Sandfontein lodge – far south of Namibia
September 3, 2012!Uris Safari Lodge
September 3, 2012A fusion of art, comfort and style
by Yolanda Nel
Nestled in the Auas Mountains, perched atop a hill overlooking the Khomas Hochland Valley, Guesthouse Terra Africa is situated in Old Olympia, far enough for visitors to break away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but close enough to one of Windhoek’s premier shopping malls for them to access city conveniences.
Guests are greeted with a touch of Africa when walking into the guesthouse. Adorned with masks and artwork and furnished with local products, Terra Africa showcases the love its owners have for Namibia and shares it with the world. The ten guest rooms are simply decorated, with care given to detail, ensuring a comfortable African ambience.
Manager Rolf Hansen shares his love of art with displays of work by prominent Namibian artists Nico Roos, Helena Brandt and others from his personal collection. “I want to keep Namibian art in the country for future generations.”
The Hansen family and partner Hermann Locher have owned the guesthouse – which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year – for almost five years. Walking through and admiring the attention to detail, it is difficult to envisage that the starting journey of this establishment was one of maxing credit cards to buy the first supplies and get the dream going.
“Back in 2006 the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Namibia was one of the first clients to place their trust in the new Terra Africa. They checked two of their visiting dignitaries in for two months, but had to pay their account weekly to keep our cash flow going,” reminisces Hansen.
Today the owners of Terra Africa are proud of a string of local and international hospitality awards and recognition. The establishment sports a comfortable 97% occupancy rate and a dedicated team to ensure that visits are memorable.
Hansen says that keeping an open mind for suggestions and formulating a winning product with advice from booking agents has moulded Terra Africa into a harmonious product that fuses comfort, style and pricing, which is appreciated both by locals and by travellers from abroad. “It takes patience, faith and a lot of hard work to make a success in this industry.” (YN)
This article appeared in the Feb/March 2011 edition of Travel News Namibia.
