Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs F from Lancashire

"A lovely relaxing place to stay for one night. There is a resident springbok and oryx allowing an unusual opportunity for a close encounter.

The food here is excellent and meals are taken at separate tables, I am delighted to say."

"The new border post at Mata Mata is an absolute pleasure.Friendly and super efficient staff. Our tent had a good view of the waterhole but quite a distance away.

The bedroom was very comfortable and spacious. The separate kitchen tent had everything you could need. If there is a problem, the warden calls every day and is always helpful."

"Very comfortable chalet accommodation.

Sitting out in the evening this year was eerily quiet. There was no hum of activity as people prepared their barbecues and I missed that. However there is a shop, restaurant and fuel station."

"This tent was shabbier than the one we had earlier. There was a hole in the floor where a piece of the floorboard had fallen through, which I pointed out to the warden and no stick to close the air vents.

It was at this waterhole we saw a lone cheetah."

"There are only four double rooms here so we felt fortunate that the other guests were so friendly. Each room has a private sitting area overlooking the waterhole. We stayed only one night here but saw two lions, who had eyes only for each other and a leopard.

The warden is always on site and ever watchful."

"We arrived back here before 10am but according to the very young boy in charge, the tents were booked up and wouldn't you know we were back in the shabby tent, complete with the hole in the floor and missing air-vent stick.

On reporting it, this time the floor was mended quickly."

"This place is in town close to a supermarket and the banks. It has a luxury feel about it. Very clean and smart. There is a central lawned area with tables and chairs where you can sit with a drink in the sun.

The restaurant runs efficiently and the food is delicious."

"The room was comfortable and suitable for an overnight stop. There was coffee and cookies on request. It's a very pretty place but not a great deal to do other than visit the nearby copper mine.

Meals are taken around one table, so if the other guests are all the same nationality, conversation can be limited or non-existent."

"Only 15 minutes drive from Sossusvlei gate this lodge has everything you want and more.There is an outdoor bathroom-bliss - or indoor if you wish.We got the warmest welcome ever and treated more like friends than guests. Fresh milk was put in our fridge for the coffee machine instead of the powdered variety and also a breakfast pack for our Sossusvlei trip.

Even the troublesome tailgate lock on the 4x4 was mended for us.

I urge you to give this place a try. You'll be glad you did. At least 2 nights.

Tomas is a star!"

"Recently very nicely modernised,yet it still retains the cottage feel. The neat self-contained cottages are behind a locked gate.

I love staying here as it's so easy to walk to the shops and restaurant at night.

The breakfast is also updated and warm food is now offered as a choice."

"Clean,comfortable rooms and lovely food served (hooray) at separate tables. A very friendly atmosphere.There is a waterhole with a hide by the swimming pool much favored by the elephants, but for the more enthusiastic viewer, one of the staff will drive you down to a more distant waterhole with a hide raised high above the ground. This one is visited by a wider variety of animals.

Book well in advance to ensure a night in the tree house. An experience not to be missed.

Thank you, Steve and Louise for your kindness during our stay with you. You are excellent hosts. We always try to book 2-3 nights with you on our trips."

"Very good ,comfortable ,clean chalet. A large kitchen with cutlery and pans but nothing to warm the pans! No cooking facilities whatsoever. And nowhere to put the suitcases- except the floor.

The waterhole is a good one but does get busy-with people that is. Don't think you've missed anything if all the smart seats are occupied. The stone seats have been warmed by the sun and keep you warm all evening.

No ATM yet either in Etosha."

"Very nice and clean room. No cooking facilities. Curtains on the bedroom windows would be useful!

Nowhere to put the suitcases.

A good waterhole but very uneven rocks to negotiate in the dark."

"A very pleasant place for an overnight stop. Lovely happy people and ever helpful. We had a very close up view of white rhino with calves on a game drive.

There are some unusual animals here, at least, I'd not seen any. Black springbok and white blesbok."

"Overall an agreeable lodge.We appreciated the private patio at the rear of the chalet, which also allowed a very personal viewing of animals visiting the waterhole. The food was first class although, as a vegetarian, I was disappointed that there was no alternative to the chicken dinner on the second night.

On the game drive,we were rather discontented that, in the rear of the vehicle, we were unable to hear the driver's comments. We were fortunate that the other passengers, a Dutch couple, relayed the dialogue to us.

We both felt that the owner, Barney,(?) really did not want to be involved with the guests."

"The hotel was less smart than expected but was conveniently placed in the town centre.The external air-con unit was placed dangerously at head height. However, any shortcomings were outweighed by the tea-making facilities in the room, secure parking, TV and air conditioning, friendly, helpful staff and really excellent food.

The waiter, Aobakwe, was extremely obliging and, amazingly, appeared to be running the restaurant single-handedly."

"A very satisfying wilderness experience. We were priveleged to be in accommodation directly above a waterhole giving unusual views of the wildlife from above. There is a roomy hide on the cliff face down a difficult path, (not for the faint hearted) allowing an even better and closer game viewing experience.

Tasty food seved as a buffet but disappointingly for me, chicken curry.

We had a very good,informative guide, Max, and a good game drive to the Makgadagadi.

Although it is personal preference, we are not happy when forced to eat at one table with the other guests, but here the English-speaking were put together."

"Tasty food and several vegetarian options, although we did not get what we ordered it was good food.

Comfortable round chalets but tricky to find in the dark. A quiet peaceful place away from the main lodge."

"Having the best room on the boat made these two days the highlight of the entire holiday for me. The food was excellent and the rooms cleaned and tidied very discreetly. I cannot praise the crew too highly.They were all exceptionally polite, attentive and always very smartly dressed. Nothing was too much trouble for them.

We would have enjoyed a little more time actually travelling on the river."

"We believe we had the best room here, with a private balcony allowing views over the lovely garden and river. The management team were friendly and eager to please. Happily going to any lengths to spoil their guests, even joining us for meals on our private outdoor table.

We were treated more like valued friends than paying guests. The food and service were top class and the tea making equipment in the room was very much appreciated.

We took an enjoyable river trip with Bevan, a polite and informative guide."

"+9In contrast to The Garden Lodge this camp was one of our less enjoyable experiences.

We arrived at lunchtime hot and tired.Tea was ordered for us but after a considerable wait we were brought strong coffee. Although I was assured that the kitchen staff were aware that I am vegetarian, I was served meat at each meal.

We booked a morning game drive, and after travelling 15 minutes the driver was called back to camp as the manager had forgotten to tell the driver there were another four guests booked on it. We were allowed extra time to compensate and it was a very good drive. John, the driver, who also doubled as the waiter and barman, was a very competent guide. However, on returning to camp, the six of us sat down at table together for lunch.

My order of cheese and tomato toastie and tea arrived as ham, cheese and tomato with a good deal of raw carrot chunks, and coffee, which I sent back. By the time my meal arrived I was eating alone as everyone else had finished. At dinner, having been served meat yet again,the plate was taken away and returned only with the meat removed, leaving just rice, carrots and green beans. All of which are very nice but make a very unexciting meal.

In my opinion the camp needs more enthusiastic management and certainly supervision."

"The accommodation here was a newly built brick cottage by the river quite a way from the main lodge. Although not quite finished the newly tiled bathroom was beautifully decorated.

The food was very good and served as a buffet. Nkwazi has a happy, serene atmosphere."

"A very agreeable place to stay and convenient for Etosha Park. There is a raised seating area with comfortable seats where you can sit with a gin to look over the waterhole. The reception area also has a useful shop with postcards and stamps, which seemed to be in short supply up to this point. Julia, the charming receptionist also offered to post my cards for me, for which the lodge went up further in my estimation.

The food was good and the waiters amiable and obliging.

We felt very welcome here."

"The circular chalet we were in had lovely comfortable rooms but lacked curtains. There were no cooking facilities but still we had a kettle and basic crockery and cutlery.

The food in the restaurant was very good and the chef made excellent omelettes for breakfast.

The waterhole has a large seating area and never fails to draw rhinos at night."

"A very comfortable room with TV and air-con. There was a small sitting area at the back looking on to the pool and the animals. A self-drive or a walk through their private game park is an option.

The shop was only opened when the owner was on site. This was the first time in fourteen years of holidaying in Africa that a lodge refused to confirm our flights. Otherwise I would have said the service was excellent.

Although this is a very pleasant place to stay, one night is enough."