11 Best Hotels in Namibia

This gorgeous glass and natural stone lodge has a spectacular setting on the border of the NamibRand Nature Reserve–Africa's first International Dark Sky Reserve. Its ultra-luxurious desert suites, which face a vast golden-yellow plain ringed by dune peaks, each have a private veranda with sun loungers and couches and a large hydraloop plunge pool. Shower in your mega-size bathroom or outside in your own little walled garden. You can lie in bed and watch the stars through the skylight overhead or climb up to the observatory with its state-of-the-art telescope and resident astronomer (check ahead of time to make sure they're available). The food is as refreshing as the lodge, but if you don't feel like eating in the main dining area, you can make use of the butler hatch in your suite for in-room dining, accompanied by an extensive personal bar. 

Sitting on the banks of the Chobe River, right where it meets the mighty Zambezi River, this elegant lodge gives you a taste of effortless luxury. The stilted water villas stand either in or at the water’s edge giving them a somewhat surreal view over the river towards one of Southern Africa’s best wildlife-dense river systems, the Sedudu Island. The sophisticated rooms spare nothing when it comes to comfort and indulgence; there's even a telescope to aid in wildlife-watching. The infinity pool and deck at the main building offer uninterrupted views over the water towards the island, so you can view game all day long without leaving the comfort of your sun lounger. Candlelit dinners on the deck under the stars combine the flavors of Europe and Africa and their tapas-style lunches are a welcome break from buffets. Whether you come for the soothing sunsets and fancy rooms or just to see the herds of elephants that seem to visit all day long, this lodge could be one of your best experiences in Africa.

Constructed from natural materials in a low-impact manner (including being completely solar-powered), this luxe tented camp seamlessly blends into its surroundings atop a rocky outcrop that's reminiscent of the Masai Mara all while offering guests every creature comfort. This is the closest you'll get to a safari just 45 minutes from the international airport and an hour from central Windhoek. Sustainability and conservation are at the heart of this 123,552-acre nature reserve, which also prioritizes health and wellbeing through its retreats, and spa and wellness offerings. Habitas is the epitome of Namibia hospitality and five-star service, from the thoughtful lodge playlist you receive upon reservation to the genuine welcome at your "homecoming" ceremony, and everything else in between—we're warning you, you won’t want to leave.

The picturesque Mowani Mountain Camp lies atop a scattered pile of giant ocher-colored boulders in sight of the impressive Brandberg Mountain. It offers one of the most unique settings and landscapes in the region. Each of the rooms are set back, almost camouflaged in the boulders with views of the hilltop vista or the valley, where guides take guests in search of desert-adapted elephants. In between game drives and nature walks, guests can plunge into the pool that’s been carved into the boulders, sunbathe on the pool loungers or relax in the laid-back lounge. Everything from the location to the camp, well-appointed rooms, friendly staff, and mouth-watering food will have you wishing you had booked for longer. Camp Kipwe, a few minutes away, is their newer sister property which attracts younger travelers for its more modern and funky take on safari décor, and as all the rooms have a/c.

This flagship lodge in the Onguma Game Reserve on the eastern border of Etosha National Park's Fischer Pan is the epitome of luxury and style, blending unique Moroccan-style fort architecture with subtle hints of color and raw African textures. The main lodge’s wide deck overlooks the stark expanse of the pan and a waterhole, which is visited by many animals that have wandered across from Etosha. You get a strong sense that you're at the edge of civilization here. The exquisitely appointed suites stretch to either side of the lodge with astonishing pan views, outdoor showers, and cool stone interiors. The staff are like a well-oiled machine and you feel as though you are a VIP. The Dream Cruiser Sleep Out experience—a custom-built Land Cruiser with a wooden deck, double bed, seating and dining area upstairs, and a full bathroom downstairs with hot running water and flush toilet—can be booked in conjunction with a stay at any of Onguma’s properties. 

This astonishingly different and dramatically sited camp in the extreme northwest of Namibia on the Angolan border is probably the most remote camp in southern Africa and you are guaranteed to gasp with awe when you first catch sight of the camp from a high sand dune. Located along the Kunene River within the Marienfluss Conservancy, which is largely owned by the region's indigenous Himba people, this camp operates on a mutually beneficial public-private partnership that prioritizes these custodians of the land, and allows guests to respectfully engage with the local community during their visit. This award-winning model has been widely commended and serves as an example for other hospitality businesses to follow. Stay for three nights to make the most of the experience. Although tents (on raised platforms) are luxurious and have private bathrooms, don't come here if you aren't tough. The flight from Windhoek is long and may be bumpy, and the terrain harsh and demanding, but the experience is surreal. This is one-of-a-kind Africa.

This family-run, private lodge, with numerous accommodation options to suit various budgets, is located in the Okonjima Nature Reserve about halfway between Windhoek and Etosha, making it an excellent stopover point on your way to the park. It's also home to the environmental-award-winning AfriCat Foundation ( www.africat.org), which has focused on the conservation of Namibia’s wildlife through ongoing research and education efforts for over three decades. During a two-night stay, you have the chance to track leopards, rhinos, and pangolins, with a high probability of seeing wild and collared leopards (for research purposes) in their natural habitat. Nestled among the Omboroko Mountains, the lovely Okonjima Luxury Bush Camp has ample room to relax, whether it is in the communal lounge, by the inside fireplace or outside fire pit, or alongside the swimming pool. Each thatched room has a canvas wall that can be rolled up to look out onto the sweeping savannah, which can equally be taken in from the privacy of your own sala and lounge. The nearby Private Bush Suite is a two-bedroom standalone cottage that comes with a private chef—and a hefty price tag.

This luxurious and completely solar-powered, low-impact camp is located in the remote, broad valley of the Hoanib River; with one foot in the dramatic Namibian Kaokoveld and the other in the Skeleton Coast National Park, the unique and exquisitely appointed tented rooms look out over scenery that's hard to find adjectives to describe. This part of the Skeleton Coast also lends itself to exploring the shipwrecks and Cape fur seal colonies along the otherwise deserted coastline, with the opportunity to spot desert-adapted elephants, lions and brown hyaenas. The large shaded deck of the rooms or the sparkling swimming pool are the perfect place to sit and stare out at the arresting scenery while escaping the heat of the day. The day-long coastal excursion (for guests staying three nights or longer) is the experience of a lifetime that includes a beach lunch and a (weather permitting) scenic flight back to camp.

For seclusion and green, conscience-free travel in a ridiculously pretty setting, book Wolwedans Desert Lodge, which is set against an impressive sand dune and faces a mountain that glows in shades of pink as the sun sets. Take a game drive with the well-informed guides and learn about the unique desert fauna and flora of the NamibRand, from the heat-adapted oryx and tok-tok beetles to Pale Chanting Goshawks and the remarkable camelthorn tree. Progressive in their long-term approach to conservation and energy, Wolwedans operates entirely on renewable energy, eliminating the hum of diesel generators and preserving the profound stillness of the desert. 

This exclusive-use private villa, in the serene and secluded NamibRand Nature Reserve—which is Africa's first Dark Sky Reserve—gives its guests up-close access to the surrounding desert habitat. The reserve is a reflection of the diversity of the Namib Desert with its steep mountain ranges, vast savannas, glorious red sand dunes, and clay pans. Here you might possibly see the oryx, as well as more than 100 bird species including the rare dune lark, found nowhere else in the world. The reserve is sparsely developed and off-limits to large vehicles such as tour buses. What's more, a percentage of the sustainability fee (US$79 per person per night) goes directly to conserving the integrity of the reserve. The villa is made up of four en-suite doubles that share a library, kitchen, private chef, guide and numerous outdoor spaces from which to enjoy the views.

The concept of conservation and the genuine rehabilitation of the resident flora and fauna is at the forefront for Zannier Hotels, as is property design as evidenced by these airy and spacious thatched villas built to reflect Owambo architecture fused with five-star flare. Each villas has a double-sided fireplace, open-plan adjoining rooms, and a large bathroom with an indoor and outdoor shower. The lodge's expansive infinity pool, lounge area, and rustic bar make for a peaceful place to unwind surrounded by the savannah, even though it is only 50 minutes outside of Windhoek. Zannier partnered with the Naankuse Foundation to establish the 22,239-acre Zannier Reserve on a former cattle breeding farm, where it offers a true sanctuary and forever home to animals that have been injured or rescued from untoward tourism practices, as well as endangered species.