Olive Grove

A cool, contemporary and cosmopolitan guesthouse with spa and restaurant in Windhoek's leafy Eros suburb

Eros numbers amongst Windhoek's best-heeled areas, a leafy suburb that catches the breezes which blow in from the surrounding savannah. An easy stroll from the city centre's shops and monuments and close to some of its best restaurants, this small guesthouse has long since won its laurels for being a secure and comfortable bolthole for business folk and travellers alike.

Olive Grove's covered dining patio is the heart of the matter: the excellence of the food and fine wines are all you'd expect, and more, of a small guesthouse. Additional treats come in the form of a small pool, a rooftop jacuzzi and an in-house Wellness. Backed by consistently good care from its young staff, it's a cosy home atmosphere. The mood is engagingly informal and there are plenty of shaded spots to hunker down with a book: if you're beginning or ending your Namibian odyssey in Windhoek, make sure Olive Grove figures high on your list of places to stay.

Highs

• 12 rooms and suites decked out with every conceivable creature comfort
• The open-plan kitchen fosters easy contact with Olive Grove's friendly staff
• Secure off-street parking is a big plus if you're at the beginning or end of a 4x4 adventure
• An impressive number of spoiling treatments on offer at the Wellness
• Exceptionally good food and a wine list to match

Lows

• You'll hear passing traffic, though this is hardly surprising as you're in a capital city
• The mood in some bedrooms is an incey bit lugubrious due to the grey screed floors, dark colour schemes and spare decoration
• Early checkout may not suit everybody, but you're free to use all the amenities until you leave for further adventures