It can be found in the food we serve, the people we support, the way we look after our rooms and gardens, and in the century-old walls entrusted to our care. Some choices are small and almost invisible; others are part of a much bigger commitment. Together, they reflect something we believe deeply: true hospitality should leave a place richer, not poorer, for having welcomed us.

For us, sustainability is ultimately about legacy; respecting what came before us, caring for what surrounds us today, and preserving it for those who will come after us.

Part of Africa’s Eden

Villa Margherita is a proud member of Africa’s Eden, a regional tourism initiative bringing together responsible tourism partners across Southern and Central Africa.

Through this community, we stand alongside lodges, camps, hotels and tourism operators who share a commitment to conservation, local communities and a more thoughtful way of travelling.

It reminds us that the landscapes, wildlife and cultures our guests travel so far to experience do not exist in isolation. They are part of something much larger and protecting them is a responsibility we all share.

From Our Garden to Your Table

Our approach in the kitchen begins close to home.

Wherever possible, we work with local suppliers and choose ingredients that support the people and producers around us. Just steps from our kitchen, our own hydroponic garden provides fresh greens that travel only a few metres before reaching your plate.

We have also looked carefully at something as simple as drinking water. Our water is purified locally through reverse osmosis, while sparkling water is prepared in-house and served in reusable glass bottles. It means fewer single-use plastics, less unnecessary transport and, quite simply, a fresher glass of water at your table.

Small choices, perhaps, but repeated every day, they matter.

Thoughtful Stays

We believe comfort and conscious hospitality can live beautifully together.

Fresh towels are always available, but daily replacement is left to our guests rather than assumed. Our housekeeping team uses biodegradable cleaning products wherever possible, and drinking water in our rooms is presented in glass rather than plastic.

Our in-room amenities are from Africology, South Africa’s leading luxury skincare and spa brand, an African-born name whose philosophy feels very much at home at Villa Margherita. Rooted in the intelligence of nature, Africology combines indigenous African botanicals and essential oils with a strong commitment to ethical, conscious beauty and environmental responsibility.

At Villa Margherita, these beautiful products are offered in refillable pump dispensers rather than individual single-use containers, helping us reduce unnecessary packaging and waste while still offering our guests a genuinely luxurious experience.

Because we believe luxury today is not about excess. It is about quality, authenticity and making thoughtful choices quietly, consciously and without compromising comfort.

Supporting Local Hands and Stories

Our little curio shop tells stories far beyond Villa Margherita.

We seek out pieces from local artists, makers and small businesses in Namibia and South Africa, choosing objects with a sense of place and a human story behind them.

For our guests, they are beautiful reminders of a journey. For the people who create them, they represent something equally important: recognition, livelihood and the continuation of local skills and creativity.

By choosing locally made pieces, we hope that a little more of every guest’s journey remains within the communities that made it memorable.

Preserving Our Heritage

Perhaps the most visible expression of sustainability at Villa Margherita is the building itself.

Our historic Manor is a registered Namibian heritage building, and we consider ourselves its custodians rather than simply its owners.

More than a century of stories lives within these walls. Every restoration, repair and improvement is therefore approached with respect for the character of the original building and for the history it carries.

Preserving heritage is sustainability too. It means resisting the temptation to replace simply because something is old, understanding the value of craftsmanship, and ensuring that a piece of Namibia’s architectural history continues to live rather than becoming merely a memory.

A Legacy in the Making

We know that sustainability is never finished.

There will always be more we can learn, improve and do differently. Our commitment is simply to keep asking the questions, making better choices where we can, and caring deeply for the people, places and stories that make Villa Margherita what it is.

Because ultimately, we would like our legacy to be more than a beautiful hotel.

We hope Villa Margherita will always be a place that was loved, carefully looked after, and passed on with its soul intact.

And when you stay with us, you become a small part of that story too.

We welcome your questions, your ideas and your suggestions because caring for tomorrow is something none of us can do alone.

Sustainability