Set in the cheetah capital of the world, Otjiwarongo, the Bush Pillow Guest House offers tranquillity, style, and comfort. It is conveniently located to use as a base for visiting the Etosha Game Park and the Waterberg Plateau.
Rooms at Bush Pillow
We offer comfortable modern accommodation and have 7 rooms on the premises, which contributes to the intimate and personal service that you will receive. All our rooms are non-smoking, which complies with local government law.
All our rooms offer en-suite bathroom facilities and have LCD HD televisions with an array of satellite television channels. The rooms also have ceiling fans and complimentary tea/coffee-making facilities. We also have complimentary WIFI internet service throughout the premises.
Room Types
- 2 family rooms, each with 2 separate rooms and a mix of double and twin beds
- 4 twin rooms, each with 2 single beds
- 1 double room with a queen-size bed
We ensure that when staying with us, you will enjoy a quality night's sleep in true Egyptian cotton linen!
Conference Facilities
We have one conference facility at Bush Pillow, most suited for small groups and companies that prefer personal service and touch. We can assist with boardroom-style facilities for up to 10 delegates, classroom style for up to 20 delegates, and U-style seating for up to 15 delegates. We can help you in organising, administrating, and managing your events, ensuring stress-free days for you and your guests.
If you have a slightly larger group, do not hesitate to contact us, and we will be happy to assist as best we can.
History of Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo, as it is known today, came into existence mainly because of the need to find a connection between Swakopmund, Windhoek, and Tsumeb. The powers that be (Germany) knew about the copper ore in the Otavi (Tsumeb) area and needed to get the ore to the coast for shipping back to Germany. At first, they wanted to develop Port Alexander, but that was 730 kilometres from Otavi, and Swakopmund was only 581 kilometres away.
The Germans also knew what South Africa was like, but they did not have good faith in the future of Angola. They did, however, keep their options open in case trouble presented itself with South Africa, and thus it was imperative that the railroad was built via Outjo. Another factor to consider was the Waterberg area; with enough water and fertile soil, it was seen as a growth point.
Thus, based on these factors, the decision was taken to establish the link between Waterberg and Outjo at kilometre 378 (Otjiwarongo). The narrow-gauge rail was completed in 1906, and the first train arrived on 2nd April 1906. Otjiwarongo settled down, and that same year, the Post Office and Police station were opened. The first inhabitants were Hans Buerger, Julius Doll, August Laszig, and Paul Witt.
History of Bush Pillow Guest House
It is fitting that the Bush Pillow Guest House also came into existence indirectly because of the railway. The original house was built more than 140 km from Otjiwarongo as part of the South African Railways project at Okozongoro Siding. This siding was part of the Kranzberg – Tsumeb guaranteed line. For some reason, the Okozongoro siding was never utilised, and all the goods and houses were sold at auction.
Mr. Claussen, the owner of the farm Okozongoro, bought the house and then broke it down brick by brick to rebuild it in Otjiwarongo on erf 522 as his town dwelling, where it still forms part of the extended Bush Pillow Guest House building today. This was done in 1963. (The name Okozongoro means “place of the Zebras.”)
Mr. Claussen sold the property to a Mr. W.A. Klepach, who in December 1986 decided to enlarge the small railway house to the extensive dwelling that it is today. The additions to the building totalled 550 square metres. Mr. Klepach was at the time the Manager of the Hamburgerhof Hotel (today the private school in Otjiwarongo).
The property was sold when Mr. Klepach was transferred. A farmer, Mr. Nederlof, purchased the house and, in turn, they sold the house to Dr. F. Steyn, one of the medical practitioners in town. Dr. Steyn added to the buildings in August 1994. He added a set of garages totalling 78 square metres. The plans for these extensions were drawn by Ms. Anita Giani and approved by the Municipality in September 1994.
In February 1999, the wife of Dr. Steyn decided to change the residence to a Guest House. The current owner, Neville Neveling, purchased this Guest House in September 1999 and has upgraded the facility to its present state. The Guest House is fully registered with the Namibia Tourism Board and has become a firm favourite with visitors to Otjiwarongo.
In 2007, it also became a part of Sun International’s Privilege Portfolio Partners. This means all holders of the Sun International Privilege Portfolio card can get discounts on accommodation as well as meals.
The current owner also developed the theme of elephants for the Bush Pillow Guest House and discovered another remarkable link between the Bush Pillow and one of the magnificent seven elephants of South Africa, Mafunyane. The story, in short, is as follows: Mr and Mrs. Rossouw were filmmakers who filmed the gentle giant Mafunyane in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Mrs. Rossouw was pregnant at the time of filming, and when their son was born, he was named after this graceful elephant. Years later, they filmed in the Kavango region in Namibia, and a Mr. J. Joachim, a Namibian citizen and information officer, had to show them around. He was puzzled at the name of the tiny lad, Mafunyane Rossouw, and enquired how it came to be that this boy was named such. The story was then related to Mr. Joachim, who later related this story to the present owner of the Bush Pillow Guest House.
Today, one can order the small in-house publication of the stories of these elephants, well illustrated by Leana Oberholzer, one of the local artists from Otjiwarongo. It has won several awards in this time, as well as receiving some very unique accolades from the SADF and NDF jointly. It is the only establishment in Namibia to have received this accolade.
The Bush Pillow Guest House is proud of this historical link with rail development in Namibia and its influence on Otjiwarongo in particular.