By ETimes
A major refurbishment programme is under way at Hwange Safari Lodge, one of Zimbabwe’s most well-established resort hotels, situated just outside the world-famous Hwange National Park.
African Sun Limited (African Sun) chief executive officer Peter Saungweme said the refurbishment programme was being undertaken at a cost of more than US$4.2 million and would be a two-phased exercise to re-establish one of southern Africa’s most exciting and attractive safari-based hospitality operations.
The first phase, targeting 56 rooms, is currently underway and targeted for substantial completion before the current financial year, while the second phase, covering the remaining 44 rooms and the public areas, would commence in the first half of 2023.
“This is one of Zimbabwe’s hospitality gems and the refurbishment programme will re-position Hwange Safari Lodge as one of the most luxurious safari hotels in the region, giving local, regional and international travellers a stylish and welcoming base from which to explore the abundant wildlife of the Hwange National Park and surrounding areas,” he said.
“The African Sun is investing a substantial amount of money into refurbishment of several of our hotel properties across the country and we are excited that the Hwange Safari Lodge refurbishment programme is now underway to prepare it to meet the anticipated increase in travel and leisure demands of the post-Covid 19 era.”
Hwange Safari Lodge recently commemorated its 50th anniversary, having been built and opened in 1971 as one of the first commercial hospitality operations in the Hwange area. It stands in a densely wooded area, close to the Hwange National Park and within short distances from the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway and the Hwange National Park airport.
The hotel has a unique design, with two slightly curved wings stretching out east and west from a central public area, where the reception, dining room, lounge, conference room and bar look out to a terrace and swimming pool deck that in turn overlook a natural water feature that attracts a large number of wild animals throughout the day.
Although its primary purpose is to be a hotel for leisure tourists visiting Zimbabwe’s largest national park, the hotel is also popular as a venue for incentive travel groups and strategy retreat sessions and has traditionally been regarded as an ideal stopover point for self-drive travelers, especially from South Africa.
The current refurbishment programme will help Hwange Safari Lodge retain its leading-edge status. As the largest hospitality establishment between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, the hotel has an inventory of four executive suites, 10 deluxe bedrooms and 86 standard bedrooms.
The luxury safari look was adopted as the design style to be followed. One of the features of this design is the placement of quality Zimbabwe sourced wood furniture, made to order by a Victoria Falls-based manufacturer.
The soft furnishings use beige, mustard, ochre and black as feature colours in African designs, with printed artwork highlighting a variety of wild animals. Renovation work includes the restyling of all bathrooms, and an effort to increase a sense of spaciousness in all living and sleeping areas.
“The whole new look is both impressive and stylish and reflects a set of African designs that are, of course, expected of a hotel in the bush while giving a sense of modernity and practicality that is sought by the internationally-experienced traveler of the current times. The overall objective would be to deliver value to our guests.” said Mr Saungweme – Harare