Hallo zusammen, hier der Brief, den ich nach meiner Rückkehr leider an den Etosh Nationalpark schicken musste.
Stand November/Dezember 2014 rate ich jedem, der Etosha besuchen möchte, in einer Lodge außerhalb zu nächtigen.
Bei starkem Interesse kann ich gerne entsprechende Fotos hochladen.
Grüße aus Köln.
"Dear Sirs and Madams,
I would like to file a complaint. I do not like to do that, but unfortunately I have to, because what I have experienced in the Etosha National Park was the opposite of everything I was promised before.
My fiancee and I just came back from our two-week-holidays in Namibia. We had booked every accomodation from home in advance several months ago. After arriving in Windhoek we drove to Swakopmund and Twyfelfontein and everything has been just fine until then. Afterwards we entered Etosha via the Andersson Gate and were looking forward to what we thought would be the highlight of the whole trip. Etosha was actually the main reason why we chose Namibia at all. Therefore we had booked five nights in the National Park: two nights in Halali and three in Namutoni.
After arriving in Halali we got to the reception, where we were told that our Bush Chalet was not ready yet, it still needed to be cleaned. That was okay for us, so we took a seat in the restaurant next to the reception. The chairs were partly broken and very dirty, the table was dirty, the waitress was very rude and did not really speak to us. When we were asking a question, she looked at us for a couple of seconds, not saying anything. Then she replied as little as possible and in a very impolite manner. While we were eating, the lady who cleans the toilets walked through the patio, carrying toilet paper. The signs with the numbers on the table must be a joke – I cannot think of any restaurateur in the world who would not throw them away as quickly as possible. After all, we did not feel well, knowing that this was going to be the only restaurant for us fort he next two days. According to the quality standard the guests were given on the terrace, I was lucky not to take a look into the kitchen.
After we had finished our lunch, we got back to the reception where they gave us the key for our room. We walked to the nearby kiosk, where we wanted to buy food for dinner. Unfortunately the kiosk looked like a war had taken place in it. It was hardly well-equipped, there were bugs on the floor and it was rather dark and dirty. Not a place, where you like to buy your food.
So we drove to our Bush Chalet and took a look around. After entering our room, there were immediately flying a couple of insects into my direction. The door to the terrace with the insect net was closed and the glas door was open. But an insect net does not help at all, if it is broken. There was a hole in it, so the effect of it was zero. Therefore we closed the glas door and killed the insects flying around. Five minutes later I noticed that there were new flying insects in the room and the dead ones were already eaten by hundreds of ants. I watched them and saw them crawling under the closed door, crawling in and out of the room as they pleased. Furthermore, the mosquito net around the bed was not big enough. It did not close properly.
The lady who tidies up may have changed the towels, but she did not clean a single thing in the room. There were obvious spidernets around, there were complete nests of insects. It was dirty all around. Things were broken. In the beginning we were told we would have to wait, because the room still had to be cleaned – I cannot think other of this but as a lie.
I went back to the reception and told them what was bothering me. They sent a cleaning lady to my room and gave me a different Bush Chalet with the promise, that the new one would be clean. The cleaning lady was absolutely rude and did not speak one unnecessary word with me. She looked at me in anger.
I packed our luggage and entered the new room. Again, there were a lot of insects and dirt. I do not understand how a reception can make a promise and break it, although it would have been so easy just to make sure that everything is fine before the guest gets the key. We did not expect a luxury resort, but cleanliness is not a big thing to ask for. We did not expect to not have a single insect in the room, but there were lots of them and I do not understand how this is possible, if the room has been cleaned not more than an hour ago.
Back at the reception I said that the room was unacceptable and asked them what we should do and what they could offer me. They did not really reply and just looked at me, so I said I would like to talk to the manager. The manager was not there, I was told. So I told them that I would like to check out immediately. They were supposed to cancel my reservation for the two nights in Halali. After two minutes of ignoring me and after the fifth time that I repeated my wish, they finally gave me my deposit back.
So we drove to Namutoni, where we had three nights reserved and wanted to check, whether the situation in Namutoni was any better. And we were shocked.
We parked in front of the reception and walked inside Fort Namutoni. On our way we already saw cables, plastic stuff, brickstones etc. lying around. The ground of the entrance area consisted of loose wood planks, which are not only ugly but dangerous. The fireplace contained nothing but waste and plastic trash. There were loose cables on the ground. There were even old freezers in the inner courtyard. Long story cut short: the situation was a disaster. We went to the Bush Chalets and talked to some people who had already checked in about it. They showed their room to us and complained themselves. So we decided to walk back to the reception and talked to the responsible people. After a short talk we cancelled the reservation for Namutoni as well. We did not want to, but the situation was just not what we have been promised it would be like. Spending a relaxing holiday here was not possible. Compared to the pictures on the official website, Halali and especially Namutoni are a catastrophe. The pictures have got nothing to do with reality. I have no idea at what time they have been taken or how much work someone spent using photoshop, but the pictures and the real situation have hardly anything in common. They were the reason, why I decided to book five nights within the National Park and not in a lodge outside, and now I feel betrayed. I paid ZAR 7,986 and got nothing but hassle and trouble. What I have been promised, I was not offered after all and therefore I did not get. I demand my money back.
The National Park itself is a very, very nice place. It is a shame, that the accomodation within turned out being so bad.
In an attachment I add relevant proof images.
I await your response and remain with best regards."
Stand November/Dezember 2014 rate ich jedem, der Etosha besuchen möchte, in einer Lodge außerhalb zu nächtigen.
Bei starkem Interesse kann ich gerne entsprechende Fotos hochladen.
Grüße aus Köln.
"Dear Sirs and Madams,
I would like to file a complaint. I do not like to do that, but unfortunately I have to, because what I have experienced in the Etosha National Park was the opposite of everything I was promised before.
My fiancee and I just came back from our two-week-holidays in Namibia. We had booked every accomodation from home in advance several months ago. After arriving in Windhoek we drove to Swakopmund and Twyfelfontein and everything has been just fine until then. Afterwards we entered Etosha via the Andersson Gate and were looking forward to what we thought would be the highlight of the whole trip. Etosha was actually the main reason why we chose Namibia at all. Therefore we had booked five nights in the National Park: two nights in Halali and three in Namutoni.
After arriving in Halali we got to the reception, where we were told that our Bush Chalet was not ready yet, it still needed to be cleaned. That was okay for us, so we took a seat in the restaurant next to the reception. The chairs were partly broken and very dirty, the table was dirty, the waitress was very rude and did not really speak to us. When we were asking a question, she looked at us for a couple of seconds, not saying anything. Then she replied as little as possible and in a very impolite manner. While we were eating, the lady who cleans the toilets walked through the patio, carrying toilet paper. The signs with the numbers on the table must be a joke – I cannot think of any restaurateur in the world who would not throw them away as quickly as possible. After all, we did not feel well, knowing that this was going to be the only restaurant for us fort he next two days. According to the quality standard the guests were given on the terrace, I was lucky not to take a look into the kitchen.
After we had finished our lunch, we got back to the reception where they gave us the key for our room. We walked to the nearby kiosk, where we wanted to buy food for dinner. Unfortunately the kiosk looked like a war had taken place in it. It was hardly well-equipped, there were bugs on the floor and it was rather dark and dirty. Not a place, where you like to buy your food.
So we drove to our Bush Chalet and took a look around. After entering our room, there were immediately flying a couple of insects into my direction. The door to the terrace with the insect net was closed and the glas door was open. But an insect net does not help at all, if it is broken. There was a hole in it, so the effect of it was zero. Therefore we closed the glas door and killed the insects flying around. Five minutes later I noticed that there were new flying insects in the room and the dead ones were already eaten by hundreds of ants. I watched them and saw them crawling under the closed door, crawling in and out of the room as they pleased. Furthermore, the mosquito net around the bed was not big enough. It did not close properly.
The lady who tidies up may have changed the towels, but she did not clean a single thing in the room. There were obvious spidernets around, there were complete nests of insects. It was dirty all around. Things were broken. In the beginning we were told we would have to wait, because the room still had to be cleaned – I cannot think other of this but as a lie.
I went back to the reception and told them what was bothering me. They sent a cleaning lady to my room and gave me a different Bush Chalet with the promise, that the new one would be clean. The cleaning lady was absolutely rude and did not speak one unnecessary word with me. She looked at me in anger.
I packed our luggage and entered the new room. Again, there were a lot of insects and dirt. I do not understand how a reception can make a promise and break it, although it would have been so easy just to make sure that everything is fine before the guest gets the key. We did not expect a luxury resort, but cleanliness is not a big thing to ask for. We did not expect to not have a single insect in the room, but there were lots of them and I do not understand how this is possible, if the room has been cleaned not more than an hour ago.
Back at the reception I said that the room was unacceptable and asked them what we should do and what they could offer me. They did not really reply and just looked at me, so I said I would like to talk to the manager. The manager was not there, I was told. So I told them that I would like to check out immediately. They were supposed to cancel my reservation for the two nights in Halali. After two minutes of ignoring me and after the fifth time that I repeated my wish, they finally gave me my deposit back.
So we drove to Namutoni, where we had three nights reserved and wanted to check, whether the situation in Namutoni was any better. And we were shocked.
We parked in front of the reception and walked inside Fort Namutoni. On our way we already saw cables, plastic stuff, brickstones etc. lying around. The ground of the entrance area consisted of loose wood planks, which are not only ugly but dangerous. The fireplace contained nothing but waste and plastic trash. There were loose cables on the ground. There were even old freezers in the inner courtyard. Long story cut short: the situation was a disaster. We went to the Bush Chalets and talked to some people who had already checked in about it. They showed their room to us and complained themselves. So we decided to walk back to the reception and talked to the responsible people. After a short talk we cancelled the reservation for Namutoni as well. We did not want to, but the situation was just not what we have been promised it would be like. Spending a relaxing holiday here was not possible. Compared to the pictures on the official website, Halali and especially Namutoni are a catastrophe. The pictures have got nothing to do with reality. I have no idea at what time they have been taken or how much work someone spent using photoshop, but the pictures and the real situation have hardly anything in common. They were the reason, why I decided to book five nights within the National Park and not in a lodge outside, and now I feel betrayed. I paid ZAR 7,986 and got nothing but hassle and trouble. What I have been promised, I was not offered after all and therefore I did not get. I demand my money back.
The National Park itself is a very, very nice place. It is a shame, that the accomodation within turned out being so bad.
In an attachment I add relevant proof images.
I await your response and remain with best regards."