Travel reviews by Ian & Vivienne from UK

"Classic, traditional hotel with lots of history.

Not as close to falls as some of the Zambian hotels. you overlook the plume from the falls and the bridge, NOT the falls themselves
Friendly helpful staff

On walk (from a gate in hotel grounds) to the Falls there were many persistent locals trying to sell tourists carved animals and copper bracelets which was a little unsettling."

"Perfect lodge with modern amenities.

the new design is impressive and the accommodation units are spaced well apart for privacy. the rooms were smaller than at Mombo or Vumbura but were well furnished and the decor was very in keeping with local designs and styles.

there is a good walk to the rooms placed furthest from the reception area and you can only walk this alone in the daylight. Baboons and elephants do frequent the camp area and walkways."

"Newly refurbished and luxurious lodge visited by the rich and famous.

It comes at a high price for the experience which is unforgettable but the food and game drives, though very good indeed, were not significantly better than the other 2 lodges we stayed at if we are honest.

The staff are extremely good and the management are very much in evidence day and night which is refreshing.

when we visited the Delta waters were rising so we saw wildlife in front of the lodge and from our room, splashing through the water. A later visit would have seen higher water levels and game pushed together due to reduced dry land availability making viewing a little easier.

Having said that,we had hippo walking passed our room at night and were woken one night by an elephant drinking from the plunge pool and eating leaves, literally with his tail on our raised verandah. very special and close up indeed."

"Excellent to have the chance of water based activities and these are all year round due to the fact that the lodge is close to a permanent waterway.

We enjoyed the 2 mokoro evening trips, one boat trip (fishing) and a morning walking safari which none of the other camps we visited were able to offer.

The view from the lodge over the lagoon (with many resident hippo) was truly wonderful at all hours of the day and night. Sleeping can be a problem due to the noise of nocturnal wildlife ,hippos are very vocal,so bring earplugs if that will annoy you. The frogs sound like high pitched wind chimes from dusk until dawn. We loved every sound.

The quality of the food is high and the virtually all female management team ran a very happy but efficient service with very big smiles!

The accommodation is very much in-keeping with the African style but could,perhaps,have a little bit of a refurb. thats being overly picky but we had just been to Sandibe and Mombo where refurbishments had recently been carried out.

The rooms were very large with a huge open shower area facing the lagoon which could be privatised with billowing ,clean white drapes. what a bathing experience!"

"This property is a three and a half Drive south from Windhoek airport and is a lovely introduction to Namibia. Two nights would be ideal as we felt we had not truly appreciated what it had to offer in just one night.

The evening meal was served al fresco and the quality was good.

We stayed in a Dune chalet which had a wonderful view as they are elevated but are the furthest from the reception area.

You can ask to be driven to and fro but the walk was nice and not difficult unless you have a disability.

As with most accommodations in Namibia, you need to ask reception for a hairdryer to borrow during your stay."

"The chalets or cabins are all detached and although small are well designed and equipped and are kept extremely clean.

We were given one of the furthest away from the main reception and dining area and the views over the desert were spectacular.,especially at sunset. These cabins are also quiet. The grounds are very well tended and there are paved paths everywhere which are lit at night.

The swimming pool is set well away from the cabins and overlook the rock and boulder strewn desert.the honesty bar set above ,the pool is well stocked and drinks are not expensive when you consider how remote the property is.

The food was adequate and you need not go hungry but it was never fine dining and probably does not attempt to be. The trip to the canyon and the hot springs from here is the best part of an hour (different directions). It is well worth the drive and we were amongst few tourists at both destination.

The journey to the property is along poor roads (with wonderful scenery)and a 4WD vehicle is strongly advised, indeed we would recommend that anyone self driving in this beautiful country hires such a vehicle rather than an ordinary car."

"We were in the Eagles Nest and the position of these remote cabins is spectacular. There are rooms in the main lodge area where you can walk to and from your cabin to meals. You drive your own vehicle to the cabins which are 5 Kms from reception.the location is blissfully quiet and the sunrise and sunsets are breathtaking from your own covered verandah. The cabins are deliberately rustic in style to blend with the environment but very well appointed and equipped and kept spotlessly clean. We lit the log fire one night and just enjoyed the silence and the view of the wonderful night sky which was a privilege and quite romantic.

We ate breakfast in the main lodge but did not eat there in the evening as we chose to eat during the day on our travels.

You can drive to Luderitz from here if you wish though it is a rather strange town with no real features of its own apart from the derelict diamond mining town on its outskirts which was fascinating to see and photograph.

The drive north from here is spectacular but again needs a 4WD vehicle and very careful negotiation and full concentration. Although the roads are challenging , we shared the driving and both found it exciting and would not have missed the ever changing and spectacular scenery for all the world."

"What a wonderful lodge this is with careful attention to detail,luxurious facilities and a very high ratio of staff to guests which makes for an unforgettable stay. Don't worry about the drive into the dune area, you won't really miss anything by arriving just after sunrise as the dunes cannot fail to impress at any time of the day or in any weather (we visited and walked up Big Daddy in a sandstorm).

The butler/dedicated waiter or waitress and the appointed driver for your stay is a very nice touch which we appreciated. The food is really excellent ,again,considering how remote this region is, but we thoroughly enjoyed high quality food and wine here.

Do go on the sundowner quad bike ride as it is fun, the scenery at sunset is unforgettable and the experience was very different and unforgettable as numbers are kept small."

"Good rooms which are very clean and adequately equipped. Breakfast is the same daily but, again, ticks the boxes.

The property is well located for walking to the coast,to restaurants and to the very good shopping in the centre of the town. Shop for gifts and souvenirs in this town as there is very little option elsewhere unless you stay in the capital which we did not.

The car park is small but parking on the road is safe and secure."

"It may look dark and forbidding but the main lodge is designed like a desert fort and the colour allows it to blend in with the surrounding boulders .The chalets are authentic in design and well placed and equipped . The views from your private deck area are fabulous and you are not overlooked. I just wished they had mosquito nets however. We did not sleep out under the stars as the night time insects were amazing to see but we didn't fancy them as bed fellows!

The bush dinner for guests is every Monday Wednesday and Friday and there does not appear to be an option to opt out. The food was a basic BBQ but it is beautifully done and eating out under the stars and being welcomed by the staff singing in a candlelit area of clear bush was really quite special and unforgettable.

The drive to the airfield to fly in any direction is a mere 5 minutes.

We saw desert adapted elephants in numbers here and Damaraland is such a beautiful area of Namibia ,not to be missed. The drive to here from Swakopmund was long and rough but the scenery certainly made up for it."

"Isolated but luxuriously appointed and an eco friendly property where we had some truly wonderful experiences that we shall never forget.

Supplies arrive weekly and can be delayed for all sorts of reasons and this happened during our stay due to rain causing flash floods further up stream. The staff work well to make up for any things that are in short supply which is a tribute to their dedication and professional teamwork.

The rooms are beautifully designed tented chalets with everything you could wish for.

There is not a huge amount of game to see and it was sad to learn of the death of the lions that were here up until 2016. The game drives are well worth the effort, especially to the flood plain area of the river and the sunsets are spectacular and a photographers dream.

When we visited there was water in the river so we flew both ways to the Skeleton Coast which is a day for the memory banks and should not be missed. If you stay 3 or more nights,that excursion is free ."

"This property is well camouflaged amongst the hills and boulders of this area and the chalets are well designed and equipped but enable you to feel you have had an authentic experience. We were in No 10 which was extremely quiet at the periphery of the property and enjoyed wonderful views and breathtaking sunsets.

The baboons pass a short distance away from this chalet at dawn and are quite a feature of this whole property. There are self guided walks which were a relief from all the driving. Most places during our trip advised against walking alone for all sorts of reasons (animals, scorpions and snakes and just getting lost).

We had some of the most consistently good food at this venue and a very good wine list. The local town is popular with craftspeople and artisans but sadly we didn't have time to explore.

This is a very good option to shorten the drive back to Windhoek but if you are driving straight to the airport for a midday flight then you will have to leave very early as the roadworks on the outskirts of the capital are a problem."

"We stayed just one night here which was a shame as the game is abundant, the accommodation luxurious and the spa treatments excellent.

The food was good but the service was the worst we had experienced in the entire trip with waiting staff having a very different, aloof attitude to guests that we had not encountered before. This was the only negative point.

The massage therapy was inexpensive (compared with UK prices) and of a very high and professional standard.

This must be a wonderful place to spend a long weekend if you live locally or in S Africa itself."