adminHarare Bureau
MEIKLES Limited says its plans for a new five star hotel in Lusaka have only been held back by slow progress on the construction of the multipurpose shopping mall where the hotel facility will be situated. According to Meikles Limited executive chairman Mr John Moxon this week, the project developer of the multipurpose mall had run into some financial problems hence the stall in progress in its Zambia hotel plans.
This marks a departure from what Meikles Hospitality Limited managing director Mr Karl Snater said recently that the plans for a new hotel near Lusaka International Airport had been abandoned for strategic reasons.
Mr Snater said there had been too many similar investments into Lusaka hence the strategic decision to put the plans on hold. But Mr Moxon this week said it was the developer who delayed the plans.
“We are waiting for the development of the shopping mall, we are only a tenant,” Mr Moxon said. “Zambia is quite buoyant. The plans are on course, when its (shopping mall) built, but we do not know when,” he said.
He said project developers had run into financial problems to complete the project.
Meikles has recently completed the $8,5 million refurbishment exercise for its leading five-star hotel in the capital Harare’s central business district and is now gearing to tap into the growth in tourist arrivals.
It is expected that Zimbabwe will soon start reaping the benefits of successfully co-hosting the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly in Victoria Falls and Livingstone.
The refurbishments of Meikles Hotel included the acquisition of new banqueting furniture and equipment, upgrade of product and service and introduction of new beds and flat screen televisions.
Furthermore, there have been some changes in the variety of food and beverage options, where the hotel company introduced new menus, new wine lists and new styles of cuisine and presentation.
A total of 142 bathrooms, bedrooms and suites have been refurbished to international standards.
Mr Moxon said the group would embark on the refurbishment of its Victoria Falls Hotel, but would not say how much the exercise will cost. However, the figure is said to be around $3,5 million.
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