A slew of properties are set to revamp their offering this year. Here’s a round-up of those that are expanding or being given a new look. 

Montagu Golf Course to be resurfaced

Fancourt will resurface Montagu Golf Course as part of the course’s regular maintenance.  The process is set to commence by the end of April and the course will reopen in mid-September.

The Montagu course, at the centre of Fancourt, lies on rolling fairways and offers a different challenge to the other two courses.  It is a 12-hole ‘parklands’ course with tree-lined fairways.

“Golf greens tend to compact and sag in places so during this resurfacing process we are able to get the greens back to their original size, shape and complexity,” said Lloyd Martindale, Fancourt’s GM: Golf. He added that the resurfacing would take place in the winter months as it was most convenient and would have less of an impact on the international market.

Any existing reservations in the Montagu booking system will be changed to Outeniqua during this time.

For more information, click here. 

Radisson Blu Le Vendome revamps pool area

Radisson Blu Le Vendome in Cape Town has upgraded the pool area of the #add Restaurant. The pool area has a new wooden deck, an outdoor cocktail bar and night-time lighting. The hotel launched the new pool area on November 22 with an event for guests and members of the community. 

“We see the refurbishment of the #add Restaurant and pool as another opportunity to welcome Sea Point residents to the Radisson Blu family. It’s the first step in our goal of becoming a valuable part of the local community,” said Clinton Thom, GM of the Radisson Blu Le Vendome.

 

Ghost Mountain Inn launches new spa

Ghost Mountain will launch a new boutique spa facility early this year. This new, purpose-built facility is set in the gardens overlooking the Lebombo Mountains and Mkuze Dam and will offer various dedicated treatment rooms with private relaxation areas; a Hammam (steam bath); sauna facilities; and fully equipped gym.

Major renovations for Dar es Salaam Serena

Renovations to the Dar es Salaam Serena, which began in early December, are scheduled to take 10 months. The first phase, which will remodel the lobby, gym, coffee shop and shopping arcade, will take four months. All food and beverage facilities will also be upgraded and the grounds and landscaping will be improved over the following four months. 

Sandton Lodge Rivonia reopens  

Sandton Lodge Rivonia closed for renovations on December 15 and reopened on January 1. The patio area was redecorated and all furniture in the lodge replaced. The luxury rooms and standard rooms also received soft refurbishments.

Kagga Kamma unveils new open-air room  

Kagga Kamma, a luxury lodge in Cederberg, is offering a brand new open-air Outcrop room. The new room is situated between massive boulders and has rustic stone-cladded floors and a bath that overlooks the surrounding views.

Cape Town hotel reopens restaurant

The Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel in Cape Town reopened its restaurant, Thirty Ate, on October 26 after completing renovations. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails, wine, coffees and desserts and can host private events and functions.  

Kosi Forest Lodge has been upgraded



Refurbishments at Kosi Forest Lodge in iSimangaliso Wetland Park were completed in October. The swimming pool area was completely upgraded and a new deck around the swimming pool was added. The deck is now perfectly positioned for watching the sun set over Lake Shengeza where guests can now enjoy sundowners.

Harveys Bar and Terrace receives new look

Harveys Bar and Terrace at Winchester Mansions Hotel in Cape Town reopened on October 6 after being closed for three months for renovations. The terrace was extended and the hotel installed a 47.5kW solar system on its inner roof structure to reduce reliance on the national power provider.

Eagle Island reopens

Eagle Island lodge in the Okavango Delta reopened November 1 after renovations. Each room now has a plunge pool and viewing deck and all public areas of the lodge were completely renovated for a better overall experience. The lodge also now offers a hot air balloon activity, departing from Kadizora Camp, that will operate from May-November.

Menlyn Boutique Hotel acquires lodge



Menlyn Boutique Hotel, which is owned by WH Leisure Group, recently acquired Molenvliet Lodge, a five-star lodge situated in the Welgevonden Big Five Game Reserve in Limpopo. The lodge will be renamed Fifty Seven Waterberg and will receive a new game vehicle, new room standards, as well as a new chef and new food and wine menu.





Sandton Sun reopens following refurb

The Sandton Sun has reopened after undergoing an extensive refurbishment in October. The renovation saw 326 rooms refurbished and three new meeting rooms added – each fully equipped with ceiling-mounted projectors and screens, controlled lights and temperature settings.

Giraffe’s Nest Hide reopens

The newly refurbished Giraffe’s Nest Hide opened in December in Motswari, Hoedspruit. The hide is three metres above the ground, overlooking Xanatsi Dam, and allows guests to sleep under the stars. It also has an eco-bathroom and chairs on the viewing deck.

Ngala Safari Lodge scheduled for refurbishment



&Beyond will begin renovating &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge, in Kruger National Park, on January 15 and will reopen to guests on June 15.

Sanctuary Chief's Camp to reopen in 2016



Sanctuary Chief’s Camp on Chief’s Island in the Mombo Concession, Botswana, will close for renovations on January 9 and will reopen on June 1. The existing pavilions will be rebuilt and the bar and library in the main area will be refurbished. The dining area will be extended to include a pizza oven.

 

Hoghouse Bakery & Café reopens



Spier Werf reopened its PJ Vadas’ Hoghouse Bakery & Café in mid-October after restoring it to its original purpose. The weekly Spier Werf Market also reopened in November and will be open every Saturday from 09h00.

Rosedene renovates guest house



Rosedene on upper Kloof Street, Cape Town, completed renovations of the guest house veranda in November. In September a new kitchen and induction oven were installed in the guest house and all rooms were repainted and given new linen.

The Residence Boutique Hotel adds rooms



The Residence Boutique Hotel has added five additional rooms to its villa in November. The hotel now has 18 rooms. The five new rooms can be sold separately or as a unit. Aaron Menezes has been appointed the new Executive Chef.   

Hardap Resort reopened in December



Hardap Resort, in Mariental in southern Namibia, reopened in December following renovations to the restaurant and pool. The resort encompass five VIP bungalows, 15 family chalets and 30 bush chalets.  

 

Leriba Hotel and Spa to be upgraded



Leriba Hotel and Spa, a four-star hotel in Centurion, will receive a R5 million (€297 000) upgrade in 2016/2017. The conference facilities and 20 rooms will be renovated.

Sun City receives R800 million refurbishment



Sun International’s Sun City in North West Province is receiving an R800 million (€47.58m) refurbishment, to be completed by the end of the year. During the upgrades of the entertainment centre, conferences will be accommodated at the Sun Sky Village, a temporary facility near Sun City’s front entrance car park.

Arathusa Safari Lodge opens new rooms

On January 1, Arathusa Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve launched its four new water-facing luxury rooms. Located within the main lodge area, these rooms are larger than the standard rooms and offer views of the waterhole. Airlink operates three flights in and out of Arathusa daily.

Sausage Tree Camp will be redesigned

Sausage Tree Camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia, will be redesigned for 2016. The front of house will be rebuilt and will reopen to guests on April 1. The camp will also receive a new fleet of modified game-viewing vehicles.

Garden Court South Beach gets a facelift

Garden Court South Beach has undergone a R22 million (€1.31m) refurbishment to revive the 42-year-old property.  The Durban hotel’s public areas have been remodelled, including upgrades to elevators, public bathrooms and the reception area, as well as a R12 million (€713 000) soft refurbishment of its 414 guest rooms. 

The kuMasinga and kuMahlala Hides now operational

In the uMkhuze section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, the kuMasinga and kuMahlala hides were rebuilt in 2015 and are now fully operational. A number of hides in the park have been rebuilt since 2012 and a few more will open during the course of the year.