Otentik guesthouse

Sandra, the owner, is very friendly, and her breakfast was delicious. We also tried her Chinese dinner and enjoyed that too. The room was spacious and very clean. There’s no heating, but she gives you plenty of blankets. The guesthouse is an easy walk from downtown, though Mbabane isn't big. Highly recommended. One problem was Zita, a taxi driver Sandra put me in touch with. He took us to Hlane National Park, then tried to charge me double what we'd agreed, knowing it was Sunday afternoon and I had no other way back to Mbabane. Better avoid him.

I was cooked for twice during my one-night stay, and breakfast was free. The service makes it hard not to give five stars, though the rating is relative to other places in Eswatini, where your rand doesn't stretch as far as in South Africa. There was a power failure, the WiFi wasn't great, and that exceptionally windy June night was bright, noisy, and cold.

The place is old and has character, so don't expect the Ritz. Still, the owner was super cool when I got stranded without a bus. I walked up a giant hill to get there, lol. She made me food, helped me find another bus for the next day, and even put a WiFi router in my room so I could work. Pretty high level of service.

Sondra and her daughter were amazing hosts and really accommodating. You can get great Chinese food on site, too. The place is basic but has what you might need, and it's quiet up on a hill.