Lake Oanob Resort — Restaurant in Hardap

Disappointing Experience at Lake Oanob

As a proud Namibian who values supporting local tourism, I had high hopes for a memorable family getaway at Lake Oanob. Unfortunately, our visit was marred by poor service and several disappointing incidents, and I feel it’s important to share our experience with future guests.

We had booked three chalets for a family retreat, but from the moment we arrived, things took a turn for the worse.

While enjoying a quiet family lunch inside one of the chalets—without music or noise—a security guard suddenly appeared, claiming there was a complaint about a “gathering.” This was puzzling, as there were no loud activities or nearby chalets that could be disturbed. I approached Maureen at reception for clarification, but her response was unprofessional and rude, adding to our confusion.

Later, my children discovered a solifuge in their chalet’s wash basin, as well as other insects. Concerned about safely removing the solifuge, I contacted the manager, Charlotte Benade, to request that it be dealt with in a humane manner. While addressing this, I also mentioned the issue with the alleged “gathering.” Instead of taking my concerns seriously, Charlotte laughed at me, demonstrating a complete lack of professionalism and customer service etiquette.

The situation worsened when my children informed me that a security guard had been peeping through their chalet window while they were changing inside. Whether this was authorized by Charlotte or not, this behavior is completely unacceptable. If there were any concerns about the chalet, the guard should have knocked on the door and addressed the issue respectfully, not resorted to invasive actions.

Later that night, we were disturbed by loud noises multiple times—first from a residence across the river, and then from a group of intoxicated individuals screaming and yelling in the water. The lack of security or management oversight in addressing this was disappointing.

The following morning, we discovered that the shower in our chalet had a major drainage issue—water did not drain at all, creating an unhygienic situation. This is a clear indication of poor maintenance and a lack of attention to basic guest comfort.

Upon checkout, we were greeted by unfriendly and unprofessional staff, who accused us of breaching a contract due to the alleged gathering in our children’s chalet. They cited a contract we had signed at booking. After reviewing the terms and conditions, we found that we were charged N$40 per person for gate fees, rather than the N$30 mentioned in the contract. After a lengthy argument, the gate fees were eventually refunded, but only after it became clear that they had been caught in an unethical practice.

As Namibians, we frequently explore our country’s destinations, and it is truly disheartening to encounter such poor service and lack of professionalism. While we were prepared to take our concerns directly to management, they seemed uninterested in addressing the issues or improving the guest experience.

Based on this experience, I can confidently say that neither I nor anyone I know will consider Lake Oanob for future visits. While I am not trying to discourage others from visiting, I would advise potential guests to be prepared for possible disappointments. It is clear that the current level of service does not align with the expectations set by the owners, and I hope they take these concerns seriously to improve their offerings.

This experience was disappointing, and I truly hope Lake Oanob’s management will prioritize guest satisfaction, professionalism, and proper training for their staff to restore the integrity of the experience they claim to offer.

Namibian tourism...

As a proud Namibian who values supporting local tourism, I had high hopes for a memorable family getaway at Lake Oanob. Unfortunately, our visit was marred by poor service and several disappointing incidents, and I feel it’s important to share our experience with future guests.||We had booked three chalets for a family retreat, but from the moment we arrived, things took a turn for the worse.||While enjoying a quiet family lunch inside one of the chalets—without music or noise—a security guard suddenly appeared, claiming there was a complaint about a “gathering.” This was puzzling, as there were no loud activities or nearby chalets that could be disturbed. I approached Maureen at reception for clarification, but her response was unprofessional and rude, adding to our confusion.||Later, my children discovered a solifuge in their chalet’s wash basin, as well as other insects. Concerned about safely removing the solifuge, I contacted the manager, Charlotte Benade, to request that it be dealt with in a humane manner. While addressing this, I also mentioned the issue with the alleged “gathering.” Instead of taking my concerns seriously, Charlotte laughed at me, demonstrating a complete lack of professionalism and customer service etiquette.||The situation worsened when my children informed me that a security guard had been peeping through their chalet window while they were changing inside. Whether this was authorized by Charlotte or not, this behavior is completely unacceptable. If there were any concerns about the chalet, the guard should have knocked on the door and addressed the issue respectfully, not resorted to invasive actions.||Later that night, we were disturbed by loud noises multiple times—first from a residence across the river, and then from a group of intoxicated individuals screaming and yelling in the water. The lack of security or management oversight in addressing this was disappointing.||The following morning, we discovered that the shower in our chalet had a major drainage issue—water did not drain at all, creating an unhygienic situation. This is a clear indication of poor maintenance and a lack of attention to basic guest comfort.||Upon checkout, we were greeted by unfriendly and unprofessional staff, who accused us of breaching a contract due to the alleged gathering in our children’s chalet. They cited a contract we had signed at booking. After reviewing the terms and conditions, we found that we were charged N$40 per person for gate fees, rather than the N$30 mentioned in the contract. After a lengthy argument, the gate fees were eventually refunded, but only after it became clear that they had been caught in an unethical practice.||As Namibians, we frequently explore our country’s destinations, and it is truly disheartening to encounter such poor service and lack of professionalism. While we were prepared to take our concerns directly to management, they seemed uninterested in addressing the issues or improving the guest experience.||Based on this experience, I can confidently say that neither I nor anyone I know will consider Lake Oanob for future visits. While I am not trying to discourage others from visiting, I would advise potential guests to be prepared for possible disappointments. It is clear that the current level of service does not align with the expectations set by the owners, and I hope they take these concerns seriously to improve their offerings.||This experience was disappointing, and I truly hope Lake Oanob’s management will prioritize guest satisfaction, professionalism, and proper training for their staff to restore the integrity of the experience they claim to offer.||Namibian tourism...

Initially the young receptionist we thought was most helpful. She presented us with a map to go and look at units that she had advised us were offering breakfast incl. which she marked with a hi-lighter. We got back and told her which unit we would like to book to be told that was not a unit that incl breakfast and was much more expensive.|So she then told us which did incl breakfast which I actually marked so back we went in our 4x4 to look at and once again returned to her to tell her which one we would like.|AGAIN she told us that unit did not incl breakfast and was more expensive (not what she had quoted us). Well needless to say ....I lost it with her especially as we had had a long trip of over 700kms that day. I asked her why she had marked units with a hi-lighter for us to view and decide on if those units were not the quoted price incl breakfast she had advised.||Another lady appeared from her office behind the reception area and we then said just give us a campsite as we were not prepared to drive off again to look for a unit in the price incl breakfast she had marked on the map.||Fortunately the campsite allocated to us was lovely with a beautiful view.||Downside was the noise of the staff from the restaurant in the evening and again on arrival in the morning. We could hear their very loud talking at all times.||Management please ensure your staff and trained to perform and not give incorrect information time...