Mokuti Etosha: Namibia's Newest Hidden Gem for Luxury and Adventure (Review)
Mokuti Etosha (external link) was reopened on March 7, 2023 after extensive renovations. The main building and adjacent conference center were completely rebuilt, the rooms are gradually renovated during operation. At the time of our visit about four weeks after the opening, 15% of the rooms were already renovated, we had the opportunity to stay in one of the new rooms and review it for you.
Sorry we had to take some photos on a rainy day, one of the rare cases in the area. We hope you can imagine the sunshine to it.
LOCATION
Mokuti Etosha is conveniently located right next to the Namutemi entrance to Etosha National Park (external link). It offers an ideal starting point for excursions through the national park and is of course also quickly accessible from there. The facility itself consists of a new main building and a conference center and various smaller houses, in which the guest rooms are accommodated. Various harmless animals run free on the large grounds, which provided a cool atmosphere.
In addition to the convenient location, the hotel also has its own airfield, so those who want to arrive with their own sports aircraft can actually do so, more information on this can be found on the hotel website.
ARRIVAL, LOBBY & CHECK-IN
On our tour through Etosha National Park, we spontaneously booked a night at Mokuti Etosha one day at noon, as we were able to get a very favorable rate last minute through a major booking portal. We arrived at the facility in the late afternoon with our rental car. The gate to the facility is just a few meters next to the gate to Etosha National Park. Right at the gate, our booking was verified and we were allowed to drive onto the site. The road to the hotel complex is still about 2km long and leads through a park belonging to the hotel. Arrived at the hotel complex, we were welcomed still on the road by an employee of the hotel, who navigated us to a free parking lot. Once there, he greeted us as we exited the vehicle with wet and refreshing towels - a service we had never experienced before and received as very pleasant, especially since we had spent the last 10 hours in our vehicle.
We were shown to the front desk by the friendly staff member and provided with a refreshing welcome drink (a fruit juice with fresh ginger) while we waited for a staff member to check in. A short time later, another nice staff member took our details, checked our passports and processed the payment. She then gave us a personal tour of the main building, explained the building and the various gastronomic outlets, and immediately made a reservation for the best outdoor table for dinner. Afterwards, a colleague picked us up with a golf cart, unloaded our luggage from the car together with us and then drove us to the building where our room was located. The grounds are very expansive, so this was very helpful. We still got lost several times during our stay, which was unfortunately also due to the current lack of signage for the most part, as some construction work is still taking place on the grounds.
ROOM
The hotel itself has only two different room types, the Standard Room and the Family Room, but the former is available in renovated and non-renovated. Since we were only traveling as a couple and especially looking for a comfortable bed, we booked the Standard Room. We received one of the few renovated rooms so far, which are characterized by a more modern equipment and a larger living space. For this, the bathroom area was somewhat reduced, but in our opinion absolutely sufficient, through the intelligent change there is significantly more living space.
Our room setup consisted of a double bed, a luggage bench, a small desk and chair, and a nightstand and armchair. On one side of the room there was a large window fronting a terrace with a chair and table. On the other side of the room, there was a shower and toilet across from each other. Unfortunately, this bathroom area had no ceiling, so sounds and smells from there immediately transferred into the living room. In front of the area was the laundry area on one side, and opposite was a large closet next to the front door.
The small buildings only had a thatched roof, no further separation had been drawn in. On the one hand, this resulted in an impressive room height, but on the other hand, of course, various small animals live in the straw, and especially after the air conditioning is activated, they easily move to other areas of the house. Mosquitoes or other larger insects do not get into the room, of course, but if you are looking for a sealed room, you are in the wrong place here.
WIFI
The wifi speed on the premises is basically very good, especially for the area. We were able to measure almost 50 MBit/s in both upload and download in the best places. However, this was very variable, in fact we had no coverage at all in our room at the edge of the complex unfortunately, which made it a bit difficult for us. The hotel was very apologetic about this and promised to definitely re-equip this as part of the renovations in this area. Those who depend on internet in the room should mention this at the latest at check-in, ideally already at the time of booking. Those who only occasionally need a good network will find good connectivity on the premises with a little searching, for example in the restaurant or at the pool bar.
ROOM TEMPERATURE
The rooms are equipped with individual air conditioners that can be regulated individually. The rooms can be cooled down just enough overnight, but we had the impression that the air conditioners were not sufficient due to the room height. During the day the temperatures were higher in the hot winter sun, overnight we could measure 21 degrees Celsius as the lowest temperature in the room. There is still some potential here, perhaps this will be adjusted in future rooms.
FAMILY ROOM/NON-RENOVATED STANDARD-ROOM
Shortly before we left the property, we asked to have a look at the other room types, so we can show you some pictures of the "old" Standard Room as well as a look at the Family Room, which we would rather describe as a comfortable suite. In fact, unlike the name suggests, this offer is also a good option for two, because in addition to a normal bedroom and a large bathroom area, there is another room that offers a nice living area without a folded out couch. Especially those who stay a little longer will be happy about the extra space.
HOUSEKEEPING
Our room was pleasantly clean by the standards of the country and the housekeeping team was very attentive and always friendly. When leaving the room, we were kindly asked when would be the best time for us to clean the room. Our requests for extra towels and extra pillows were quickly fulfilled even late at night. When we arrived there were a lot of ants operating in front of our room door, there was a risk of them entering the room with the door open. This was already recognized by the bellhop and immediately solved by several employees with insect spray still late in the evening.
The hotel rooms do not have telephones, we have therefore called the reception for all requests from the cell phone, this was no problem at all, every call was accepted uncomplicated and promptly done.
BREAKFAST
Breakfast is served buffet style in the main restaurant of the building. There are a sufficient number of tables indoors and outdoors. In addition to an Egg Station, which prepares egg dishes to order, there is a selection of hot side dishes, fruit, cold cuts, desserts, and a salad bar. Coffee and tea are served at the table, though espresso-based specialty coffees and other soft drinks, including bottled water, are extra. The coffee was exceptionally good. The only drawback was the selection of spreads, which were all offered in large jars, this of course quickly looked a bit unappealing. We would recommend offering this in individual portions as well to match the luxurious flair of the rest of the buffet.
RESTAURANTS & BARS
The main restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, which is also buffet style. The selection is very extensive, in the kitchen area meat dishes and individually prepared pasta are offered, at the individual stations there are many side dishes, other dishes as well as a large salad bar and desserts.
Additionally, there is a bar in the main building as well as at the pool, which offer cocktails and other drinks.
We found the prices for all restaurants to be very fair and the quality very good, the staff was very friendly here as well.
ROOM SERVICE
At the moment, the hotel unfortunately does not offer room service, but they told us that they are currently thinking about offering it in the future. We think this would be a perfect addition, so you could enjoy a nice lunch on your own terrace, for example.
GYM
The gym is located in a single house on the edge of the grounds. It is relatively small, but offers a good selection of cardio equipment and a weight bench. The room is well air-conditioned and bottled water and towels are provided. This is an absolute rarity in the area, which makes this hotel a perfect choice for people who don't want to go without, even on a Namibia safari. There is also a large tennis court available.
POOL
On the premises there is a large pool with a length of about 30m, which can also be used for swimming. Right next to it is a much smaller pool for children and non-swimmers.
SPA
The SPA area is also located on the edge of the complex in a beautiful new building, various treatments are offered. The prices are very reasonable in relation to the room rates, a half-hour massage was available during our visit from about 20 € (22 $), longer treatments are in the ratio even cheaper. During our stay, the spa was mentioned at check-in, but we were told the next day that there were no more appointments. Only due to a cancellation we could still get a massage, we definitely recommend booking in advance, preferably for several days.
EXPERIENCES
As usual in the area, various excursions are offered by the hotel. In addition to the usual game drives through the nearby national park for four or eight hours, there is also a night tour through the hotel's own park, a sundowner event with snack and drink, and guided tours through the hotel's own reptile park. Compared to all the offerings at the hotel, especially the spa offerings, we found the prices for the activities to be too high.
OVERALL SERVICE
The entire team of the hotel was very eager to fulfill every wish of the guest. Especially the Guest Relations team was constantly present and well informed about everything that was happening. Even if some requests at the hotel required a little more time and effort than expected, the intention was very committed and the result was always satisfactory in the end.
STAY DETAILS
We spontaneously booked an overnight stay with half board on the same day via a large booking portal for only 215 € (237 $). Arrived at the hotel, we decided to extend the same evening by one night, the hotel allowed us to do so for the same rate. The normal rates for the standard room usually start at about 320€ (352 $), but also already include half board.
SUMMARY
Mokuti Etosha stood out from the crowd in the affordable luxury sector. Apart from the new buildings, an outstanding buffet kitchen with great individual on-site service, we were particularly impressed by the fitness and spa options. For those who want to visit Etosha National Park, the location is ideal and you can arrive at the park as early as possible. For a few quiet days in between, the hotel offers the ideal environment.
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