Central Guest House, Swakopmund
August 22, 2012Hotel Bundu n See, Swakopmund
August 22, 2012There’s more to Henties than just fishing
by Marita van Rooyen
What started out as owner Irien Ferreira’s holiday house in Henties Bay has evolved into the Desert Rendezvous Bed and Breakfast, one of the foremost accommodation establishments in the coastal resort.
With only four rooms, Desert Rendezvous offers a personalised touch and is perfect for self-drivers travelling with their families or a group of close friends, basically people who prefer to be away from the crowds. Each of the two luxury suites has its own bathtub and shower (with separate toilet) and a small sitting-room area. The two standard rooms currently share a bathroom, but this will change soon, as Irien is planning a few structural modifications. Rooms are equipped with flat-screen television (DStv), mini-bar and coffee-making facilities that include home-baked rusks and cookies. The braai area in the courtyard is a great place to celebrate after a few big ones have been pulled out of the cold Atlantic Ocean. Please note that fish should be cleaned at the beach or at Skubbe Bar before bringing it back to the braai.
Activities arranged further afield
“But,” says Irien, “Henties is not only a fisherman’s town. There’s much more to the place than just fishing!” Visits to the Messum Crater and Strathmore South Tin Mine, also known as Namibia’s Dead Sea, are some of the activities often overlooked by visitors. Desert Rendezvous can also organise cycling, sightseeing, touring, hiking, golf and 4×4 excursions. Irien will furthermore gladly organise trips to Twyfelfontein, Kaokoland, Etosha, Spitzkoppe, Omaruru and other destinations in Namibia. For extra entertainment Desert Rendezvous offers bookcases filled with novels, magazines and information brochures, as well as board games.
Breakfast is prepared by Irien and one of her ever-friendly helpers, Judith Gerises, or Karlien Tsibes, and includes home-made bread rolls that are perfectly crunchy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside—just one of many reasons to return next year for another family holiday, or for the annual Fish Festival. Lunch and dinner are prepared on request. Soft music in the background adds to the ambience, while fine porcelain rounds off the classical, but modern feel.
A definite plus is the fact that up to two cars can be parked in the garage, away from the rust and coastal breeze. Easy to find, Desert Rendezvous is on the corner of Strandloper Street as you enter town from the Swakopmund side.
This article appeared in the Dec ‘10/ Jan ‘11 edition of Travel News Namibia.
