Cape Town - The Table Bay Hotel was a hive of activity this weekend in preparation for the Miss SA Finale and for the re-opening of its doors to the public at the end of the month.
The Table Bay’s general manager, Joanne Selby, said: “We can assure anyone who would like to stay with us that we have stringent Covid-19 health and safety protocols in place to ensure the safety of our guests.
“Our hotel and the V&A Waterfront have been certified by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) with the international ‘Safe Travels’ destination stamp. This confirms our protocols match or exceed internationally benchmarked protocols.”
The hotel is part of Cape Town’s rich history. Since its launch in 1997, which was attended by former president Nelson Mandela, the hotel has acquired a string of local and international accolades.
Located in the heart of the V&A Waterfront the hotel touts breath-taking views of Table Mountain, the Waterfront, Table Bay and Robben Island. The hotel's 329 stylishly furnished rooms, which include two presidential suites, all offer panoramic ocean or mountain views.
But the hotel has been closed for nearly seven months as a result of Covid-19 and now they are ready to re-open its doors to the public.
Hotel manager of the Table Bay Nico Myburgh said: “We are currently focusing on the local market for the interim and informing locals about our offerings and raising awareness.
“Usually we would have 20% local occupancy and 80% international travellers.” Myburgh said the lockdown has had an impact on the hotel's staffing capacity and so has the high-risk travel list announced by the government.
“We did go through a voluntary retrenchment process that we offered employees and there was a percentage that applied for it and there was also early retirement that we offered. We have to get the economy going for our staff and the livelihoods of our staff,” said Myburgh.
Meanwhile, The V&A Waterfront will be opening its R63 million Makers Landing concept in early December. The Makers Landing is expected to offer the best in local food and fresh daily produce.
Cape Argus