Written by Lena Melcher

In January, I went on a trip through Namibia with my friend Dominic. Here, I share everything that happened at the different accommodations we stayed in. I’ll walk you through my first-hand experience: the ups, the downs and everything in between. I’ll be dishing out on all the details every traveller is desperate to know – from vegan breakfast options all the way to Wi-Fi internet speeds. Let’s get started!

Our first stop: The Elegant Guesthouse in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek.

Location

Flying in from Cape Town, South Africa, we landed in Hosea Kutako Airport in no time. We collected our car straight from the airport and were able to kick-start our self-drive adventure. A short 30-minutes’ drive took us to our first stay – the Elegant Guesthouse. It’s located just outside the capital which offers a perfect balance between exploring the lively city yet still enjoying the peaceful surroundings.

Activities

Windhoek was a day to take it easy before launching into more remote destinations. There are a few activities worth your time, so it’s always recommended to extend your trip by a few days to really dig into this neat capital. All the roads are well-maintained, so driving around was super smooth. A 5-minutes’ drive from the guesthouse, we spent the evening at Joe’s Beerhouse which I strongly recommend! I loved it because of the relaxed, stylish atmosphere. They had chill music, great food (vegetarian options!) and delicious Namibian beer. What more can you ask for?

Rooms

In total, the Elegant Guesthouse has 18 separate rooms and they’re all stunning. The interior design is modern and manages to incorporate elements of Namibian culture. The rooms were equipped with air conditioning and the bathrooms were stocked with toiletries from Healing Earth – an African brand that uses only natural and organic ingredients. There was also a designated workspace inside each room. So, if you need to cram in a few emails before rolling out, this is the place to do it.

Outside the rooms, there was plenty of space to unwind after our flight. The garden was absolutely breathtaking! The chairs were well spaced out, so social distancing was easy. There was also a small pool – more for dips than Olympic strides, but refreshing nonetheless – and a nearby outdoor fireplace for colder evenings.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi was available all throughout the guesthouse. The speed fluctuated slightly but it was still enough to send WhatsApps, check emails and browse my socials. I was told that connection will drop on the road so I used the opportunity to download my favourite podcasts, playlists and necessary maps before heading out. I urge anyone going on a self-drive to do the same.

They also had standard European adapters so if you’re coming from Europe, you’re all set.

Food

As a vegetarian, finding something suitable to eat in a new destination requires some research. Luckily, the Elegant Guesthouse offered a diverse menu catering to different palettes. I really loved that they had vegan and vegetarian meals too. There was a cool self-service bar called the Honesty Bar. You could pick whatever you wanted and either leave the money on the counter and let them know or just pay at checkout; hence, the name ‘honesty’. The wine was South African and the beer was from Windhoek and you know eating and drinking local is the sustainable traveller’s way! Want some more sustainable travel hacks? We’ve got you covered.

Sustainability

When I spoke to Mathilda, the manager, she gave me straightforward answers about their sustainability efforts, which was reassuring. She explained their main efforts are in clean energy and water conservation. During the summer, rooms are fully powered by renewable solar energy from the scorching Namibian sun. In winter, when it’s not so sunny, they sometimes need to switch to conventional electricity. In terms of water management, every bathroom has a bucket to save up on water and reuse when possible.

My highlights

• 100% solar powered in summer – Green energy goals!

• Lush garden inside – Beautiful flowers and cool shade, sign me up!

• Pool to refresh yourself – Take a dip and relax before heading out.

Is it for you?

If you’re looking for something to charge up before heading out to Namibia’s wilder destinations, I would definitely suggest spending a night at The Elegant Guesthouse.

In 3 words: Calm, accessible, garden