Our Story

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Olde Worlde Charm

You will be enchanted by the old world charm and peaceful atmosphere of Kleines Heim. The main building of our Hotel Garni was completed in 1911. Willy Sander, the well-known colonial architect and creator of the historical Sanderburg castle, chose the style of British cottage architecture for the design of Kleines Heim Hotel Garni.

Fortunately the original building has remained intact and your first glimpse when arriving at Kleines Heim, is the decorative gables, now beautiful restored, and a popular feature with the early architecture of Windhoek.

A painting of the main building by well known Namibian artist, Christine Marais, was included in the book "Our Heritage" which was published in 1986. The book included all buildings of historical significance in and around Windhoek and finally acknowledged the value of Kleines Heim as an example of colonial architecture.

The local inhabitants first used the name Kleines Heim, referring to its function as a "small" maternity home. The colourful history of Kleines Heim Hotel Garni also includes a period when it served as a guest house for important visitors to the colonial governors of the colony. Probably the most illustrious guest ever to have set foot here, was "Kgama The Good One", the father of Sir Seretse Kgama, former president of Botswana.

With the opening of Kleines Heim Hotel Garni to modern day visitors a new page was turned in history of this quaint guest house. By entering your name into our visitors book you too will became part of the interesting and colourful history of Kleines Heim.

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