized we were surrounded by wild animals, and they were not all at the waterhole!"
The staff were very pleasant and helpful. We enjoyed all of the meals. We appreciated the cook made sure there were vegetarian options for our vegetarian family member.
We had a scare after dinner when a very large python blocked our path back to our rooms. The staff member leading us, simply took a different route, but we worried where the python would show up again. This is when we realized we were surrounded by wild animals, and they were not all at the waterhole!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Central Guest House, Namibia (this camp has since closed)
"Comfortable stay at Central Guest House"
2 nights
Arrived
22 Dec 2014
"The staff at the Central Guest House helped our family select activities and made activity and dinner reservations for us. Our adult 20 something children went sandboarding, and the parents went on an animal desert tour. The staff made several other suggestions of museums and tours.
The rooms were very comfortable and the breakfast excellent."
The rooms were very comfortable and the breakfast excellent."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Desert Homestead
"Desert Homestead helped celebrate Christmas"
2 nights
Arrived
24 Dec 2014
"The Desert Homestead staff prepared a bag breakfast for us to leave at dawn to see Sossusvlei. On Christmas eve the staff gave every family a gift of a very nice bowl with snacks. On Christmas day we were given Champagne, and after dinner the staff and their children sang Christmas songs. The internet connection was excellent and we were able to Skype with our family in the United States.
The rooms were comfortable, but warm at this time of year. Some of our family members enjoyed sitting at the pool and having cool drinks in the afternoon.
We enjoyed the fact the Desert Homestead used solar hot water and solar electricity."
The rooms were comfortable, but warm at this time of year. Some of our family members enjoyed sitting at the pool and having cool drinks in the afternoon.
We enjoyed the fact the Desert Homestead used solar hot water and solar electricity."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Hotel Helmeringhausen
"Hotel Helmeringhausen review"
1 night
Arrived
26 Dec 2014
"We were glad to have an overnight stopping location between Sossusvlei and Fish River Canyon. The roads were all gravel and we saw almost no one else on the road. The Hotel Helmeringhausen appeared to be a green oasis.
Hotel Helmeringhausen provided an excellent dinner and breakfast for our family. The food was very good, and well presented. We appreciated that the hotel was open on the day after Christmas, as we were the only guests that night.
The rooms were basic, and we were told not to drink the water. There was a very nice hotel intern working there and our adult children enjoyed talking with him. The hotel owner was a little gruff, but provided everything we needed."
Hotel Helmeringhausen provided an excellent dinner and breakfast for our family. The food was very good, and well presented. We appreciated that the hotel was open on the day after Christmas, as we were the only guests that night.
The rooms were basic, and we were told not to drink the water. There was a very nice hotel intern working there and our adult children enjoyed talking with him. The hotel owner was a little gruff, but provided everything we needed."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Canyon Lodge
"Canyon Lodge was a destination in itself."
2 nights
Arrived
27 Dec 2014
"Our family enjoyed staying at Canyon Lodge. We were the only English speaking family, and were impressed as the Manager spoke so many languages fluently. The Manager was extremely attentive and outgoing. She walked us to our car when we left to say goodbye.
Canyon Lodge had very interesting cottages, arranged among very unique rocky hills, with boulder that looked like they would topple on the cottages (but did not). The pool provided a welcome resting area to read and view the desert. The food was served buffet style and was excellent.
Fish River Canyon is very impressive, but we needed to be very careful as there is nothing to prevent one from going over the edge."
Canyon Lodge had very interesting cottages, arranged among very unique rocky hills, with boulder that looked like they would topple on the cottages (but did not). The pool provided a welcome resting area to read and view the desert. The food was served buffet style and was excellent.
Fish River Canyon is very impressive, but we needed to be very careful as there is nothing to prevent one from going over the edge."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Ndedema Lodge
"Wonderful hosts at Ndedema Lodge"
2 nights
Arrived
29 Dec 2014
"The drive from Fish River Canyon, Namibia to Clandwilliam, South Africa was about eight hours. There was almost no place to stop between the two, so I realized why the overnights were arranged this way. We had no trouble going across the border into South Africa.
The parents stayed in the lodge, and our children stayed in a cottage behind the lodge. The breakfast each morning was wonderful. The Inn Keepers made our stay in Clandwilliam a success by arranging an eco tour of a rooibos tea farm, making dinner reservations, and suggesting a place to see the San rock art. The Inn Keepers also helped us understand the history of the different people living in the area, and the current political climate. We had read a lot to prepare for our trip, but the personal touch of the Inn Keepers gave us a much deeper understanding of life in South Africa.
We were sorry to hear the Inn Keepers were retiring in January 2015, and hope the new Inn Keepers will be as welcoming."
The parents stayed in the lodge, and our children stayed in a cottage behind the lodge. The breakfast each morning was wonderful. The Inn Keepers made our stay in Clandwilliam a success by arranging an eco tour of a rooibos tea farm, making dinner reservations, and suggesting a place to see the San rock art. The Inn Keepers also helped us understand the history of the different people living in the area, and the current political climate. We had read a lot to prepare for our trip, but the personal touch of the Inn Keepers gave us a much deeper understanding of life in South Africa.
We were sorry to hear the Inn Keepers were retiring in January 2015, and hope the new Inn Keepers will be as welcoming."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
The Spier Hotel (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Good place to be on New Years Eve"
2 nights
Arrived
31 Dec 2014
"Late in our trip planning we had to change our plans of going to Mozambique, and decided to go to South Africa instead. Expert Africa worked very hard to find us lodging over the busy New Years holiday. The Spier Hotel was elegant and brought us back into a more traditional hotel environment.
The food was excellent and we enjoyed a formal wine tasting experience."
The food was excellent and we enjoyed a formal wine tasting experience."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Vineyard Hotel
"Beautiful setting in Cape Town"
3 nights
Arrived
2 Jan 2015
"The Vineyard Hotel was a perfect setting in Cape Town. We enjoyed having the entire family stay together in a two bedroom cottage. We cooked several meals ourselves.
The breakfasts were wonderful with an incredible assortment of choices. We did not enjoy the one dinner at the hotel restaurant. They lost our reservation, the service was poor and we did not enjoy the dinner itself.
Other than the dinner, the service was excellent and the staff helped us with directions and questions."
The breakfasts were wonderful with an incredible assortment of choices. We did not enjoy the one dinner at the hotel restaurant. They lost our reservation, the service was poor and we did not enjoy the dinner itself.
Other than the dinner, the service was excellent and the staff helped us with directions and questions."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Average
The breakfast was excellent and the common rooms very pleasant. We had three rooms, and one of the rooms did not have hot water."