Amanpuri Travellers Lodge, Swakopmund

One of the longstanding budget lodges in Swakopmund, Amanpuri Travellers Lodge does a job for a particular market with no frills.

The Location

Located on the corner of Moses Garoeb and Anton Lubowski Avenue, it's just a five-minute walk into the city center; its prominent signage and large frontage makes it very easy to find.

Rooms and Bathrooms

There is quite a collection of rooms here, including twin, double, and family rooms, all en suite. For budget travelers, there are four dorms. They range from seven to eighteen beds and they are mostly for school or tour groups rather than backpackers, but all are en suite. The seven-bed dorm that we occupied is plain but very clean and the beds are comfortable. We could have done with a bit more bedding then the single duvet, as the nights are cold in Swakopmund in the winter. The room is spacious with a couple of bedside tables and a wardrobe for storage. A wall safe is also provided for valuables. There is also a TV on the wall, but the channels are controlled by reception. The bathroom is quite large and very clean and the water is twenty-four hours.

Common Spaces

There isn't much in the way of common areas for guests. This is not self-catering establishment, so there is no kitchen or means to cook your own food. A buffet breakfast is included in the room price and is served in a dining room at the back of the property. The breakfast consists of bacon and eggs, cereals, yoghurt, toast and spreads, and tea and coffee, so is quite filling. There is a small area with a few wooden tables and chairs where you can sit behind the reception building, but this is mostly for smokers. A small bar leads off this area and this is also where you'll find the activities center, where you can book all manner of trips around the whole country. There is free Wi-Fi in the reception area, but the signal is very erratic. There are a few chairs are for guests in reception while they struggle with the Wi-Fi!

Summary

We would say this isn't really a place for single or pairs of backpackers; it's more a place for large groups. Overland truckers love it and youth groups do, too. It's well run and the staff are fantastic and very helpful, but it doesn't have the intimacy you'd get in a smaller place. Nevertheless, it does a good job and is a useful fallback option if the other backpackers are full.