Impressive is the best way to describe the newly refurbished Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre. With just the right combination of first-class luxury, service with the biggest smile and a large dose of history, you may easily decide to stay longer than you originally planned.
Spend a day just strolling through the gardens, lounging next to the pool or enjoying the peace and quiet of your room. All of the 88 standard rooms were completely renovated, with just the soft carpets remaining. “After 15 years, it was time for a change,” says general manager, Janet Wilson-Moore. “We plan to also refurbish the two suites in the near future.” The rooms are equipped with the latest technology – electronic safe, telephone, flat-screen television, wireless Internet, coffee station, multinational plugs, and a mini-bar that’s stylishly hidden in a wooden closet. “As part of the South African Heritage Programme, we’ve now gone green.” Energy-saving bulbs, water-saving showerheads and taps and a leaflet with tips on saving water and energy are found in all the rooms. The rooms offer a magnificent view over the garden, swimming pool and what used to be the old German train station, around which the hotel is built. If it weren’t for the view, you wouldn’t even be aware that you’re in the middle of Swakopmund. It’s a place of peace and quiet that comes alive only when you hear the sounds of slot machines in the Mermaid Casino or enjoy a meal in the Platform One Restaurant.
A wide array of culinary options The newly refurbished Platform One Restaurant decorated with old train lanterns and photos from an era long gone add to the historic feel in the restaurant. With an extensive breakfast and dinner buffet, it’s easy to lose track of time while munching on tender meat or waiting for your stir-fry. The dinner buffet offers everything from crackers and cheeses for starters, vegetables, meat, fish and chicken for mains and a large range of desserts. A big selection of salad ingredients is available, giving guests the option to throw their own salad together.
Seafood lovers will be happy to know that all seafood is fresh from Walvis Bay and oysters are an important part of breakfast. On Sundays a special lunch buffet is offered, with traditional cooked food, such as roasts and stews, especially popular amongst locals. “Even though it is a buffet menu, I wanted it to have a range of fresh foods. It is better for guests to see that the food is being prepared right in front of their eyes. This is the concept we had in mind when we planned the refurbishment of the restaurant and the buffet area.” A newly opened Chinese Restaurant, being the only one in Swakopmund, offers a different eating experience on the premises.
“In the past, most of our clientele were from the conference/incentive market coming here for conferences, on incentive trips or for team-building, and group tours. But the market is shifting. We now accommodate local corporate and public-sector business. We still handle incentives and group tours, but on a much smaller scale.
The Entertainment Centre features the Mermaid Casino, which is a member of the Responsible Gambling Association and boasts a large variety of games including American Roulette, Stud Poker, Blackjack and Slot Machines. The Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre is part of Legacy Hotels and Resorts International (Pty) Ltd.
Classic architecture Designed by a Mr Schmidt, the station building is one of the most impressive of Swakopmund’s old German buildings. Construction started in January 1901 and was finished in October of the same year. The tower, however, for which it is so well known, was added later. The station was declared a National Monument in 1972 and the building was renovated and returned to its former glory. The building finally came to life again in 1994 as a hotel with a sense of history when former president, Sam Nujoma, officially opened it in December.
The centre can be found at 2 Theo Ben Gurirab Street in Swakopmund. More refurbishments are planned for this year, including an exciting coffee lounge for the reception area, and a new look for the casino and conference facilities. Janet also has big plans for the entertainment area, which already offers a hair salon, beauty and health studio, cinema, florist, car rental facility and gym. Watch this space. (MvR)
