Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs B from Ceredigion

"This was more like a 5 star hotel rather than a guest house, certainly one of our favourites during our trip. Our room was on the ground floor with French doors to the side garden. It was squeaky clean with a VERY comfortable bed and lovely bathroom.

The staff here were wonderful, nothing was too much trouble. They helped with driving suggestions and directions, booked taxis and reservations for evening meals and were always sociable without being intrusive.

The food at breakfast was excellent with a good choice of cereals, meats and fruit followed by anything cooked on request and everything was of high quality and beautifully presented. The communal areas were bright, well decorated and immaculately clean.

Unfortunately it was too cold to make use of the pool, but if we ever returned to Cape Town, we would have no hesitation in recommending and staying here- we loved it!"

"Our pool suite was huge, unfortunately it was too cold to make use of the small private pool. The hotel is set back from the main road but an easy stroll to all shops and some restaurants. The suite was clean and the bed huge and very comfortable. The communal areas were spotless and there is a nice roof top terrace to enjoy the beautiful mountain views. All drinks were free from the communal bar area in the main lounge.

Staff were very attentive and helpful and if you are planning on doing the very fine restaurants and wineries; this hotel would be ideal.

Breakfast offer was good and the cooked menu offer quite fancy."

"A wonderful hotel set on the cliff path with incredible views of the ocean [we saw Whales from our balcony]; also the mountains.

Staff were wonderful, extremely helpful and sociable and nothing was too much trouble. Megan booked taxis for us, gave advice on local restaurants and made suggestions for driving routes of interest.

We were in room 10 upstairs with a large terrace. The room was very clean and the bed extremely comfortable. We really like the relaxed atmosphere here. The only slight negative comment was that the bathroom smelt quite musty but this did not detract from our enjoyment of this lovely hotel.

Breakfast was excellent with a good choice of cerals, cold meats and fruit and they even had marmite for our toast! There was also a good choice of cooked items to order and these were cooked beautifully.

The comunal areas were clean, very comfy and bright and airy. The pool area was stunning but un fortunately it was too cold for a swim! We would certainly recommend this hotel as a great place to stay with excellent service and facilities."

"As we would only be staying here one night, we did not expect too much as the Hotel is on the airport and is used often for a transitory stay. We were pleasantly surprised. The hotel was easy to find, the staff were superbly helpful and the communal areas were beautiful; spotlessly clean, bright and welcoming.

Our room was on the third floor with a wet room shower actually in the room, which was very clean. The bed was really comfortable with good pillows. The carpet was rather worn and a little grubby but this was not surprising given the amount of use.

We ate in the restaurant for an evening meal and breakfast the next morning and the food was superb.

Certainly happy to recommend this hotel and we loved their 'eco-friendy' ethos."

"This was our most favourite place on the whole of our trip. We had an amazing chalet with absolutely breathtaking views of the river and plains below. The chalet was clean and very comfortable and every possible requirement had been thought of- good tea and coffee making facilities, bathroom toiletries, patio furniture and service that really was EXCEPTIONAL!

The staff and Managers made this the beautiful place it is and the food served was of the highest quality. We took part in game drives, a river cruise on the Chobe and a visit to a local school to donate our 'Pack for a Purpose' contribution.

Lips collected us from the airport and Rambo was our tour guide for the time we stayed. He was amazing, patient and very informative about the area and it's animals. We had several amazing experiences: whilst sitting on the boat having lunch, a large bull elephant came to drink about only 12 foot away. We then saw very young ellie babies close by having mud baths - a truly emotional experience.

We came across some female lions with cubs and were blessed to see a large male lion who had just made a zebra kill. He walked quite nonchalantly across the front of our jeep. On the second night of our stay, we had an evening meal under the stars with a pit fire and the staff sang and danced; all breathtaking. The food produced was incredible both at the lodge and on trips.

We visited the school which Rambo had attended as a child and were fortunate to meet the Headmaster and spend time in the reception class.

This whole experience was truly the best part of our whole holiday and we feel so fortunate to have experienced it. Toff and Kiddy certainly know how to give excellent customer service and provide a dreamlike experience. The only negative was that we would loved to have stayed longer!! Ironically, we found out that the owners of this lodge only live a few miles from our home in the UK and that we have visited their village on many occasions!"

"This Hotel was much larger than the others we stayed in on our tour, the room we had was more akin to a house - a two storey lodge with lounge area, two loos and an upstairs bathroom and bedroom - all very clean and comfortable. We had a lovely balcony from which to sit and watch the amazing vista before us- bushland and a lovely waterhole.

The staff here were superb- exceptionally helpful and friendly; nothing was too much trouble. They helped with booking taxis and checking flights home etc.

The breakfast was incredible with a huge range of both hot and cold food on offer and the waiting staff were wonderful. We ate one evening in the restaurant and the food was superb; beautifully presented and of high quality. We loved the Vulture Conservation programme and watched the vulture feeding experience which was amazing. We did see some animals at the waterhole, impala, elephant, crocodiles and beautiful kudu which was unexpected.

We would be happy to recommend this hotel as a great place to stay with proximity to the falls and all that the area has to offer."

"This was our first stop on a month long trip and a lovely introduction to Namibia. We arrived late on a Sunday afternnon and were given a warm welcome by the staff.

The dune chalet was lovely, but sadly we did not see any animals visiting the waterhole. Our game drive with Pedro remains a special memory as it was our first and we were fortunate to see many animals and also a Kori Bustard which flew up in front of our jeep. The staff were very attentive to our needs and during the Cheehah viewing the guide was happy to answer any questions we had.

We did attempt one of the walks, but got rather lost! However, this was a good place to rest before our long drive to Fish River Canyon."

"We had a very long drive to the lodg from Bagatelle; and the final roads were very bumpy, but it was well worth it. The front garden was a riot of floral colour!

We were happy with the accomodation which had amazing views. The food was very very good and the staff very attentive. The swimming pool has an amazing view; but was not for the faint-hearted as even with the hot sunshine it was very cold!

We enjoyed our trip to the Canyon and felt it was good value for money. Howver, perhaps the highlight of our stay here was a visit to the farm and self sufficiency centre where we met other staff and saw the farm animals. This was free of charge and really worthwhile.

Nothing was too much trouble for the staff here and after reflection on the whole trip; felt that Canon Lodge was a really great place to stay for 2 nights."

"Afeter a long drive from Fish River Canyon, we were warmly welcomed by staff. We had a lovely room overlooking the sea from which we spotted a pateinet heron fishing! The first night we decided to eat 'A la-Carte' rather than the buffet and were disappointed. The food was not good; but upon commenting about this to the staff - the bill was reduced. The second evening we had the buffet which was actually good and better value.

The highlight of staying here were the two most amazing trips we had booked. The first was down through the Sperrgebiet and onto Bogenfells Rock Arch. We had fantastic guides and the atmosphere at the deserted mines was amazing! That trip was worth every penny! This was really fabulaous. From our first stop at the deserted mines; we really absorbed the atmosphere of the place. We have taken some amazing photos of the deserted buildings at Pomona and the guide was brilliant. Lunch at the old Schoolhouse was wonderful and gave us plenty of time to wander round. The cemetry was particularly poignant. We enjoyed the contrast in visting Bogenfells Rock Arch with the wild waves.

We later manager to buy the book ' the harsh and forbidden Sperrgebiet' book to learn more about this amazing place.

The second booked trip was out on the boat Sedina- where upon returning from Penguin Island; a hump back whale breached in front of our boat! What an amazing experience. A great trip. The skipper was fun, very knowledgeable and informative. We saw doplhins and penguins on our trip out and then the hump-back whale breached in front of our boat on the return journey- a truly magical experience and one we never expected from our Namibian trip.

It was fascinating to learn so much about the fishing industry and tides of Namibia too. Well worth it - even without the whale sighting- although that was the icing on the cake!

We did visit Kolmanskop on our final morning which was good; but after the Sperrgebiet was rather an anti-climax."

"This lived up to it's wonderful reputation in terms of location; and is probably our favourite! We had the Desert Vista chalet with the most amazing views we have ever experienced. The colours of the grasslands and the sunsets were wonderful during the time of our visit in May.

We had our meals at the main lodge. They were ok, but we did not take a BBQ or breakfast pack.We did one of the self guided walks which was the short one; and came back down over a mountain - rather hairy descending!

We also took part in the sundowner drive and saw many Kudu, wild horses and other animals. This is a place we would definitely return to. As with everywhere else on our trip, staff were wonderful.

En-route to our next stop, we visited the Commonwealth War Graves, which were quite intersting - especially seeing the names of British Soldiers; but sadly the site has not been well maintained and had a very run-down feeling."

"This sadly perhaps was the most disappointing of all the places we stayed.

The guides and lodge staff themselves were wonderful and the accomodation lovely. However, the food was appalling! Everything in the main course tasted as though it had loads of sugar in and we were sevred what seemed to be a stale rock hard sponge with thick lumps of custard on it for dessert. After our first meal here [ during which other people were also complaining]; we discreetly asked if we could speak with the Manager. Another memebr of staff spoke to us and asked us what the problem was. We gently asked if he would welcome any feedback upon the meal. which he welcomed and agreed with! We never did get to see the Manager and unfortunately the meal on the second evening was no better.

However, we had the most amazing trip with Severn and Villa who took us to Soussvlei for a Champagne Breakfast. Their knowledge and clear love of all things wild were brilliant. We also went on a pre-booked balloon trip over the dunes [with another Champagne Breakfast!] again a fabulous experince - despite having to leave about 4.00a.m. to dirive to Soussvlei. We also did an evening sundowner drive at the Desert Homestead where again, the guides were wonderful.

It was such a shame about the food as other elements of our stay here were wonderful."

"We loved this! Although it was in the middle of nowhere- the accomodation was fantastic and Johanna, Ernst and their two sons were wonderful company. Our room was amazing with a great bathroom - I understand these have been recent additions and they were very nice. The best linen on the whole trip!

We enjoyed the meals around the family table and the food was excellent. Nothing was too much trouble.

We did do the drive up the mountain to see the Rock Arch which as stated in Bullsport information is quite challenging for those with Vertigo! Sadly, the walk down to the arch, proved too much; both for my vertigo and for my husband who was feeling poorly as it was very very hot!

However, Johanna and Ernst's son took us on an evening scenic drive around the farm which was beautiful. This was a place we would return to. Thank you Johanna and Ernst for a lovely stay. Thank you too to your lovely son for cleaning our car!"

"We stayed here for 3 nights. Nothing was too much trouble for Sam. He was happy to share any information we needed and was a wonderful host. We did do the 5 course meal 2 nights running; but by the third night decided it really was too much for us! Sam kindly did us some very fancy toasted sandwiches instead.

From here we did the Sandwich Harbour trip with Wayne; which was fantastic. The llunch in the desert was brilliant and driving up the dunes was a real adrenaline thrill! We also saw much wildlife including a 'fly-over of pelicans which was fantastic. AN EXCELLENT TRIP. WE ESPECIALLY ENJOYED ALL THE WILDLIFE- FLAMINGOS, PELICANS AND SEA BIRDS. WAYNE THE GUIDE WAS GREAT COMPANY AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. WE SAW THE CARAPACE OF A SADLY LONG DEAD TURTLE, DISCOVERED THE ARCHEOLOGICAL REMAINS LEFT BY LONG AGO INHABITANTS, THE SHOVEL SNOUTED LIZARD AND LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THE DIFFERENT DUNES. THE LUNCH WAS EXCELLENT AND THE WHOLE DAY WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY. Thank you Wayne.

We also did the kayaking trip with the seals which was good; even for my non-swimming husband and Jean was especially helpful when we kept losing control of our Kayak. This was a great fun morning. We enjoyed the trip out to Pelican point as much as the kayaking itself. Despite my husband being a non-swimmer Jean had provided a double kayak and was very encoouraging. Although we had 'co-ordination challenges' in mastering the kayak and I managed to capsize it when getting out- Jean was lovely and very patient with us! The shipwrecks made lovely photo opportunities and to have been surrounded by all those baby seals and observe the flamingos was lovely. Jean kindly e-mailed us some pictures after our return which was very kind. The rolls and coffee were much appreciated and it was a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning. Thank you Jean.

We ventured into Swakopmund a couple of times - once to the Kristall Gallerie which was lovely for buying pressies and another for a Sunday afernoon stroll. I recommend Sam's for pampering!"

"The journey to Grootberg from Swakopmund was very long and evry very bumpy; but the scenery en-route was amazing!

The trip up to the lodge itself in an old bus was rather fun and we had a lovely welcome from the staff. The lodge staff were very friendly and sang songs for us after dinner which was great.

We were very fortunate that on the tracking for Desert Elephants we came across 3 huge bull elephants; so despite the searing heat and long walk- it was well worth it! The views from the lodge were perhaps it's best point.

Our chalet was in a fantastic location, but not too clean and their were mouse droppings in my bed! The resturant fllor and tables also neede a good clean- but any negatives were soon forgotten due to the lovely location and the brilliant staff."

"We were very surpised at our accomodation which was excellent - despite reading some poor reviews before we left. We stayed in a Bush Chalet.

The floodlit waterhole was perhaps even better than the park itself and although very cold at night [ in May]- observing something akin to the 'Lion King Prade' was exhillaring. We saw baby rhino's, jackals, giraffe and elephants as well as Eagles. Sadly, we saw no lion or Cheethah during our self drives round the park ; but Olliphantsbad waterhole and the Etosha Pan itself provided us views of a myriad of animals.

Food was ok; but again here the staff were wonderful.

The only negative was that we had not realised the camp fees were not included in our accomodation and one member of staff at the gate was very rude about this. However, overall this was a great place."

"What can we say - excellent staff, great food, lovely accomodation - one to savour!

Especially enjoyed the pool and watching the family of Warthogs on the lawn. The night fire and staff singing were much appreciated. A lovely place to spend our two days chilling out after a very hectic itinerary."

"This was another highlight of our trip. The accomodation at Bush Camp was lovely. The food was really excellent and the staff so attentive and happy to accomodate our every need. We especially enjoyed being able to open the sides of the chalet and watch the many birds that came down to feed and bathe at the bird bath.

We were so lucky to see Leopards at close quarters during the tracking trip, and a hyena with a kill. The guides were lovely and Albert was especially great fun and so informative. We did an evening sundowner trip and also watched the porcupines at the hide which was less good but still enjoyable.

We also went to track the Cheethah and spent a long time observing them. Nothing here was too much trouble for the staff and it really was a lovely place to stay for 2 nights near the end of our trip. Wish we had stayed longer. Thankyou."

"This was a very unique place to stay. The accomodation was lovely and despite the long trek up the steps, made up for by the views. The partially open-air bathroom and toilet were amusing! Although small and the water very very cold, the pool was a welcome relief from the heat; although it may have been better to have had loungers rather than canvas deckchairs which were both uncomfortable and mouldy from having been wet.

The staff here were especially lovely - hot water bottles were put in our beds at night!. Interim Managers were present during our 2 day stay; but they were very accomodating and rung the airport for us to confirm flights times for our return.

We did a sundowner drive with the guide David to Paula's cave which was lovely and made a very special end to our month long trip. We saw porcupines here and the most amazing selection of birds. Sadly, no sightings of animals at the floodlit waterhole although we did see tha black mongoose which was very special."