Mountain Inn Eswatini Hotel Review

This hotel review of the Mountain Inn Eswatini or Mountain Inn Swaziland as it was formally known as showcases the hotels modern new rooms. These six newly build rooms offer panoramic views over the Ezulwini Valley or Valley of Heaven. The Mountain Inn is one of the few hotels in Eswatini to offer the SafeTravels Stamp. The SafeTravels Stamp was created for travellers to recognise destinations and businesses around the world which have adopted the SafeTravels health and hygiene global standardised protocols.

To visit and enter Eswatini or the former Kingdom of Swaziland you must have a PCR test not older than 72 hours. This applies to all travellers even if you are fully vaccinated. For a PCR test in Cape Town we used Ian Wallace from Bio Smart. Ian Wallace does the test either at your home or hotel and the results were emailed back within 24 hours. Contact Ian Wallace from Bio Smart for a PCR test with super fast results.

The border officials seem to prefer these test results in colour and printed out. Emails and copies on your phone or notebook are not accepted.

Check In At The Mountain Inn Eswatini

The Mountain Inn is just outside the city of Mbabane and a 40 minute drive from the closest South African border, Oshoek. The G.P.S. found the hotel easily and there is also signage directing you to the hotel. When you are driving in Swaziland you must keep your face mask on at all times. The police will pull you over and fine you for not wearing your mask while driving and that applies to passengers too. The hotel offers safe secure FREE parking on arrival and is set in a lush garden atmosphere. Walking into the hotel, we were warmly greeted by the staff at the reception desk who checked us in quickly and efficiently.

This hotel is a family run hotel and one of the owners, Marc, came out from behind the reception area to show us around the hotel and explain what was open and what was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. This added a really nice warm personal touch to our arrival at the hotel.

Walking down the corridor towards the rooms and the dining area, the walls are adorned with beautiful artwork featuring both local and South African artists. This is an initiative by the hotels owners to help promote local arts and the culture of Eswatini.

The first thing that grabs your attention as you enter the dining area is the absolutely panoramic views that this hotel offers. As it was close to sunset, we decided to order a drink and watch the sunset from the deck area over looking the Ezulwini Valley. From this vantage spot you also can see the hotels large sparkling blue pool. The pool is not heated as is the norm in all Southern Africa countries.

After a few sundowner drinks we decided it was maybe a good idea to get something to eat. Friar Tuck’s Restaurant is currently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions but the hotel is still offering dinner to guests. There is also a popular option to order take out if you don’t fancy cooking at home.

I had a fillet steak which came cooked to order with a nice pepper sauce and chips. So much for the low carb diet! I really enjoyed the steak and watching the lights come on in the valley below us created a memorable dining experience. After dinner it was time to head down to room number 42.

New Rooms At The Mountain Inn Eswatini

The six newly build rooms (2020) are approximately 42 square metres in size and spacious and offer stunning views looking over the Ezulwini valley below. The bathroom has a large walk in shower, a single vanity basin and the usual bathroom amenities. The room had a large queen size bed with clean white linen set off against a beautiful African motive as the headboard.

Room number 42 had a nice quiet air-conditioning unit, a desk with enough charging points for all your devices, a tea and coffee station, a fridge and most importantly, wipes to sanitise anything you may feel needs to be cleaned and complimentary medical masks.

Masks must be worn through out the hotel and all staff are masked in keeping with Eswatini and the WTTC #SafeTravels programs COVID-19 protocols.

The room also had two comfortable couches so you could put your feet up, relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the valley spread out below you. The room also offered a table and chairs outside. The rooms are all non smoking so I guess you could sit outside and smoke.

Room number 42 had a nice large television with a nice range of channels on offer and I was able to watch the Giro De Italia live. That made me very happy. The free unlimited Wi-Fi in the room was super fast and worked well throughout our stay. The room offers a safe to lock any valuables away. The bed was very comfortable and firm and I slept very well both nights. House keeping kept the room in perfect condition through out the stay and as part of the Mountain Inns sustainable initiatives program, there is an option to reuse towels and opt out of daily room cleaning.

Breakfast was served from 07.00AM. There was a choice of a buffet style full Irish breakfast with made to order eggs or a continental breakfast. I had a omelette that was cooked perfectly and a cappuccino to start the day. The views from the breakfast area are amazing but there was no time to linger as Eswatini has so much to offer in terms of tourism attractions.

The Mountain Inn was quite busy when we stayed there with both local and international visitors. The hotel attracts a lot of conferencing business and diplomatic staff having meetings at the hotel. The Mountain Inn also has a very nice bar that is currently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions in Eswatini. 

I would highly recommend the Mountain Inn Eswatini if you are planning on visiting Eswatini as a tourist or for business. The hotel offers great service from friendly staff, and the owners, Patrick and Marc are always around and very attentive to a guests needs. The two night stay at the Mountain Inn was not really long enough as the hotel is a perfect place to explore the many attractions that Eswatini has to offer a visitor.

10 Must Visit Tourist Attractions In Eswatini

  • Hiking, Eswatini offers incredible hiking trails. Try hiking Sibebe Rock located 10 km from the capital city Mbabane. It is the second-largest monolith in the world and the largest exposed granite pluton, rising 350m above the valley of the Mbuluzi River. 
  • Visit the Mbabane craft market that offers Swazi arts and crafts at very reasonable prices.
  • Hlane national park offers some of the largest game herds in Swaziland including lions, elephant and rhino.
  • Ngwenya Glass offers a range of glassware that includes tableware, drinking glasses, vases, jugs and ornamental African animals, are all handmade from recycled glass.
  • Swazi Candles in Malkerns consists of a cluster of handicraft outlets around the showroom and workshop of Swazi Candles, a successful local enterprise that today exports candles worldwide. Inside the workshop you can watch the candle-makers shaping and colouring their creations.
  • Mlilwane Wildlife Reserve is one of Swaziland’s first conservation areas and its most popular game reserve. From Mlilwane it is possible to hike to the top of execution rock and watch the sunset set over Eswatini.
  • The Malolotja Nature Reserve is the largest protected area in the Eswatini. The name means “river with many rapids and waterfalls” for the reserve is sliced by the Malolotja River, which forms a series of waterfalls, including the country’s highest waterfall, the Malolotja Falls.
  • Swazi festivals are a must visit if you are in Eswatini when they are taking place. The Umhlanga or Reed Dance ceremony, is Swaziland’s most famous festival. It takes place during the last week of August or first week of September when young women from around the Southern Africa come to participate in song and dance performance in homage to the Queen mother. 
  • In December and January, Incwala is a kingship ritual lasting about three weeks. At the beginning of the celebrations, representatives of the Bemanti people bring water from all the main rivers of Swaziland, gathered at the new moon. Young men then build a royal kraal at Lobamba from branches of the lusekwane tree and other plants. The climax is reached on the “great day,” when the king, clad in his finest robes, symbolically tastes the first fruits of the harvest followed by song and dance.
  • The MTN BUSHFIRE Festival sees some of Africa’s best artists performing in an intimate and 100% socially responsible festival. Lauded by CNN as one of the “7 African music festivals you really have to see”, and  recently named as BBC’s Top African Festival, MTN BUSHFIRE is Eswatini’s internationally acclaimed music & arts festival that celebrates creative expression whilst promoting social responsibility, stimulating the economy and drawing talent and tourists from across Africa and around the world.

Mountain Inn Eswatini Contact Details

Amenities At The Mountain Inn Eswatini

  • Swimming Pool (Not Heated)
  • Wi-Fi (Free Unlimited)
  • Laundry Service
  • Gym
  • Business Centre
  • Art Gallery
  • Shop/Cafe/Liquor Store
  • Art Gallery
  • Secure Free Parking
  • Garden Chess
  • Putt Putt/ Croquet

Quick Facts About The Mountain Inn Eswatini

  • 52 Rooms
  • 5 Family Rooms
  • 3 Suites
  • 6 new rooms built 2020

 

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Pinterest