South-west of the little Namibian town of Keetmanshoop is the Seeheim Hotel. Having seen the sign below we had visions of a hotel like the one featured in the Stephen King’s book The Shining or the Hotel California! Check in there and you may never leave . . . at least not in your present form!
©LB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
©LB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
What I discovered when I got back home and did some research is that the Seeheim Hotel (and indeed the whole surrounding area) has a rich history. The hotel was out of stone built in 1896 to house the German colonial troops. In the 1920s it became a busy hotel. Following the decline of the town of Seeheim, it was closed down in 1974. Then after 30 years, the current owner Zirkie Kloppers renovated the building and it was again open for business. You can read a more detailed history of the Seeheim Hotel and the surrounding area, on the hotel’s website here. Wikipedia describes it as “a nostalgic stopover for tourists on their way to Fish River Canyon“. Looking at the map, it is also close to several other tourist attractions – the Naute National Park and the Vogelstrausskluft Private Game Reserve – as well as being on the way to Lüderitz.
I’m not sure where the “taxidermy” is done – all that is mentioned on the website is that quality hand-crafted wooden furniture is made there. Maybe they do the taxidermy on the side when things are slow at the hotel?!
The Seeheim Hotel ©LB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
This post is part of a series I will be publishing about our travels through Namibia. It is also part of my daily posts for October 2016 – otherwise known as The October Dash
Notes from Africa 
This hotel has such an intriguing history, Lisa. I also investigated it when I was planning our route (and possible alternatives) through the South earlier this year; we’ve passed Seeheim a couple of times on our way to or from Luederitz, but we’ve never stopped there, never mind stayed in the hotel. It’s rather hidden, so you can’t see it from the road – as I recall, it’s in a bit of a dip south of the main road, right? So did you and Willie overnight there? Was it nice? 🙂
Yes, the hotel is in a bit of a dip to the south of the main road. We didn’t stay there, just passed by. I’ve since read that some people who hunt of game farms in the area like staying there. Probably that is where the taxidermy comes in.
Lisa, you should know me well enough by now to know I have spent the last ten minutes with TripAdvisor and other bits’sand’pieces on Mr Google . . . What one learns!! Sounds and looks very eclectic and a lot of fun: actually thought we were receiving a meal description but that may not have been your idea behind ‘getting stuffed’ 🙂 !!! ‘Taxidermy’ . . . hmm!!!
We did not stay there, so I can’t comment on the food. 😉 On the long road trip around Namibia, Willie and I were already thinking about funny titles for posts. This one seemed too good not to use – although not everyone will get the joke.
I loved your title for this post about such an intriguing and beautiful place. I wuold love to go to Namibia one day – my family has historical connections with Windhoek. But the desert looks so amazing too.
Willie and I we driving around Namibia thinking of funny blog post titles! 😉 This was one of those that stuck.
I really think you should try to visit Namibia. Just allow yourself enough time to travel around. 2Summers was saying the other day that you need at least 3 – 4 weeks and then you still won’t get to see everything.