Major hotel group Newmark has grown from 15 properties pre-COVID to 23 hotels, lodges and resorts spread across South Africa, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean.

Plans for next year currently involve redeveloping the Apostle Battery, a World War II defense station situated on the slopes of Table Mountain, into a 22-suite lodge, destination spa, restaurant, and museum.

The hotel group is also building a presence in the Cape Winelands, and from April will take over the management of the Hazendal Wine Estate near Stellenbosch. Newmark will manage the accommodation offering, which currently includes the five-bedroom Homestead. From late-2023, Hazendal will open the luxurious 34-room Hazendal Hotel and Spa.

Commenting on the hotel group’s growth plans, Neil Markovitz, CEO of Newmark Hotels and Reserves, said: “With the turmoil in the tourism industry, we found that there was suddenly significant interest from independent hotels wanting to be part of a collection of like-minded properties. We stepped up to the plate and took the risk to grow when most were simply trying to survive.”

Newmark has further expanded into the Indian Ocean, with a refurbishment of La Maison D’Été. The boutique seafront hotel became a member of the company prior to the pandemic and is located in Flacq on the east coast of Mauritius. That same month, the group acquired a second property on the island – the 35-room Mystik Lifestyle Hotel at Mont Choisy.

December last year saw the opening of the 11 000-hectare Qwabi Private Game Reserve by Newmark located in Limpopo. The reserve’s Letamo Lodge with 58 keys opened first, while the ultra-luxurious Babohi Lodge with 25 keys will open in May of this year.

The most recent property to join Newmark is Mbulwa Country Manor in Sabie, Mpumalanga, which is set on 38-hectares of parkland and forest. This hillside estate offers 18 rooms and suites and is set to reopen in late-2023.