An olive grove of more than 400 trees runs down the hillside below The Olive Exclusive, which is where the hotel gets its name. It’s a seven-suite boutique hotel in a residential corner of Windhoek, five minutes from the centre and about 45 minutes from Hosea Kutako International, which makes it the obvious first or last night of a Namibian trip. Sleek modern lines are warmed up with rattan, rush and woven pieces, and the artwork in each suite comes from the region it’s named after. The restaurant sits at the top of the property. You’ll be glad of it after a long flight.
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The Olive Restaurant sits at the top of the property, which means breakfast comes with the hills around the city in view, indoors or out on the terrace. The menu moves with the seasons and the bar keeps a proper whisky list. Below, the olive grove drops away down the hillside. The main rooms run to the same look as the suites, sleek and modern with rattan, rush and woven pieces softening the lines, and you can eat lunch and dinner here too, or privately in your suite.
Caprivi, Etosha, Erongo, Kunene, Benguela, Namib and Otavi: each suite is built around one Namibian region, with photographic artwork on the walls and linen, furniture and fittings chosen to match. The four Premier Suites face front, looking down the olive grove and over the valley through tall glass, with a deck, loungers and a plunge pool. The three Junior Suites open onto their own courtyards instead, usually shaded by a tree, with cool screeded floors inside. Every suite has a fireplace in its own lounge and a freestanding tub with mountain views.
Most guests at Olive Exclusive will have planned their stay around a restricted flight schedule. If you only have an afternoon here, you will no doubt want to maximise the opportunity to acclimatise, relax and make the most of the hotel's facilities. If you want to explore further, the hotel staff can arrange local restaurant bookings or day tours in and around Windhoek, it's a short drive to the city centre.
The food gets more praise here than anything else, and after a long flight it matters more than usual. Dinner on the terrace, with the hills around Windhoek going dark.
Every suite has its own dining room, so if you land late and can’t face a restaurant, ask them to serve dinner in your own lounge instead.
Don’t plan on walking into Windhoek. It’s five minutes by car and the suites sit up the slope of the olive grove, so there are steps to reach them.
Start with a recommended trip or create one from scratch
The Olive Exclusive can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made Namibia trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended Namibia trips featuring The Olive Exclusive or get advice and suggestions from one of our Namibia specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at The Olive Exclusive start from around $160, or US$160, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
A European oasis in the middle of the desert that’s ideal for a stopover and a German pastry.
