JULIUS BAUMANN

Aviation and Tourism Editor

SOUTHERN Sun Hotels is to spend R1,3bn developing new hotels and refurbishing older properties over the next four years, with many of the projects to be completed in time for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

MD Graham Wood said last week that despite the economic turmoil, the group would continue to position itself for growth when the business environment improved.

The two biggest developments are the 132-room Southern Sun Hyde Park, due to open next month, and the 194-room Southern Sun Montecasino. The new hotel in Hyde Park adjoins the upmarket Hyde Park shopping centre, and has been positioned at the top end of the four star market. The hotel group has acquired South African rights to the internationally renowned Italian restaurant Bice Ristorante for SA and will form part the new R197m hotel’s food and beverage offering.

The R274m Southern Sun Montecasino is due to open in May next year, and is part of a larger R700m development called The Pivot. The development will have 14000m² of A-grade office space, a small retail component and a 1400m² conference centre. Tsogo Sun project partners Abland will manage the office space.

Wood said that the hotel would have 92 double-double rooms (two double beds) to better cater for sports events, a market the hotel group has managed to exploit successful this year with the Indian Premier League and the Irish and British Lions rugby tour.

Last week, Southern Sun also announced two hotel developments: a 128-room StayEasy in Liberty Midlands Mall in Pietermaritzburg and the 204-room Garden Court Umhlanga Ridge.

The two projects will cost a bit more than R300m.

Wood said the group was also busy with a major renovation of the Sandton Sun. “It is our aim to once again position the property as the premier hotel in Sandton.”

The changes include a new restaurant, meeting area and executive lounge. Wood said the changes were aimed at modernising the hotel and providing more natural light in the main concourse.

The group recently completed two new presidential suites and are busy with an all-new penthouse suite.

As part of its capital expenditure programme, Southern Sun will also undertake an extensive refurbishment of several of its hotels.

The hotels include Southern Sun North Beach, Southern Sun Cullinan, Garden Court East London, Garden Court Eastgate and Hatfield and the Garden Court Sandton City.

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Source: Business Day