Central Lodge, as its name suggests, is centrally located in the town of Keetmanshoop. Although not one of Namibia's more picturesque towns, Keetmanshoop (considered the capital of the South) does have some handsome historic buildings and an interesting museum showcasing the town's past. Central Lodge and Keetmanshoop offer a comfortable place to stop over en-route to the Fish River Canyon, Lüderitz or the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa. It is also worth visiting the nearby Quiver Tree Forest and Giant's Playground during your time here.
Central Lodge offers a small oasis in what are otherwise, fairly arid surroundings. Guests step through the main entrance into a cool reception area where they are warmly welcomed by the staff.
Most of the 22 rooms are set around a courtyard of green, manicured lawn. A central fountain and well placed palm trees complete the atmosphere of tranquility. Each of the rooms are air-conditioned and furnished with comfortable beds, a writing desk, couch, coffee table and a small fridge. A built-in cupboard and luggage rack supplies ample storage space and tea/coffee facilities provide the chance for a revitalising boost after what is often a long drive to get here. Each room also has a TV and a telephone.
The en-suite bathrooms are fairly small in size but make up for the lack of space by being clean and functional. Each has flush toilet and shower. Our only comment is that we found the towels provided to be a little small! Four of the double rooms have a larger bathroom and boast a spa bath.
Of the 22 rooms, two are large enough for families with a double bed and three single beds. Central Lodge also has a self catering unit that can also sleep up to five people. There is a reasonable sized swimming pool partially cordoned off from the central courtyard, offering sunbathers a little privacy from guests walking to their rooms.
Although it is possible to ask the staff to recommend a restaurant for the evening meal, it is often easier to eat at the lodge's own a la carte restaurant. Central Lodge also has a fully licenced bar which is usually popular with Keetmanshoop locals as well as guests. Food and drinks can be ordered here throughout the day.
In conclusion… Central Lodge offers a comfortable bed and works well for a night's stopover between visiting Namibia's sights. There are no bells and whistles here but the owners have done enough to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere. Occasionally there is the odd maintenance problem but we found the staff always available for any queries we had during our visit.
Lodge overview
Lodge type: Town
No. of bedrooms: 22 rooms
Season: Open Year Round
Ideal length of stay: Well situated for a one night stopover between Namibia's more dramatic landscapes and sights.
Central facilities: Central Lodge has an a la carte restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. There is also a small bar which is well stocked with a wide variety of both local and South African beers, wines and spirits.
The gardens are well kept with a lovely green lawn and pretty water fountain forming a central feature. There is a swimming pool which is partially screened off from the garden and rooms providing some privacy to swimmers. Outdoor furniture is set up on the lawn surrounding the pool creating a nice area to relax with a drink or a quite lunch.
It is possible to store luggage with the reception staff if you'd like to explore Keetmanshoop a little further before continuing on your travels through Namibia.
Directions: Central Lodge is set on Fifth street in Keetmashoop, almost next to the town's Standard bank and near the information centre.
Accessible by: Self-drive
Key personnel
Owner: George Roux
Food & drink
Usual board basis: B&B
Food quality:Breakfast is usually served between 6 and 9am. A buffet layout offers a fairly standard guesthouse type fare including a variety of cereals, breads, cold meats, fruit, juice and yogurt. You'll also be offered a selection of cooked eggs. Tea and coffee is self service and there is a range of flavoured teas.
Various light meals are on offer for lunch. These are ordered directly from reception and include meals such as toasted sandwiches, salads and burgers.
Dinner is served in the restaurant between 6 and 9pm. An a la carte menu offers a variety of straight forward fish, steak and chicken meals. We tried out the Wiener Schnitzel with mushroom sauce which was tasty even if it wasn't gourmet!
Dining style: Inidividual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Room service: Yes
Drinks included: Drinks are not included
Children
Attitude towards children: Central Lodge welcomes families and has a few rooms that will easily accommodation parents and children.
Age restrictions: There are no age restrictions.
Equipment: Highchairs and cots are available on request.
Generally recommended for children: Yes
Central communications
Power supply: Mains Electricity - Always on
Communications: There are phones in each of the rooms at Central Lodge. If you are travelling with a mobile phone you will also have good network coverage in Keetmanshoop. Internet and fax facilities are also available in the office and can be used on request.
TV & radio: The lodge has DSTV (Digital Satellite Television) in all the rooms and an entertainment system in the restaurant and bar. Soft music is played throughout the day.
Health & safety
Malarial area: No
Medical care: The Keetmanshoop hospital is about 1km outside of the town centre. The Daan Viljoen clinic is about 10 min away from the lodge.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: The Central Lodge has a secure parking area and a security guard on duty throughout the day.
Fire safety: There are no fire extinguishers inside the rooms but there are a few evenly placed outside some of the rooms.
Extras
Disabled access: Not Possible
Laundry facilities: A laundry service is available for an extra charge.
Money: The Central Lodge does not accept or exchange foreign currency.
There are no safes in any of the rooms, but guests can lock their rooms or ask that valuables be stored in the office behind reception.
Accepted payment: Visa and MasterCard are accepted and do not attract any additional surcharges.
Central Lodge review
We were dissapointed with the family room at this place and glad we only booked one night. It was worn down and have definitely seen better days. E.g. the curtains were very dirty and fell down when y...
Central Lodge review
It was a bit of a let down after Anib - the AC wasn't working and it was cold - we were supplied with a heater which did the job. The fountain was lovely and lit up.
We ate in the resturant w...
Central Lodge review
The only let down was the room. I appreciate they gave us the room nearest to the facilities because of John's disability, however, the room was dated, too many beds crammed in and a strong smell...
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Central Lodge homepage This website is light on information but to get a small overview take a look at it.
