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Swakopmund Hotels
Where To Stay In Swakopmund, From The Mole To Vogelstrand
Swakopmund is where Namibia's desert meets the cold Atlantic: a German colonial town founded in 1892, with a lighthouse, the historic Mole and an old town of colonial buildings, cafés and restaurants that feels a world away after days on gravel roads. It's one of our favourite pauses on a Namibia lodge route, and choosing where to stay comes down to two things: where in town, and how big.
On the seafront, the Strand Hotel stands on the Mole itself with the ocean on three sides, and The Pearls Beach Pods face the waves between the Jetty and the Mole. In the old town, the Swakopmund Hotel is built in and around the restored 1901 railway station, with The Delight, Hotel Deutsches Haus, Swakopmund Guesthouse and Villa Margherita all in the centre. Brigadoon and The Mole Guesthouse sit on quieter streets near the Mole, Swakopmund Sands lies just south of the centre, and Atlantic Villa looks out to sea from Vogelstrand on the edge of town.
Larger hotels bring restaurants, bars and facilities on site; small guesthouses trade those for a handful of rooms, a garden and a hosted breakfast. We've chosen both, so the coast fits the rest of your trip, whether you're on a self-drive or a guided safari.
Swakopmund is also the base for the coast's day tours: Walvis Bay dolphin cruises, Sandwich Harbour, the Living Desert and the welwitschia plains. Every property here is priced as part of your safari itinerary. Swakopmund lies in an area of very low malaria risk; see our Namibia malaria guide and malaria in Africa.
Our Hotels And Guesthouses In Swakopmund
Atlantic Villa Guesthouse
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
A boutique guesthouse at Vogelstrand on the edge of Swakopmund, just back from the sea. Sea-view rooms and junior suites sit alongside five self-catering apartments, and the dining room serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, so there's no need to head into town.
Brigadoon Boutique Guesthouse
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Ondili's boutique guesthouse occupies a sea captain's house built in 1912, restored in maritime style and reopened in April 2023. Its seven rooms open onto a landscaped garden on a quiet street near the Mole, minutes' walk from the sea and the centre.
Hotel Deutsches Haus
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
A central hotel on Lüderitz Street, steps from the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Swakopmund's old town. Its restaurant serves continental and local dishes, family rooms keep parents and children together, and the beach is an easy walk away.
Swakopmund Guesthouse
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
A family-run B&B on Hendrik Witbooi Street in the centre of Swakopmund, a few minutes' walk from the lighthouse, museum and beach. Rooms have a maritime touch and a separate sitting area, and a buffet breakfast starts each day.
Swakopmund Hotel
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Swakopmund's 1901 railway station, restored and opened as a hotel in 1994, with newer wings around a large swimming pool. Platform One restaurant, the Whistlestop bar, a casino, a cinema and a gym are all on site in the centre of town.
Swakopmund Sands Guesthouse
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
A small hotel on Strand Street South, just south of the centre and a minute's walk from the National Marine Aquarium. Rooms range from classic to luxury, with more in the adjacent Swakopmund Sands Cottage, and the sea is a short walk away.
The Delight Swakopmund
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Gondwana's bold, colourful boutique hotel stands opposite the Swakopmund Hotel, within walking distance of the Mole and the town's restaurants. Every room has a private balcony and family rooms have a loft; breakfast is the main meal, with light meals and cocktails at the bar.
The Mole Guesthouse
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
A modern guesthouse on the corner of Werft and Mittel streets, a short walk from the Mole beach and the town centre. Double, twin and family rooms and two luxury suites share a garden, and breakfast is served in the dining room or on the patio.
The Pearls Beach Pods
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Two private beachfront residences between the Jetty and the Mole, part of Gondwana's Secret Collection. "Jetty" has three bedrooms for up to six guests and "Mole" two bedrooms for four, each over three levels with its own kitchen and sea views.
The Strand Hotel Swakopmund
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Built on the historic Mole and opened in 2015, the Strand has the Atlantic on three sides and most rooms facing the sea. Three restaurants, including a seafood restaurant and a microbrewery, plus Café Mole on the beach, a spa and a gym.
Villa Margherita Swakopmund
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
An Italian-owned guesthouse in a restored colonial villa in the centre of Swakopmund, opened in 2008. Rooms are individually decorated, there's a quiet garden, and the in-house restaurant, Il Tulipano, cooks Italian dishes with Namibian ingredients, by reservation only.
Choosing Where To Stay In Swakopmund
Which Swakopmund hotels are right on the seafront?
The Strand Hotel and The Pearls Beach Pods are right on the water. The Strand stands on the Mole, the town's 1899 sea wall, with the Atlantic on three sides; the Pearls' two residences face the sea between the Jetty and the Mole. Atlantic Villa sits beside the sea at Vogelstrand, on the edge of town.
Which hotels are in Swakopmund's old town centre?
The Swakopmund Hotel, The Delight, Hotel Deutsches Haus, Swakopmund Guesthouse and Villa Margherita are all in the centre, among the colonial buildings, shops and restaurants. Brigadoon and The Mole Guesthouse are a few minutes' walk away near the Mole, and Swakopmund Sands is just south of the centre by the National Marine Aquarium.
Should I choose a hotel or a guesthouse in Swakopmund?
Choose a hotel for restaurants, bars and facilities on site, and a guesthouse for a quieter, more personal stay. The Strand has 125 rooms and three restaurants, and the Swakopmund Hotel adds a casino and cinema. Brigadoon has seven rooms around a garden, and Swakopmund Guesthouse is a family-run B&B.
Can I stay in a historic building in Swakopmund?
Yes. The Swakopmund Hotel, Brigadoon and Villa Margherita all occupy colonial-era buildings. The hotel is built in and around the town's 1901 railway station, Brigadoon's main house was a sea captain's home built in 1912, and Villa Margherita is a restored colonial villa. The Strand, opened in 2015, stands on the 1899 Mole.
Which Swakopmund hotels serve dinner on site?
The Strand, the Swakopmund Hotel, Hotel Deutsches Haus and Atlantic Villa all serve dinner on site. The Strand has three restaurants, including the Ocean Cellar for seafood, and the Swakopmund Hotel has Platform One. Villa Margherita's Il Tulipano cooks Italian food by reservation, and The Delight’s bar serves light meals, with restaurants a short walk away.
Is there self-catering accommodation in Swakopmund?
Yes. The Pearls Beach Pods are two self-contained beachfront residences with their own kitchens: "Jetty" has three bedrooms for up to six guests and "Mole" two bedrooms for up to four, both spread over three levels. Atlantic Villa at Vogelstrand also has five self-catering apartments alongside its guesthouse rooms.
Map of Lodges in and around Swakopmund
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