Hammerstein Lodge Namib Desert

The rooms are a great size and perfect for a short stay. We also opted for the afternoon 4x4 safari offered at the lodge. I highly recommend it - drinks and snacks at sunset were part of the offering. We were thrilled to see Giraffe, Zebra, Oryx and, as a bonus, a family of Rhino up close at a waterhole at sunset. The views from the lodge are great too.

It’s a basic lodge, but everything is pleasant. The rooms are nice with airconditioning and mosquito nets. Good shower in the bathroom. A small pool to cool off on a hot day. The restaurant is quite large and not very cozy. But the food is great! The bar/lounge area has very comfortable chairs that you can lay in. This is the only area where there’s wifi. It’s very quiet because it’s located in the middle of the wilderness. I really liked that. It gives you a small taste of Africa.

We stayed here in October 2024. The rooms were comfortable. The Wifi was good, although available only in the bar / patio area and not in the rooms. There is a pool with lounge chairs and a large shaded patio. A bar and restaurant facilities were also available. For the comping facilities, there was a large covered area for meals with a braai pit to use. Tents could be set up on a grassy area. There was a child's playground and a trampoline. There were only a few washrooms available for people camping.

This accommodation caters for large groups. The camping looks good, green and flat. The pool is cool and small but the bar has nice cold drinks at good prices. We paid a small amount to upgrade from the campsite to a room. Our room was hmm... nice bed, poor shower, its either cold or too hot and the air con from upstairs started dripping on the roof at 2am and its so loud, could also hear toilets flushing in other rooms. Others made comments about rooms being to far from the facilities or light not working, badly needs to be maintained. Staff were pretty good, especially the guys carrying bags.

We used this lodge as a base for our visits to Deadvlei. The room was just what we wanted and our hosts were excellent -very friendly, polite and helpful (even better if you like country music) The packed lunches were excellent and allowed us to leave nice and early in order to get to Deadvlaie as early as we could. We did have one meal where the meat wasn't very edible - very fatty and not nice, but there was a very nice chicken alternative so we were happy. The lodge also offers a "nature drive" but be careful if you are expecting "wild" animals - they are really captive. We did get to see white rhino close up at a water hole, but this is just a water hole at an adjacent lodge. Time here was also limited - we were photographing the white rhino when we were told 5 more minutes. We would have liked a little longer. Also the drivers pull over some distance from the animals to tell you all about them - frustrating when you just want to get closer and see them.

No one who has visited the Hammerstein Lodge would accuse it of being a luxury property with the latest décor, it's very dated in terms of it's looks and facilities, but what it lacks in facilities and interior design it makes up for in friendliness and a keenness to make guests feel welcome. Check in was smooth and efficient. Our room was basic, with no TV, safe, fridge or Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi is supposed to be available in reception, but I couldn’t connect there either during my two-night stay. The room did have a small wardrobe, mosquito net, small bathroom with a shower. Lighting and power sockets in the room were good, and the bed was comfortable. The bathroom was small and basic, but fine for a couple of nights with a shower, sink and toilet. Breakfast and dinner are buffets, the food was tasty, wholesome, and plentiful. Service was excellent. We found the same level of service in the well stocked bar. We were especially grateful to Oliver at Reception, after he booked us a game drive at short notice where in a neighbouring game reserve we saw white rhinos, jackals, zebra, wildebeests, and elands, before enjoying a sundowner beer. The game drives although extra are very much recommended, I also went on another one. The location of the Hammerstein Lodge is good for exploring the dunes and other attractions in the Sossusvlei area, but the Hammerstein Lodge is in a remote location, there is nothing nearby bar a few other places to stay. If you want luxury and all mod cons then this place doesn’t fit that description, but if want a warm welcome and just a place to lay your head while you explore the region or just pass through, this lodge will fit the bill.