adminin the wing, including major changes to their bathrooms and an upgrade of the air-conditioning. Function rooms on the ground and second floors of the wing are also being redesigned, while the hotel’s flagship restaurant, La Fontaine Grillroom, is being extensively refurbished and its kitchen completely transformed into one of the most modern in Southern Africa.
During a tour of the hotel’s north wing on Tuesday, Meikles Hospitality managing director Mr Karl Snater said most of the ground work had already been completed and the contractors were fitting in new carpets and furniture.
“As you can see, the most crucial work is almost complete and we expect all the carpets and new furniture to be in by August 15 and the rooms should be ready for visitors by the end of August,” he said.
He said the hotel had also invested in a completely new presidential suite which was still being refurbished.
“We expect it to be the leading suite in the country if not the region,” he added.
He, however, said he did not readily have the exact figure of the amount that had been channelled towards the US$2 000 per night room.
Mr Snater said the completion of the refurbishment would help the hotel tap into the influx of tourists expected in the country in the next few months.
“We envisage the growth of the tourism sector and more corporate business coming into the country. With more airlines resuming business in the country, we expect there will be more tourists and Zimbabwe will once again enjoy being a tourism hub,” he said.
He said that apart from the expected rise in visitors, the refurbishments had been spurred by the fact that the hotel had not made any investment in the property in the past few years and most of its furniture had become “tired”.
Most of the country’s hoteliers embarked on upgrading of their facilities ahead of the forthcoming UNWTO General Assembly in Zimbabwe and Zambia next month.
A total of US$16 million is expected to be spent by various hotel groups on refurbishments, which include the already-completed work on the A’Zambezi Hotel, upgrading and changes being done at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, the facelift of The Victoria Falls Hotel and a complete refurbishment and rebranding of the new Cresta Sprayview Hotel.
Other hotels involved in refurbishment activity include Elephant Hills, The Kingdom at Victoria Falls, the Rainbow Hotel and Ilala Lodge.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter