Durban - Two landmark Durban hotels are set to be merged as part of a R220-million facelift, Tsogo Sun announced.
The company had already spent R60m upgrading the Maharani Hotel and R40m upgrading the Elangeni Hotel on Durban's beach promenade as part of the R220-million upgrade.
Both hotels would be operated as Southern Sun Elangeni and Maharani and feature 734 rooms, 11 restaurants, two gyms and three swimming pools, as well as numerous conference facilities.
Tsogo Sun managing director Gavin Wood said there had been renewed interest in Durban's beach promenade, commonly known as the Golden Mile.
“There's a re-awakening of the Durban beach front. There is a lot of construction work going on in this area.”
Samantha Croft, general manager of the complex, said apart from more conference facilities, the company hoped to draw back visiting sports teams, which no long based themselves at facilities on Durban's golden mile. The mile is within walking distance of the Kings Park and Moses Mabhida stadiums, as well as numerous other sporting facilities.
Wood said over the Easter holidays the group's 1700 rooms at its five hotels on Durban's promenade had been fully booked. In December occupancy rates had been in excess of 80 percent.
Apart from the Elangeni and the Maharani, Tsogo Sun has the Garden Court Marine Parade hotel, the Garden Court South Beach and the Sun Coast casino and hotel complex on the promenade. Wood said the Garden Court South Beach was being repainted and renovated.
Before the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the eThekwini municipality spent R500-million upgrading the entire beach front area in a bid to draw tourists to the city. - Sapa