Cape Town - One of the Mother City’s most beloved attractions, the GrandWest Hotel is undergoing a R122 million expansion by Sun International that will see an additional separate 250-room, four-star conference hotel being built on the site over the next year to meet increasing demand from consumers.
The first phase of the new development was initiated with a sod-turning ceremony officiated by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Miss South Africa 2022 Ndavi Nokeri on Wednesday. This first phase will add an additional 68 rooms to the Grand Hotel, bringing the total rooms from 39 to 103.
GrandWest general manager Mervyn Naidoo said the expansion was part of their strategy before the pandemic struck. The pandemic created enormous uncertainties for businesses, but since the last restrictions had been dropped, GrandWest was almost back to normal trading.
“The hospitality industry was hit very hard by curfews, restrictions on numbers and social distancing requirements, and of course the closure of not only international borders but provincial ones too.
“But unlike most hotels and entertainment venues, we were fortunate to be able to count on the loyal support of our most-valued guests, who continued to visit our casino,” Naidoo said.
With restrictions increasingly being lifted, Naidoo said they had became inundated with requests for bookings at the hotel, so they knew the demand was there to support the expansion.
Hill-Lewis said: “It was wonderful to be present with the team at GrandWest as they broke ground on their expansion project. The project signifies more than just a building and is another sign that our local economy is recovering strongly. The message to all entrepreneurs is that Cape Town is open for business.”
Sun International development and infrastructure manager Anton Steenkamp said the new design was based on developing two identical three-storey wings positioned symmetrically on either side of the existing entrance that would include presidential suites, ordinary suites, double and twin rooms, and inter-leading family rooms.
Steenkamp said a gym, spa and pool were proposed for the ground floor of the southern wing.
Naidoo said: “Until now, we have been unable to market our hotel because it is always fully booked. Having a 99% occupancy would be a happy problem for any hotel, but we look forward to October 2023, when we can welcome even more guests.”