Emanya@Etosha

We spent 3 wonderful nights at Emanya. The lodge is beautifully designed blending modern and traditional architecture to create a relaxed and inviting environment. The staff are simply amazing managing to balance the attention to detail in a friendly and professional manor. In particular Max, Reno, Elise and Joel were exceptional, we didn’t get the chance to speak with all of the staff but all were very good. The rooms are large, elegant, and very comfortable, the turn down service every night with lit candles made it feel even more special. Food was exquisite and a good variety of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As for Etosha park we went spent 2 days exploring ourselves managing to see Giraffes, Elephants, and Zebras however we couldn’t find the big cats. When we arrived at Emanya we met Joel who manages their game drives. Right from the start we knew Joel could help us find some cats and we weren’t disappointed seeing both Cheetahs and a Leopard up close, along with a White Rhino, Giraffes and Elephants. Joel is simply a brilliant guide, very friendly, hugely knowledgeable and adept at understanding the needs of the groups to ensure a great experience is had by all. We highly recommend taking a game drive whilst staying at Emanya and we hope to return to this beautiful oasis one day soon.

Unfortunately never again and actually zero stars! The lodge has nice facilities and the waterhole is great and there are lots of animals passing by. We stayed at the lodge a year ago and felt very comfortable. That's why we came back this year to spend a relaxing day by the pool. Unfortunately, the lodge has slowed down considerably in the last year. The local staff are very hard-working and friendly, but the manager/owner seems to be overwhelmed. The staff convey a feeling of enormous insecurity, if not fear. The pool looked completely filthy. The floor and walls were black in places and I think it was mould. It didn't look at all inviting and I assume it was a health hazard. Despite this, my son (10) was personally promised by the manager that the water was clean and that he could go swimming without worrying. I wouldn't have had a problem if the pool had been officially labelled as unusable. It would have spoilt our stay, but things like that can happen. However, I cannot accept that my child was knowingly exposed to danger. When asked about this, we were shouted at by the elderly lady, who was obviously the owner or at least the boss of the lodge, and we were threatened that we would have to pay, if we damaged her reputation. My son was completely terrified after the boss went berserk. He was really scared for our lives. The pictures are attached, you can see for yourself if you would have let your child swim in this pool. After our complaint, they tried to clean the pool late in the evening in a panic, which probably proves that it was not as clean as they claimed. Most guests only stay for one night, which is why a dirty pool and a sun deck in poor condition will certainly not result in so many negative reviews. The rooms are very nice but smelt a bit musty (rooms 1 + 2) and the wall under the roof looked damp. There is no mosquito net over the bed and no mosquito net on most of the windows. It's astonishing how you can let such a great resort get so run down. The deck by the pool is rotting away. Several places are broken or boards are sticking up. Parts of the steps to the viewing deck at the waterhole were missing, which is very dangerous, especially in the dark. Unfortunately, the food wasn't great either. We have eaten much better at other lodges. The prices on the drinks menu did not match the bill. So after two nights we left disappointed and quite stressed after all the trouble and will unfortunately not be visiting Emanya Lodge again. The management urgently needs to change something here so that the lodge can shine again in its former splendour and guests can feel comfortable again without having to fear damage to their health. The lodge advertises itself with the slogan "Discover quintessential African luxury in Namibia". Unfortunately, this is currently far from the case.

Lively lodge. Modern. Very high standard. Roims very comfortable. Food very good. Lodge gas waterhole which has lots of animals at night. Close to Etosha. 30 minutes drive to park

Stayed here for 3 nights at the end of February with a wildlife holiday group. Beautiful lodge with great staff who went that extra mile. Food was excellent and the rooms were spacious and comfortable. The waterhole was a superb bonus which we thoroughly enjoyed both day and night

Staff was great Pool needs maintenance

Arrived to a beautiful lodge with stunning gardens and even baby tortoises, pool area and waterhole viewing platform was fabulous. Sadly this is where the pros end! Staff are subdued and seem almost confused when you ask a question or order a drink, not much of an atmosphere in the bar area and the food is average at best. Anything with the word surprise after it, is not good! Mushroom surprise was just mushrooms on a tiny bit of toast and another weird pre starter was chopped up burger and cheese on a cocktail stick served on a bed of tomato ketchup. It is a shame as the lodge is an excellent location and with a few improvements it would be great.

We phoned ahead of time to request a room close to reception to accommodate our disability needs - room 1 was perfect for us with a ramp and rails in the shower. Thank you. The attractive thatched bedrooms were situated within a beautiful, well tended garden. The reception and dining areas near the pool were modern and excessively sophisticated for the setting. Meals and service were excellent, however the packed lunch of cold fish and chips was not the best choice. We would have preferred sandwiches and fresh fruit. We thoroughly enjoyed sundowners beside the pool while watching the animals coming and going to the waterhole.

This was probably the best stay in Namibia for us. The place was superb. The stuff excellent. Food was very good and the place was a pleasure.Not only we would recommend it, but we wold stay there again.But longer!