Golding Hotel Investment Consultants’ (GHIC) recently formed division which specialises in the sale of guesthouses and small hotels, has sold the well known, 5 star boutique hotel, ‘The Andros’ in Claremont, in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs.

While the selling price is undisclosed, GHIC estimate the replacement value of The Andros to be in the region of R15 million.  Over the past six months, this new division of GHIC has concluded transactions for guesthouses and hotels to the total value of approximately R50 million, to both local and international investors. Among other transactions recently concluded are those ranging from approximately R5 million to R11.25 million, for businesses situated in Cape Town, Swellendam, Stellenbosch and Ceres.

Leonard Brewer and Peter Bruil, senior consultants with GHIC, were both involved in concluding the sale of The Andros, among other transactions. Comments Brewer:  “There is a steady demand for well run, viable businesses. Approximately half the transactions involve international investors, including expatriate South Africans wishing to return.  We are seeing interest from a broad spread of countries including Australia, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, the UK and the USA. We are also receiving the first enquiries as a result of the forthcoming 2010 Soccer World Cup – particularly from Germany.”

The Andros hotel has been purchased by the well-known hotelier family from Oudtshoorn, Nic and Ferda Barrow, who also own the 3 star Protea Riempie Estate, 4 star Queens Hotel and 5 star Rosenhof Country House – all located in Oudtshoorn. The previous owners, Trevor and Britta Miles, sold the business as they plan to relocate back to the UK.

Says Bruil: “The clientele of the hotel are 5 star guests mainly from Europe and the United States, as well as blue chip corporate companies – where there is potential to expand the solid client base. As the original owners of The Andros were Swiss, and Britta Miles is German, a high percentage of the clientele are from German speaking countries.  These visitors tend to stay for longer periods – of up to three weeks – with a large component of repeat business.”

Having officially taken over the business on 1 July this year (2005), Barrow specifically purchased the hotel to be managed by his daughters, Olga and Nicolene, while he remains in Oudtshoorn. Olga, who has a BA degree in English and German at Stellenbosch, and post-graduate diploma in translation and editing and courses in interior decorating, will lead the team as manager.  Nicolene, who studied at the Institute of Culinary Arts at Spier in Stellenbosch, has worked at various top South African restaurants and also spent a year at the world renowned, 3 star Michelin Restaurant (the highest obtainable accolade in Europe) ‘Le Gavroche’ owned by Albert and Michel Roux and situated in London.

Their management team is joined by Maitre d’ Riaan Raubenheimer, who previously worked at Rosenhof Country House. He returns to South Africa after spending almost two years at Raymond Blanc’s ‘Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons’, situated just outside London.

Adds Brewer: “The Barrows are planning an ambitious upgrade for The Andros hotel next winter season, with the addition of six deluxe rooms, a wellness centre, conference facilities and an extension to the dining room and lounges. This will bring the total number of rooms to 16. After completion of the expansion project, The Andros will rank as one of the top boutique hotels in South Africa, comparable with world-class international hotels.”

For further information regarding guesthouses and small hotels contact Golding Hotel Investment Consultants’ Peter Bruil on 083 384 0584 or Leonard Brewer on 082 901 9567 or visit www.goldinghotels.co.za.

Ends

Issued by Gaye de Villiers

Tel: 021 6837788 or 083 325 1939

On behalf of Golding Hotel Investment Consultants