Hotel Bundu n See, Swakopmund

Central, comfortable and affordable

by Ron Swilling

A new breath of energy swept into the Atlanta Hotel when Ina and Teuns Janson took over the old hotel situated across from the Hansa Hotel in Hendrik Witbooi Street, Swakopmund.

Willem Janson, Teuns’s father, was on a cycling trip from Möwe Bay to Upington when he passed through Swakopmund and saw the Atlanta Hotel was up for sale. Already a hotelier owning the Bundu Country Lodge in South Africa, the Atlanta caught his attention. In May 2008 the three Jansons bought it and Willem returned to South Africa, leaving the husband-and-wife team to add their fresh touch to the old-style building. They changed the name to Bundu n See, keeping the Bundu connection and adding the See (Afrikaans for sea) to denote the coastal setting.

For the first five months, the team revamped the existing rooms, adding a few more to increase the capacity to 20 units positioned on the first floor above the reception area, Ombo Restaurant and Bar. They changed the interior of the bar, including a mural of a desert seaside scene with flamingos and pelicans, transforming it into a quieter more tourist-friendly facility.

Close to restaurants

The Ombo Restaurant, specialising in ostrich dishes, offers breakfast buffets to the Bundu n See guests, but the team keeps breakfasts optional, giving guests the choice of eating in any other of the many Swakopmund coffee shops.

Centrally situated, the hotel is surrounded by the Swakopmund shops and restaurants, and within easy walking distance of the beach.

The occupancy rate has picked up since the Hotel Atlanta days. Teuns says they cater to a healthy mix of clientele, including tourist groups, self-drivers, South Africans and Namibians. A small conference facility accommodates up to 16 people, and secure off-the-street parking and a security guard ensure peace of mind.

The couple explains that their selling point is their central location, and that price-wise they offer comfortable and affordable accommodation that compares well with other establishments in the area. They see Bundu n See as a work in progress, ma-king it their policy to continually improve on standards.

www.bundunsee.co.na

This article appeared in the Dec ‘10/ Jan ‘11 edition of Travel News Namibia.