Art de Vivre at the Gmundner Lodge in Namibia
It is one of the literal promises at Namibia's newest luxury lodge: "the art of enjoying life". This is made possible by the Austrian Friesacher family, who have been offering the ultimate for discerning travelers here for two years. This includes the exposed location alone, nestled in a breathtakingly beautiful landscape between the Kalahari Desert in the east and the Khomas mountain plateau in the west. This has certainly also contributed to the Relais & Chateau Hotels membership, as the property with 12 very different, elegant villas is skillfully draped with great views of this green landscape.
The interior is somewhat reminiscent of safari times long past with vintage furniture in leather and mahogany, four-poster beds and carefully staged antique safari rarities such as telescopes and binoculars. Everything is generously planned with living and sleeping areas over 200 square meters, terraces and an oversized bathroom. Especially in the evening, you can enjoy the view from the expansive terrace into an unimaginably deep onyx sky, which is dotted with stars. Then it's time for romance, as the lodge glows in the warm glow of flickering lanterns and candles and the bathtub on the terrace provides cozy warmth. The main house, which houses the restaurant, a well-stocked bar, library and living room, is just a few minutes' walk away.
The well-placed furnishings and artistic arrangements make you feel like you're in a living room journal. From here, the view opens onto a large terrace with sun loungers, infinity pool and a small boma. "Farm-to-table" - from the vegetable patch to the table, is the motto here and you can see for yourself: from the vegetable garden with flower beds, sheep and goat stables to the butchery and dairy station, everything is available here. Yes, there are even cows and horses to see and a huge staff area with a kindergarten, school and playground. Markus Friesacher is also committed to the local residents. "When you give an entire village a perspective, it's a very good feeling," says the entrepreneur. To this end, he has launched a great aid project that combines art with culture and includes the "San" tribe.
In cooperation with Gmundner Keramik in Austria and the Acadamy of Ceramics here, an exciting exchange was created: in the middle of the Kalahari, San artists created designs on paper, plates and figures, which were then fired by painters from Gmundner Keramik Manufaktur in Austria. Painted by hand, each individual piece is a tribute to the breathtaking nature of Namibia. Incidentally, every guest can make their own personal creation of cups, plates and mugs here, which can then be fired and taken home. This "painting room" on the farm premises is fully equipped so that you can let your imagination run wild.
"All Embracing" concept on 6000 hectares
An all-round carefree program is another phenomenon of this lodge: whether game drives on the 6000-hectare area with game park and landing strip for the in-house helicopter, tennis, the spa, motorcycle and quad rides as well as golf - everything is included here. Your wishes are discussed in the morning after breakfast and then arranged straight away. A vacation is that easy! We opted for a round of golf at the Omaya Golf Club, 30 km away, and a game drive the next morning. Right at the start, we were greeted by a family of giraffes that were not disturbed by the cars, as were the kudus, springboks, wildebeests and zebras. Only the rhino kept a reasonable distance from us, which was a good thing. Every game drive here ends with a sundowner ceremony on our own lookout mountain with fantastic views over the gently mountainous area. As the sky turns a glowing red and you sink into one of the comfortable chairs, you not only enjoy the legendary gin and tonic, but also champagne rosé from beautiful glasses. The fact that interesting conversations with other guests and the staff ensue is not only due to the special atmosphere. You can tell how well the "San" are looked after here, how happy they are with their work and, of course, this also results in great service.
For golfing on the courses around Windhoek
Yes, golf is also on the lodge's activity program and of course with a shuttle to the two courses, which are about an hour's drive away. You don't have to worry about anything, neither the green fee nor the equipment. So we set off first to the Omeya Golf Club, an 18-hole championship course designed by golf icon Peter Matkovich. Laid out between trees and a drained riverbed, the fairways run through the typical Namibian landscape without any major obstacles and guarantee a good score. A cart is automatically provided, so you can concentrate on your game in comfort. The only distraction is the low-flying airplanes that land at the nearby airport.
The design of our second golf adventure at the Windhoek Golf & Country Club is classic, flat and easy to walk thanks to the short distances between the green and the next tee. You can tell that you are at an altitude of around 1700 meters by the special lengths when teeing off, as the balls fly longer here than at home. You can watch all of this from the hotel, as the golf course is right next to the hotel building with 152 rooms and suites, four restaurants and bars that you can't miss. Our verdict: Both golf courses are worth playing, as they show how relaxed the game of golf can be in Africa, which of course also results in a good score!
www.gmundner-lodge.com
theomeyagolfer.greensidegolfer.com
www.wccgolf.com.na
Text & Photos: Elsa-Maria Honecker
