Kalahari Farmhouse, Namibia

The Cottage was a peaceful, quiet place to relax, like a green oasis. Friendly staff and fresh food, a good all-round spot.

The campsite and garden are beautiful, and check-in went smoothly at first. We asked which pitch to use and were told to pick any free spot. They took our personal details and car registration during check-in. We set up on an empty pitch. About an hour later, a woman I didn't know came to our car and sharply asked who I was and what I was doing there. I was in our rooftop tent and explained that we had a valid reservation and had been told to choose any free space. She didn't seem satisfied and questioned me again as if I were trespassing. She turned out to be the hotel manager. I climbed down to show her the reservation, and she asked whether I'd booked at the last minute. I had actually booked more than three months earlier. She could have checked using our registration, which they'd recorded at check-in. Once she realized I'd done nothing wrong, her tone changed, but the damage was done. It seemed they were either overbooked or having trouble with their reservation system. Instead of explaining that respectfully, I was treated with suspicion and rudeness. We no longer felt welcome and left that same evening, despite having booked two nights. It was already getting late and dark, but we'd rather drive three hours back to Windhoek and stay somewhere else than spend another minute feeling so unwelcome.

A quiet, small lodge that works well for a stopover. Felicity went out of her way to look after us, which made our stay especially pleasant.

The barman was very friendly and on point with his service. The food we ordered was tasty and arrived quickly. But we had a very unpleasant encounter with a woman I believe was the hotel manager or supervisor. She didn't greet me or my family. She walked past us nearly three times without acknowledging us, then stood in a corner by the bar glaring at us. It made us feel really uncomfortable and unwelcome. When I asked if there was a problem and why she hadn't greeted us, she simply walked away. This was my first visit, and that's how we were treated. She looked down on us as if we didn't belong. I was taught not to judge a book by its cover and to treat everyone with respect. It's sad that we didn't receive the same.