Tourists set to appreciate the nostalgia, romance of train rides with newly refurbished carriages at Midgard
O&L Leisure recently launched its newly refurbished train carriage accommodation units at Midgard Country Estate.
In total, the three carriages (7 cabins per carriage) can accommodate up to 72 guests – 24 per carriage.
In accompaniment of the O&L Leisure Managing Director (MD), Terence Makari, and current MD of Namibia Breweries Limited, Wessie van der Westhuizen, O&L Group Executive Chairman, Sven Thieme, officially inaugurated this new sparkle to the estate.
According to Makari, the train carriages which form a significant part of the Midgard history were outdated and in need of an upgrade.
“We pride ourselves in providing our guests with memorable experiences and thus needed to upgrade the trains to a level we would be proud of. We want to create unforgettable memories and experiences for our guests. This is a unique concept for Namibia,” Makari said.
The Midgard Train Complex is conveniently located in the Midgard Country Estate gardens and within a short walking distance of the main lodge where the hotel’s dining room, bar, lounge, TV Room, boma and various outdoor terraces, pools, etc. are located.
This unique facility is made up of three stationary passenger train carriages. These three carriages share two separate male and female ablution blocks. The facility also includes 2 basic kitchens and separate dining room. In the garden courtyard area is an open boma fire pit and a wood burning barbeque area. Behind the carriages is a parking area with 10 covered parking bays.
In addition and adjacent to the train carriages, two fully equipped self-catering units, each with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen/lounge area is also available as accommodation.
The three carriages were each refurbished according to their own theme, which include Vintage – designed to capture the romantic experience of historic train rides. It was something of high quality and remains a classic experience of comfort and luxury.
Makari said the aim was to appeal to guests that appreciate the nostalgia and romance of the history of train rides.
The graphic themed carriage aims to play on the connotation of graffiti art on trains. This is more of a play on the apocalyptic “pop culture/street art” theme popularized by the Blade runner movies made by director Ridley Scott. The design style will therefore appeal to a younger hip crowd. The Crisp carriage is a simple, clean and modern style appealing to a broad demographic. This design style is friendly and approachable. It aims to give the end user something fresh and clean. Green colors add a fresh touch contributing to the crisp feel required.
The trains are available as ‘self-catering’ and price range per cabin depends on the occasion, whether a business trip, leisure or a NGO team-building initiative. Ranging from N$250 for a 2-pax cabin to N$500 for a 4-pax cabin (churches and schools rates); N$400 for a 2-pax to N$800 for 4-pax cabin (leisure and business rates), and N$500 for 2-pax to N$1000 for 4-pax – Sell to Operator rates. Train guests may choose to book the normal Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner as offered by Midgard on a standard basis. There is also an option to book special catering for the trains.
Caption: O&L Executive Chairman, Sven Thieme (left) officially opening doors to one of the newly refurbished trains – the ‘Graphic’ theme carriage at Midgard Country Estate, in accompaniment of the train conductor.
