https://nz.trip.com/moments/detail/namibia-100151-131146709
NightingaleRiver199Singapore

I got scammed by a hotel in the Namibian desert! Came home crying

Who feels my pain?! Last week, I was "trapped" at Zannier Hotels Sonop in the African desert for three whole days. Now, back at work, all I can think about is the endless red sand. This hotel has ruined me for life 😭 📍First of all, the location is insane After a bumpy 2-hour flight from Windhoek, I thought I'd landed on Mars when I stepped off the plane🔥 The hotel is completely isolated in the southwest corner of Namibia, surrounded by nothing but 13,800 acres of desert! When the butler handed me a cold towel, he said, "This sea of sand is bigger than some European countries." As someone with zero sense of direction, I gave up on navigating the place right then and there... ⛺️Stepping back in time to 1920 I almost knelt down when I opened the door—an antique telescope pointed towards the desert horizon, hand-woven carpets that felt like clouds beneath my feet, and a bathtub right next to the four-poster bed! Every piece of furniture in the tent screamed "I'm expensive, but I won't say it," and even the notepaper was kept in a brass box (I almost stole it when I checked out, who can relate?). 🌌The Milky Way exploded fireworks above my head The infinity pool isn't for swimming! While I was floating on a raft watching an outdoor movie, the Magellanic Clouds suddenly burst open above me✨ When the guide pulled out a laser pointer to trace the constellations, this city slicker finally understood what "touching the stars" meant (my phone camera failed to capture the breathtaking beauty, even after 108 blurry photos). ⚠️But there are three things I have to complain about 1️⃣There's no full-length mirror in the tent! I had to rely on my phone's front camera for makeup, which was a gamble. 2️⃣The antique colonial-style bathtub is incredibly deep. I almost broke my neck trying to get in. 3️⃣The desert sunset is so beautiful it makes you want to cry, but there's no time to change into three different outfits for a photoshoot. Looking at my photos now, it still feels surreal—10 tents occupying an entire desert, with the wind singing ancient songs at night. I heard this is the only hotel in the world where you can see the Magellanic Clouds year-round. Suddenly, I understand why some people are willing to be "desert hermits" here 🏜️ PS: Don't bring high heels! Getting from the tent to the pool involves climbing over giant granite boulders. As someone who's terrible at sports, I had to use both my hands and feet to survive🙏 Getting a Namibian visa is super easy, anyone want to join me for a second trip?
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*Created by local travelers and translated by AI.
Posted: Apr 15, 2025
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