The Canon Roadhouse is situated 25km from the Fish River Canyon, making it a great stop whilst visiting this magnificent spot. It is slightly further away from the canyon than its two sister lodges, the Canon Village and the Canon Lodge. Though it is smaller and very charming, with very similar standards in service and hospitality.
The Canon Roadhouse is a lovely, small and intimate lodge with friendly staff and an old farmhouse feel to it. The interior is very comfortable and full of character – you feel like you are stepping back in time as you enter the lodge. Old antiques adorn the inside of the lodge and if you look around you can find wonderful pieces of furniture - such as an old gas burning stove with an beaten copper kettle on top.
The Canon Roadhouse is small with only 9 rooms, all of which are built around a small garden. Here you will find desert adapted plants such as the mopane aloe and small quiver trees. The rooms are simply furnished yet they are cool and comfortable, making them a lovely place to stay.
The Canon Roadhouse does not have a separate lounge area, however guests will find plenty of seating in the restaurant. You can sit either indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather, or head to the nearby bar. In the bar there are a few stools to sit at and a variety of drinks on offer.
The lodge has a lovely large pool which is just a short walk away from the main areas. The pool sits in the middle of the bush and has comfortable loungers to relax on dotted around the sides.
During your stay at the Canon Roadhouse, you can explore the surrounding area in your own vehicle. Conveniently the lodge has a small fuel station where guests can fill up. However if you prefer, there is also the option of heading out on a morning or afternoon nature drive with one of the lodges guides. Slightly more adventurous activities such as horse riding or scenic flights over the Fish River can be organized with the nearby Canon Lodge.
The Canon Roadhouse is an incredibly charming, informal and relaxed lodge where time seems to stand still. It has the feel of a small farm settlement - sitting on the front patio you would almost expect to see a horse drawn carriage to pull up or someone on horseback to pass by. When we were last there, if we hadn't seen the computer in the internet corner, we would have been convinced that we were staying in a century gone by.
We felt that the lodge had a rather quaint farmhouse atmosphere. It was certainly comfortable and welcoming with helpful attentive staff.
Central facilities: The Canon Roadhouse does not have a lounge; guests can either sit out on the restaurant patio or in its inside area. To the far left of the restaurant, there is a small internet corner, with one computer, especially set up for guests to use.
The bar area is just beside the inside restaurant, through an arched doorway. It sits in a slightly dimmed corner – it almost feels like it could be night time, even though outside it is broad daylight. The bar is built of stone, with a wooden counter top and a number of comfortable high wooden barstools with footrests to sit on.
The Canon Roadhouse's swimming pool is a short walk away from the main lodge area, up a few steps. Sitting slightly raised above the surrounding natural bush, you can enjoy the scenery whilst you enjoy a relaxing swim. Or simply lie on one of the many loungers and sunbathe, whilst relaxing and enjoying the tranquility.
There is a curio shop in the main reception area of the lodge, with a wide selection of African curios to choose from. When we were last visiting the Canon Roadhouse, they had items marked down in a special “sales corner”.
Directions: The Canon Roadhouse is situated 15km along the C37 (the main gravel road leading to Hobas, the Fish River Canyon) and the turn off to the lodge is clearly signposted. The lodge's name is displayed in bold white paint on an old, rusted pick-up truck.
Accessible by: Self-drive or Fly-and-Transfer
Key personnel
Owner: Lodge Management Company
Staff: Camp/Lodge Manager: Brigitte and Simon
Guide: Vienick Rooi
Guide:
Chef: Franswaa, Sakkie, Richard and Timo (work on rotation)
Food & drink
Usual board basis: Half Board
Food quality: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served in The Canon Roadhouse's restaurant. Breakfast is served buffet-style with a choice of cereals, fruits and a full English breakfast. Fruit juices, coffee and tea are also available.
Lunch and dinner are both informal affairs, served from an a la carte menu. When we were last there the menu had a variety of choices, including fresh salads and sandwiches for lunch. For dinner the menu had an array of international-style cuisine.
Dining style: Inidividual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Room service: Yes on request but is not standard.
Drinks included: Drinks are not included, they are at an extra charge to be paid for directly at the lodge.
Special interests
Photographic: The Canon Roadhouse is situated 25km from the Fish River Canyon's View point, one of Namibia's most photographed natural attractions.
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for Photographic
Walking: The Canon Roadhouse offers a short hiking trail with views over the mountains. You can also drive out to the Fish River Canyon and do short walks around the area, or even arrange longer guided hikes lasting 4-5 days inside the Fish River Canyon itself – perhaps using the roadhouse as your base at the start and end of your trip.
- See more of our suggestions of the best places for Walking
Children
Attitude towards children: Yes
Age restrictions: No age restriction
Activities: There are no specific activities here for children, but they do have a lovely big pool.
Equipment: The Canon Roadhouse does not have any cots or highchairs for children.
Generally recommended for children: Yes
Central communications
Power supply: Mains Electricity
Communications: The Canon Roadhouse has an internet corner in the main lodge area, where you can also make telephone calls via the internet using phone cards – these are sold at the lodge. There is no mobile reception at the Canon Roadhouse .
TV & radio: There is no TV or radio
Health & safety
Malarial area: No
Medical care: The nearest doctor can be found in Keetmanshoop, however in cases of emergencies guests will be flown out to Windhoek. The Canon Roadhouse 's nearby sister lodge, the Canon Lodge has a plane permanently based there.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: There are no security guards on duty, when we were last there the lodge manager advised us that they do not deem it necessary.
Fire safety: There are no fire extinguishers in the rooms, however we where told that they do have some near the office and main lodge area.
Extras
Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: Laundry service is possible for an extra charge.
Money: No they do not exchange any foreign currencies. They don't exchange travellers' cheques unless they are in South African Rand.
Accepted payment: You can pay for any extras using Namibian dollars or South Africa rand cash. Travellers' cheques in South African rand are also accepted and you can use both Visa and Mastercard.
We want you to understand more about Canon Roadhouse. We're also confident that a trip there with us cost you the same or less than booking it any other way, even directly. So follow the links below.
Homepage This is a pretty sparse homepage for the Canyon Roadhouse - but it is the best there is! The roadhouse is part of the 'Gondwana Desert Collection' group of hotels.
