Swakopmund Guesthouse

"It is fresh and inviting and oozes a holiday feel," says Leander Borg of his new-found project in the hospitality industry. Situated in the town centre, a mere five-minute walk from the beach and main shopping area, Swakopmund Guesthouse is owned and run by the Borg family.

The guesthouse was previously used as a holiday house by the very family that runs it now. It has been completely revamped to offer four standard rooms, seven luxury rooms and one family suite for guests wanting to indulge in a comfortable stay-over close to the ocean. The spacious rooms are fitted with crisp, white linen sheets. Wallpaper portraying a peaceful view of the ocean adds to the clean and neat atmosphere of the guesthouse. The en-suite bathrooms with soft cream walls are decorated with beach pebbles that give them a unique atmosphere.

"Definitely something very different to what Swakopmund has to offer so far," adds Leander. The Swakopmund Guesthouse is a bed-and-breakfast facility, offering more than usual by providing guests with a scrumptious breakfast buffet, catering for more upmarket traveller, and facilities ranging from laundry services to "anything else that guests might ask for." This includes a shuttle service and wheelchair-friendly accommodation. All rooms come complete with minibar and television. The Swakopmund Guesthouse is run with an eco-friendly approach, making use of solar energy and recycled water. It is not your conventional type of guesthouse, that's for sure.

Swakopmund is much loved because of its old-world charm and relaxed atmosphere. Founded in 1892 during the period of German colonial rule, it served as the territory's main harbour for many years.

Today's lush green lawns, palm trees and carefully tended and colorful public gardens enhance this curious desert town, hedged by desert and sea. Swakopmund has several excellent restaurants, pubs and discos and a few nightclubs. A special feature of the town is its jewelry shops, which offer pieces ranging from contemporary African to continental designs. Art and craft shops offer local products, while street vendors sell Namibian rural art.