Protea Hotel Polokwane Ranch Resort in Limpopo, South Africa, has opened new state-of-the-art sports facilities, including a High Performance Centre.

The idea came about after the hotel noted a growing demand for sports facilities across South Africa. Paul Shearer, General Manager of the Protea Hotel Polokwane Ranch Resort, explains: “In our region, we identified the opportunity following the country’s hosting of the global football franchise FIFA World Cup in 2010.”

Since that event, Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, a short 20-minute drive from the hotel, has hosted a number of large matches. Visiting soccer teams have included Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Tottenham Hotspurs, Manchester City, Bafana Bafana, and the national team from Senegal. These teams have used the accommodation provided at Protea Hotel Polokwane Ranch Resort.

The hotel began to invest in building training facilities after identifying the needs of teams travelling to the area. The facilities are now available for visiting teams, or teams wishing to host training camps at the hotel.

The facilities originally included a 104m x 54m-wide sports field, 20 two-bedroom self-catering chalets, a clubhouse and a 12-hole golf course and academy. Later, the hotel added a second sports field, and in late 2017, work was completed on a High Performance Centre developed in partnership with Technogym, a worldwide gym equipment manufacturer.

Shearer says this High Performance Centre is the first of its kind in South Africa. He adds: “Our sports guests benefit from the safe and secure location away from distractions of town, upmarket accommodation, excellent food and a training facility available for pre- and post-match training sessions.”

The hotel is located three hours away from Johannesburg, and is easily accessible from a major national highway. Guests can also make use of the Polokwane Gateway International Airport if arriving by air.