Following on from the recent announcement by Premier that phased re-openings of its Hotels and Resorts have commenced, the independent Hotel Group has also revealed plans for various re- furbishments and new builds due to come to market soon.
In 2019 Premier acquired the Faircity Hotel Group, which consists of three and four-star conference hotels, in Johannesburg and Pretoria, and has embarked on an upgrade programme for these properties during the lockdown period. Sam Nassimov, Group MD of Premier stated “ Following the acquisition of the Quatermain, Falstaff, Roodevalley and Mapungubwe hotels, we thought it necessary to provide these properties with a multi-million rand major facelift and upgrades of facilities, furniture and fittings and softs to ensure the guest experience is improved and aligned with Premier standards.”
The Premier Hotel Quatermain located in Morningside, Sandton, will receive a major facelift to restore a fresh and contemporary feel to the English Tudor experience the hotel is renowned for. The restaurant, lounge and public areas will be re-carpeted, cushions and curtains and furniture will all be re-done in versatile colour palettes including blues, turquoise, greys and duck egg, offset by stone coloured fabrics. New tiling and wooden laminated flooring will complement the new look and feel. New feature lighting will re-create the Olde English atmosphere. Rooms will also receive a makeover, incorporating darker woods, offset by soft muted tones of greys and duck egg, stone, paisley in scatter cushions. Conference rooms will also be refurbished in a monotone colour palette, enabling flexibility for conference décor purposes, while new wallpapers and custom carpets will enhance the upgrade. The hotel is expected to re-open in August 2020.
The nearby sister hotel, the Premier Falstaff, is receiving some French flair – enjoying a refurbishment programme incorporating 32 brand new bathrooms, resplendent with oval basins, veined white stone tiling and LED mirrors. The lounge and dining room areas are being restored with a French conservatory feel, with softs and furniture receiving a colour palette of olive greens, chartreuse, grey and charcoals, while the rooms will be freshened up with new softs, carpets complimenting the
mahogany wooden furniture and botanical prints. The hotel is expected to be ready for re-opening in Spring 2020.
Further north, just outside Pretoria, Premier Hotel Roodevalley is also receiving an upgrade, reminiscent of a modern farmhouse conference and leisure breakaway. The public areas and reception are receiving careful attention with new brass lamps and rimmed mirrors, and new tables. 40 Bedrooms are being redone in the first phase, with furniture and softs being upgraded, a colour palette of duck egg, hints of coral and mustard, ceilings with cornices, lighting and upgrades to connectivity. Bathrooms will receive LED illuminated mirrors, organic linear line tiling, concealed systems, and new cupboards. This hotel is expected to re-open in September in time for the new peak re-opened conference season and year-end breakaways.
Premier Resort Cutty Sark, in Scottburgh on the KZN South Coast, is being restored to its former glory. The R65 million investment will improve all 56 sea-facing rooms as well as the Resort’s furnishings, decor and equipment. The architects and interior design team have re-imagined the existing footprint and spacial layouts, to create a nautical inspired experience – using dramatic blues, white bulk heads, timber finishes and floating bird like lighting features. Guests can look forward to a completely new resort, new facades, bar and restaurants – as well as extensive upgrades to the dining room, foyer and reception areas.
These refurbishments will greatly enhance guest experiences for when Premier Hotels re-open. June saw a selected few Premier Hotels open in Bloemfontein, East London and Johannesburg, July travellers can expect even more to open in Johannesburg, Midrand, Pretoria, Richards Bay, Pinetown with the remainder due to come on line in August and September once regulations allow.
The Hotel Group is also nearing completion of the new Umhlanga development project is scheduled to open in October 2020. The R380 million investment will feature a 4 Star Premier Hotel, a 3 Star Premier Splendid Inn and a convention centre, all located in one precinct high up on Umhlanga Ridge in Durban KwaZulu-Natal in the heart of the shopping and business precinct.
The Premier Hotel Umhlanga will offer 130 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar, swimming pool, gym, while the Conference Centre is fully sub-divisible into 3 noise-dampening, acoustically designed for delegate comfort and offering meeting capacities for up to 300 attendees. An amazing feature of the Conference Centre includes a magnificent timber view deck of the Indian Ocean and the surrounding Umhlanga precinct from the 10th floor – with open air and glass balustrade. The hotel has been designed to maximise the use of its location, with all bedrooms having balcony access and spectacular sea views. The design characteristics of the hotel incorporates a modern yet classical palette, the use of darker stained ash woods, cut glass lighting and liberal use of marble tiling on floors and walls. The 9th floor of the hotel features All-Suite rooms whilst the 126 seater restaurant offers dining views of the Indian Ocean.
Premier Splendid Inn will feature 64 bedrooms and its own 50 seater restaurant. This urban style modern and contemporary hotel offers a younger appeal, with light bleached oaks, sand-coloured marble tiling, and lighter finishes in the bedrooms and throughout the hotel – befitting the location close to the ocean. Guests in this hotel are able to access the third floor rooftop pool, and conference centre. The pool is located on the 3rd floor with the main access from the 4 Star property – designed again with sea views.
The Premier precinct offers six floors of safe and convenient undercover parking, with the courtyard entrance offering a turning circle of small bus access or drop-offs for conference or international tour groups.
“Our decision to invest in Umhlanga, even during this difficult time due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic, is testament to the confidence we have in South Africa’s ability to recover economically. The Umhlanga project will position the Premier Group as a firm favourite amongst corporate, government and international clientele – as we strive to secure a hotel presence in every major South African city“, says Samuel Nassimov, the founder and Managing Director. “The unique configuration in offering two hotels and a conference centre in one spectacular location, combined with the very best modern, contemporary and in some cases classical design specifications, will provide Umhlanga with probably its finest hospitality experience ! “
“Our focused development and upgrade programme is vital to enhance the guest experience once hotels open following the pandemic and when regulations allow. We are also ensuring new Premier CleanCheck protocols further enhance peace of mind – there is something special with newness, cleanliness, improved sanitisation, preventative measures, enhanced staff training and guest education on arrival. Premier Hotels & Resorts are working hard on enhancing the well-being and safety of our guests and staff. Our protocols adhere to new Health and Safety Best Practice Standards to respect social distancing, strict sanitisation methods and the use of PPE protocols at all hotels,“ Nassimov concludes.
For further enquiries contact info@premierhotels.co.za / www.premierhotels.co.za