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Business Reporter
HOLIDAY Inn Bulawayo has rolled out a massive upgrading exercise worth thousands of dollars as it moves to boost client satisfaction while consolidating its market share in a competitive travel and tourism sector.
The hotel’s general manager Chiku Mulinde said the on-going upgrading programme on the 157-room upmarket guest home was in line with global hotel trends and standards.
Business Chronicle visited the hotel situated about 2km outside the city centre and noted among the major upgrading projects a change in room set-up.
Most rooms now have soft furnishings, new beds, curtains, carpets, modern air conditioning system, Wi-Fi facility for Internet connectivity and new flat screen television sets.
“The exercise is driven by a desire to live up to customer satisfaction. We’re an international hotel and consistency in terms of standards matters to us. We look at what’s trendy globally,” said Mulinde.
He declined to disclose how much was being invested in the exercise but said work commenced in 2012 and was being implanted gradually as part of the brand building process.
“Being a great brand is our goal. A great brand is admired and respected around the world. We believe a successful brand depends on building a successful relationship with customers,” added Mulinde.
“Our target market is both leisure and corporate business markets hence our set up caters for families, individual guests, sports personnel, conference delegates and businesses.”
Holiday Inn Bulawayo has 90 twin standard rooms, 31 business plus rooms, 31 executive rooms and four spacious suites.
It also has three conference rooms, Indaba Room, with a holding capacity of between 300 to 500 guests, Khumalo Room, accommodating 100 guests and Induna Room with capacity to host 50 guests as well as a 14-man boardroom facility.
Holiday Inn is the only hotel in Bulawayo offering outdoor sporting facilities such as tennis, swimming, golf, basketball and netball.
The hotel is surrounded by a neatly decorated garden with enough space to accommodate up to 1,000 guests for outside functions such as weddings as well as enough parking space.
Other services include a bar, a coffee shop, gym centre for exercise, a squash course and 24-hour room service in addition to a restaurant meal service.
As an international brand Holiday Inn has won prestigious awards such as the best performer in Africa, Middle East and Asia.
Locally, the firm won this year’s Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) award.
According to TripAdvisor, Bulawayo Holiday Inn is the best hotel in the city.
The institution has done a lot of corporate social responsibility projects such as rehabilitation of Mpilo Central Hospital’s Ward B6 and is also a partner with the Heath Streak Cricket Academy.
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