Hammerstein Lodge

“Excellent hosts - with lots of country music”

We used this lodge as a base for our visits to Deadvlei. The room was just what we wanted and our hosts were excellent -very friendly, polite and helpful (even better if you like country music) The packed lunches were excellent and allowed us to leave nice and early in order to get to Deadvlaie a... more

We used this lodge as a base for our visits to Deadvlei. The room was just what we wanted and our hosts were excellent -very friendly, polite and helpful (even better if you like country music) The packed lunches were excellent and allowed us to leave nice and early in order to get to Deadvlaie as early as we could. We did have one meal where the meat wasn't very edible - very fatty and not nice, but there was a very nice chicken alternative so we were happy. The lodge also offers a "nature drive" but be careful if you are expecting "wild" animals - they are really captive. We did get to see white rhino close up at a water hole, but this is just a water hole at an adjacent lodge. Time here was also limited - we were photographing the white rhino when we were told 5 more minutes. We would have liked a little longer. Also the drivers pull over some distance from the animals to tell you all about them - frustrating when you just want to get closer and see them.

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“Excellent service outweighs the basic facilities”

No one who has visited the Hammerstein Lodge would accuse it of being a luxury property with the latest décor, it's very dated in terms of it's looks and facilities, but what it lacks in facilities and interior design it makes up for in friendliness and a keenness to make guests feel welcome. Che... more

No one who has visited the Hammerstein Lodge would accuse it of being a luxury property with the latest décor, it's very dated in terms of it's looks and facilities, but what it lacks in facilities and interior design it makes up for in friendliness and a keenness to make guests feel welcome. Check in was smooth and efficient. Our room was basic, with no TV, safe, fridge or Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi is supposed to be available in reception, but I couldn’t connect there either during my two-night stay. The room did have a small wardrobe, mosquito net, small bathroom with a shower. Lighting and power sockets in the room were good, and the bed was comfortable. The bathroom was small and basic, but fine for a couple of nights with a shower, sink and toilet. Breakfast and dinner are buffets, the food was tasty, wholesome, and plentiful. Service was excellent. We found the same level of service in the well stocked bar. We were especially grateful to Oliver at Reception, after he booked us a game drive at short notice where in a neighbouring game reserve we saw white rhinos, jackals, zebra, wildebeests, and elands, before enjoying a sundowner beer. The game drives although extra are very much recommended, I also went on another one. The location of the Hammerstein Lodge is good for exploring the dunes and other attractions in the Sossusvlei area, but the Hammerstein Lodge is in a remote location, there is nothing nearby bar a few other places to stay. If you want luxury and all mod cons then this place doesn’t fit that description, but if want a warm welcome and just a place to lay your head while you explore the region or just pass through, this lodge will fit the bill.

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“Into the Red Dunes in Namibia”

Good clean accommodation in the heart of a desert setting. Helpful staff and good breakfast and dinner. It was a bit cool in the evening so sat by a lovely open fire in the bar. Enjoyed an afternoon game drive and good evening meal and breakfast

“Very basic accommodation with outlying rooms”

I knew this was going to be basic but there was meant to be wi-fi in the reception areas - in reality there wasn't a sniff of any. The buffet meals were ok (we got to try oryx rather than the usual beef) but tended to be only lukewarm after being left out. The worst element for me though was th... more

I knew this was going to be basic but there was meant to be wi-fi in the reception areas - in reality there wasn't a sniff of any. The buffet meals were ok (we got to try oryx rather than the usual beef) but tended to be only lukewarm after being left out. The worst element for me though was that a housekeeper robbed me of my belongings! To their credit, the lodge manager dealt with this swiftly and was able to get the items back, sack the staff member and call the police to take him away. However, he was able to do this largely because many of the rooms are away from the main property. My block (rooms 64-68) is a particular outlier and actually a little scary to walk to in the dark of an evening. The staff do try their best for you though.

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“Average/poor lodge.”

The location is nice. The room was small, the beddings a bit dirty and the cushions smelled a bit funny… The door was hard to open and close, it was making a loud noise. The walls are quite thin so you can hear anyone outside of the room going up and down the stairs. The staff is nice and the foo... more

The location is nice. The room was small, the beddings a bit dirty and the cushions smelled a bit funny… The door was hard to open and close, it was making a loud noise. The walls are quite thin so you can hear anyone outside of the room going up and down the stairs. The staff is nice and the food is good. The swimming pool wasn’t looking that good. I would give this hotel a rate between two and three points on five.

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