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AIRBNB Changing corporate travel LEISURE TRAVEL A different beast GAUTRAIN For people on the move ISSUE 110: December 2016 www.businesstravellerafrica.co.za Travel Far | Stay Close Simple and affordable roaming rates with MTN HelloWorld • Contract customers, you can dial 808 to have your roaming service activated • PayAsYouGo customers, you can check and change your roaming service by dialling *111*1# • For rates and available services visit: www.mtn.co.za/travel MetropolitanRepublic/19562/1 Roam from as little as R1 per MB with MTN HelloWorld Terms and Conditions Apply 22 Contents 48 43 42 36 20 Gautrain Gautrain is an 80-kilometre mass rapid transit railway system in South Africa, which links Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekhuruleni and O R Tambo International Airport It was built to relieve the traffic congestion in the Johannesburg–Pretoria traffic corridor and offer commuters a viable alternative to road transport The project was completed with the opening in June 2010, and there are big plans to extend the Gautrain service to other parts of the province over the next 20 years or so FEATURES 22 Leisure Travel The times have changed travellers and their attitude towards travel, with a host of different needs now dominating the landscape and determining travel plans Dylan Rogers investigates who the modern day traveller is, what’s important to them, and what they want from service providers in the travel space 36 Airbnb The sharing economy is starting to play a bigger role in the business travel space, with the likes of Airbnb and Uber already eating into hotel and car rental market share, respectively Jenny Southan takes a closer look at what Airbnb is doing in this space Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za REGULARS 04 Message from the Team 42 Tried and Tested What’s the editor ranting about now? 06 News Airline, hotel and other travel news from Africa and beyond 16 ASATA Column The latest from Chief Executive Officer Otto de Vries 17 Amadeus Column A word from Amadeus Vice-President for Africa Paul de Villiers 19 W Hospitality Column Hotel Check • Avani Lesotho Flight Check • Singapore Airlines 44 Q & A Interviews • Tshipi Alexander – Amex • Neil Bald – aha 46 People on the Move The movers and shakers – what they’re up to now 48 Bite with the Editor Richard Branson – Virgin Atlantic Managing Director Trevor Ward gives us his take on the West African hotel industry DECEMBER2016 | ED’S LETTER T here’s an interesting piece in this issue on Airbnb (see page 36) and what they are doing in the business travel space, courtesy of our stable mates at Business Traveller UK But you’ll also find them popping up in the leisure feature, as well as, obviously, this page The reason for this is that sharing economy players such as Airbnb and Uber are touching a number of points along the travel spectrum and have already become important participants in both the business and leisure travel markets There’s no doubt that their influence and role in the overall travel experience appears to be growing, and it’s also apparent that they are not content to sit on their laurels and continue to roll out the initial offering Airbnb has now launched ‘Trips’, which it believes is “the most significant development in its eight year history” In this way, Airbnb is moving beyond providing just accommodation and instead is looking at the overall travel ‘experience’ In fact, it describes Trips as “a people-powered platform designed to make travel both easy and magical Trips has three key areas – Experiences, Places and Homes, with Flights and Services to be added in the future.” That last point – Flights and Services – is an interesting one, as the addition of this to the Airbnb platform will move it significantly closer to ‘full service’ status and allow Airbnb to pick up customers all along the travel value chain Further to this, their timing couldn’t be better, as the world’s newest entrants to the travel market – Millennials and Centennials – have shown a propensity for and interest in a more ‘meaningful’ travel experience, that takes the form of something more than just getting from A to B and either successfully negotiating a corporate travel trip or ticking a bunch of tourist attractions off a list These groups of travellers have a desire for something more substantial and meaningful, and Airbnb looks primed to take advantage of this Once again, a reminder that the sharing economy is here to stay, and those who fight it or refuse to find a way to work it into their policies – yes, you in the corporate travel space – may just find themselves left behind, as the world moves towards services that meet the needs of the modern day traveller PUBLISHER Richard Lendrum EDITOR Dylan Rogers dylan@thefuture.co.za JOURNALIST Kate Kennedy CONTRIBUTORS Kate Kennedy, Gillian McLaren, Jenny Southan MEDIA SOLUTIONS CONSULTANT Pierre Grobler +27 82 900 4026 pierre@thefuture.co.za DESIGN AND LAYOUT Nadette Voogd SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PRODUCTION Mabel Ramafoko mabel@thefuture.co.za SOUTH AFRICAN OFFICE Postal Address: PO Box 1746, Saxonwold, 2132 Physical Address: 247 Jan Smuts Avenue, Randburg Telephone: +27 11 327 6107 NIGERIAN OFFICE 3rd Floor, EuniBrown House195, Ikorodu Road, Palmgrove,Lagos, Nigeria Tel: +234 740 3236 Mobile: +234 803 963 0155 PUBLISHER – NORTH & WEST AFRICA Tope Ogbeni-Awe tope.ogbeni-awe@topcommng.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Mohammed Abdullahi Business Traveller Africa is published under licence from Perry Publications Limited Warwick House, 25 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PP Tel: +44 20 7821 2740 www.businesstraveller.com Dylan Rogers Editor dylan@thefuture.co.za Follow us on: | DECEMBER2016 Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za A DEMANDING YEAR Because we know that for you, holidays are hard work Landscaping maintenance Tasting room renovated Discount on wine glasses secured Roof repaired and renewed New staff uniforms designed and ordered Extra sommeliers hired and trained As a hospitality establishment, we understand that the phrase “summer holidays” has a very different meaning for you Instead of being the season of relaxation, it is the busiest and often the most stressful time of your year And that’s why we’re here to help The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa offers you a variety of services and benefits that can help equip you for the peak season These offerings include funding, exclusive discounts, legal and labour advice, access to our Market Place as well as a network of quality CVs – ultimately helping you enjoy the summer as much as your guests will Get graded today, and let us be your travel companion on your journey to success Visit www.tourismgrading.co.za or contact us on feedback@tourismgrading.co.za 10021520JB/E NEWS Air France Increases Capacity to Cape Town Air France will serve Cape Town throughout the 2017 summer season from Paris-Charles de Gaulle with three weekly flights operated by an Airbus A330 (208 seats) and a Boeing 777 (312 seats), offering business, premium economy and economy class From 26 March to May and from to 27 October 2017, additional flights will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays Flight AF864 will leave Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 10h10 and arrive in Cape Town at 21h30 Return flight AF871 will leave Cape Town at 23h35 and land at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 11h15 Between May and October, flight times will change slightly Flight AF864 will leave Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 09h40 and arrive in Cape Town at 21h20, while flight AF871 will leave Cape Town at 23h20 and arrive at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 11h20 Graceland Completes Refurb Peermont’s Graceland Hotel, Casino and Country Club in Mpumalanga (South Africa) has undergone a $4.5 million refurbishment programme over the past two years Graceland has modernised and opened many new facilities to cater for changing customer demand, including a newly-styled main casino and the new Rockefeller’s Privé There is now VIP parking and rooms at the four-star Peermont Walmont hotel have been upgraded, as have the g ym facilities and golf course The Blue Bayou received a soft refurbishment as well as new stacker doors that open the restaurant on to the pool terrace A new addition to the food and beverage offering is Moo Bar, where patrons can enjoy a drink in a relaxing atmosphere The Gary Player-designed 18-hole inland links golf course received an upgraded irrigation system and the bunkers have been restored to the original Gary Player specification The current cart paths have been upgraded and the practice and chipping areas have been rebuilt to tournament standards Lufthansa to Welcome First A350 in December The Lufthansa Group will receive its first A350-900 next month, with the aircraft’s first flight set to take off for Delhi (India) in February Once Lufthansa has taken ownership of the aircraft, the A350 will be transferred to Munich during the week leading up to Christmas Lufthansa Technik in Munich will then install the cabin interior including the new premium economy class as well as other features “We have made further improvements to key components of the A350’s cabin interior These include a newly designed self-service area in business class, new seats with ergonomically designed cushions in economy class, larger screens in all classes and improved broadband internet services”, says Thomas Winkelmann, CEO of the Munich Hub From February onwards, Lufthansa will station the first 10 A350s in Munich The first flight destinations are Delhi and Boston (USA) The aircraft will have space for 293 passengers – 48 in business class, 21 in premium economy and 224 in the regular economy class section The airline has also incorporated virtual reality into its new summer campaign Guesstinations is a 360 degree app for travel agents that takes them around the world by combining the use of virtual reality and Google Street View to show users the possible locations within the Lufthansa Group network | DECEMBER2016 For more news, visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za ADVERTORIAL Swiss International Air Lines Have a smooth flight With daily flights from Johannesburg to Zurich, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) offers convenient connections to more than 100 destinations worldwide Zurich Airport is the largest international airport in Switzerland and the principal hub of SWISS For more news, visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za Below is a list of destinations to which travellers can fly to from Zurich Airport, within and outside of Europe: EUROPE Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich – – – – – – – – – – – – – Alicante Amsterdam Athens Barcelona Bari Belgrade Berlin Bilbao Birmingham Brindisi Brussels Bucharest Budapest Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich Zurich – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Copenhagen Dresden Dublin Dusseldorf Florence Frankfurt Geneva Gothenburg Graz Hamburg Hannover Istanbul Izmir Krakow Leipzig Lisbon Malta Manchester Milan Malpensa Moscow Munich Naples Nice Nuremberg Oslo Palermo Palma de Mallorca Paris Porto Prague Rome Santiago de Compostela Sarajevo Sofia Stockholm St Petersberg Stuttgart Thessaloniki Valencia Venice Vienna Warsaw Zagreb INTERCONTINENTAL Zurich – Johannesburg Zurich – Los Angeles Zurich – Miami Zurich – Montreal Zurich – Mumbai Zurich – Muscat Zurich – Nairobi Zurich – New Delhi Zurich – New York, JKF Zurich – New York, Newark Zurich – San Francisco Zurich – Sao Paulo Zurich – Shanghai Zurich – Singapore Zurich – Tel Aviv Zurich – Tokyo DECEMBER2016 | NEWS Airlink Extends Lodge Link Network Regional South African airline Airlink has extended its Low veld ‘Lodge Link’ safari lodge network in partnership with andBeyond The network will provide daily connections between andBeyond’s Ngala Safari Lodge and Ngala Tented Camp in the Timbavati, Kirkman’s Kamp in the Sabi Sand and the six lodges in andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve The lodge network will also provide direct connections with Airlink’s regional services from Nelspruit to Vilanculos (Mozambique), the gateway to andBeyond Benguerra Island, and Livingstone (Zambia), which provides access to andBeyond Matetsi Private Game Reserve Connections can be made from Cape Town and Johannesburg on Airlink to Nelspruit KMIA or Skukuza Airport, with a short apron transfer connecting guests onwards to Airlink’s Lodge Link service direct to their safari destination, thereby minimizing lengthy road transfers Airlink’s Lodge Link flights are operated with brand new twin pilot Cessna Grand Caravan 208BEX 12 seater turbo-prop aircraft, which are equipped with advanced avionics essential to achieving reliable performance during the low cloud weather for which the Low veld is renowned Air Seychelles Expands European Operations Air Seychelles has announced a major fleet and network expansion that will see the airline introduce a second Airbus A330 aircraft, commence non-stop services to Düsseldorf (Germany) and Durban (South Africa), and significantly strengthen its existing regional network in early 2017 The airline plans to establish the air bridge between Seychelles and Germany on 30 March by launching two weekly services to Düsseldorf The airline will also upgrade its Paris service from three to four flights per week, with effect from 28 March Effective 30 March, Air Seychelles will commence a twice-weekly service to Durban, complementing its existing five weekly services to Johannesburg The airline’s second Airbus A330 aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in the last week of March and will have a two cabin configuration with 18 business class and 236 economy class seats To maximise aircraft utilisation, Air Seychelles will deploy an A330 on an additional fourth weekly frequency to Paris, which combined with Düsseldorf will provide 3,048 return seats between Seychelles and Europe each week In addition to flying to Europe, the Airbus A330 will be used to increase capacity on the airline’s regional services to Johannesburg, Mauritius and Mumbai, which are currently operated on a narrow-body A320, freeing up an Airbus A320 to launch flights to Durban Swiss International Opens Upscale Hotel in Kenya Swiss International Lenana Nairobi is opening its doors in the heart of the capital city of Kenya (Nairobi) The newly built hotel is an upscale property with 133 rooms and suites located on Ralph Bunche Road, which is known for its close proximity to the CBD, a number of government offices and embassies The Swiss International Lenana Nairobi will feature an Inspirations pool and g ym, a Swiss Select Lounge, and a number of Eventives meetings and events venues The hotel has 11 floors and an underground parking lot (Source: Breaking Travel News) | DECEMBER2016 For more news, visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za FEATURE – SHARING ECONOMY Here to stay Airbnb and its peers have taken a chunk out of the hotel market – and now they’re taking steps to attract business guests, too Jenny Southan reports T o all those naysayers who said renting other people’s homes would never catch on – you’ve been proven wrong In May, a study from Juniper Research showed that ‘sharing economy’ revenues were set to triple from $6.4 billion to $20.4 billion globally by 2020 For the first time, hotels and serviced apartment companies are concerned about competition from peer-to-peer rentals arranged through companies such as Airbnb and Onefinestay In the past 18 months or so, hundreds of companies have signed up to Airbnb’s Business Travel programme – these include Google, audio distribution giant SoundCloud and cloud communications company Twilio Last summer, after a year of 700% growth, Airbnb launched a dedicated self-service portal – airbnb.com/business-travel It offers a suite of tools to make it easier for corporates to make bookings, create itineraries and track expenses, as well as fulfil their duty-of-care responsibilities and in-house travel policies A few months later, Airbnb introduced ‘Business Travel Ready’ listings This status can only be applied by hosts for entire homes – not just a room in a house shared with others – and essentials such as free wi-fi must 36 | DECEMBER2016 be provided In June, Airbnb added a feature allowing PAs and managers to reserve stays on behalf of individual travellers As a consequence, it has upped the number of companies booking business stays to more than 50,000, with new firms including Morgan Stanley, Facebook and JP Morgan “Our employees worldwide appreciate the choice and flexibility that Airbnb listings provide them when they’re on the road – whether for conferences, meetings or team offsites,” says Darragh Ormsby, global travel manager for Google “Not only are we able to get better insight into how and when our employees are using Airbnb, but travellers can choose a place that feels like home at a price that fits our travel budgets,” says Kelly Cammer, travel manager for Twilio Of the 40 million stays booked in 2015, 10% were for work, and business nights have so far tripled in 2016 Since launching in 2008, Airbnb now has a presence in 34,000 cities in 191 countries, and has seen more than 100 million guest arrivals In 2014, Concur joined forces with Airbnb to allow bookings through its TripLink expense management platform This summer, American Express Global Business Travel announced that Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za DECEMBER2016 | 37 FEATURE – SHARING ECONOMY it had forged an agreement with Airbnb that will mean clients can easily track traveller bookings Implementation began in the US and will follow in the UK, France and Germany by the year’s end BCD Travel and Carlson Wagonlit Travel have quickly followed suit “Where this will have the most immediate impact will be on travellers who are seeking extended-stay opportunities,” says Scott J Brennan, CWT’s president of hotels “But, as we see it, not every property that is available through Airbnb will be made available to our clients Properties will need to go through a vetting process to ensure the safety and security of business travellers We will also ensure clients have established HR policies around groups of employees staying together.” GATHERING MOMENTUM Hitwise, a division of consumer analytics company Connexity, has revealed that more than 1.35 million UK travellers visited peer-to-peer home rental sites in the first half of this year, but it is primarily those aged over 35 that are visiting sites such as airbnb com, versus cheaper options such as couchsurfing.com “While the sharing economy is a relatively new industry for some, the appeal of value and personalisation captures all audiences,” says Nigel Wilson, managing director of Hitwise “It’s clear that the benefits offered have become too apparent to appeal 38 | DECEMBER2016 to just a single age group and it’s positive to see how the internet is enabling new behaviours.” Tapping into the luxury end of the sharing economy, Onefinestay was founded in 2010 and now has a portfolio of more than 2,600 rental homes in London, New York, Paris, Rome and LA It’s essentially Airbnb for the rich, with hotel-style support in the form of 24/7 concierges, topquality linens, towels and bathing products, and free iPhones on loan In April, the London-based company was bought by France’s Accorhotels in a $146 million deal (That’s one way to combat the competition.) It will invest a further $62 million on expansion into 40 new cities over the next five years There’s also Oasis Collection, which was founded seven years ago and offers “handpicked homes” across 18 cities such as Buenos Aires, Madrid and Mexico City Oasis goes a step further than Onefinestay by providing fully stocked fridges, g ym membership and access to local private members’ clubs By the end of next year, it plans to have a presence in 50 cities In February, Accorhotels also bought a 30% stake in Oasis As Airbnb grows, dozens of satellite companies are popping up to help hosts provide a more ‘five-star’ experience for guests In London, Lavanda will photograph your property, make up beds, clean the apartment, screen guests, manage queries, conduct check-ins, restock fridges and carry out maintenance Airsorted, Guesty, Pillow, Hostmaker and HelloGuest offer a similar proposition It means that on your next trip abroad, renting out your own place could be a viable option, too The fact remains that for many business travellers the uncertainty of what you are going to get when you stay in someone else’s home is going to be a deterrent, and trawling through hundreds “ Employees can choose a place that feels like home at a price that fits our travel budgets ” of reviews can be more timeconsuming than booking with a familiar Hilton People travelling for work need to minimise stress and operate at optimum efficiency – top-end hotels pretty much guarantee this with wakeup calls, room service, on-site g yms, butlers and meeting space, but those staying in lower-end hotels may find Airbnb offers a compelling alternative That said, if your travel manager will all the leg work in booking an apartment for you, then you’re probably going to be on to a winner What’s more, there are some stunning places out there that will trump even the most swanky of hotel suites C Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za CASE STUDY THREE NIGHTS IN STOCKHOLM Many people in my peer group (I am in my mid-thirties) use Airbnb both for holiday and work, so I decided to try it on a recent trip to Stockholm I was going for three nights – two days’ work plus the weekend for sightseeing I wanted somewhere well located and with attractive Scandi interiors It also needed to be cheaper than an equally attractive hotel room THE SEARCH I created a profile on the airbnb.co.uk/ business-travel portal and verified my ID by uploading a photo of my driving licence At first I thought all the properties in this part of the site had been curated by Airbnb, but in fact only about 10% of the 300-plus listings had a suitcase icon to indicate it was “business travel ready” (BTR) This status is self-declared by hosts when properties have 24-hour checkin, wi-fi, clothes hangers, a hairdryer, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, shampoo, an iron, a laptop-friendly workspace, towels and sheets, and not allow smoking or pets BTR hosts must respond to at least 90% of booking requests within 24 hours and offer the entire home for rental They cannot cancel reservations within seven days of check-in Airbnb relies on user reviews to flag up dishonesty or inconsistency I spent a good couple of hours going through the listings and reviews You can narrow your search in terms of district, price, whether it has an ‘instant book’ option (handy) or the owner is a ‘Super Host’, but there was no way to search for BTR residences only I was torn between apartments that looked nice but weren’t BTR and those that did tick this box Finally, I found a gorgeous-looking 61m one-bedroom place dating back to 1909 in desirable Sodermalm, with 56 five-star reviews At £182 a night, it was more expensive than I wanted, but was ‘business travel ready’ CHECK-IN BOOKING THE STAY I requested to book (it was listed as available on my dates) but after about five hours was declined – it wasn’t free after all I returned to my ‘wishlist’ of plan B options – click the ‘heart’ icon and your selections will be saved for later – and settled on a 30m studio with a balcony in Vasastan (pretty central) It had eight reviews, all positive, and was £99 a night Owned by a local shoe designer called Jennie, it had white painted floors, an Eames rocking chair and stacks of art magazines It wasn’t BTR but seemed to offer everything I needed There was a box I could tick to say this was a business trip and to ‘share my reservation details with my company’ The booking went through, and Jennie advised that as she was away travelling, a friend who ran an Airbnb management business would hand over the keys The property was quiet and set back from the street in its own courtyard The bed was comfy and there was a large table for working, speedy wi-fi and a coffee machine, but no kettle I couldn’t get the grill to work The location on Gastrikegatan was a 20-minute walk from the central business district of Norrmalm Frederic emailed to check my flight details and swap numbers He was waiting outside at 13h30pm, as promised The apartment was exactly as it looked in the pictures, was clean and had directions to the local metro station and supermarket Frederic told me I could leave when I wanted on the Sunday, and put the key through the letterbox I could call if I had any questions VERDICT Overall, I loved the flat – it had a good vibe and made me feel more like a local In some ways I missed the support you get in a hotel – I had forgotten my toothbrush, for example, so had to go out and buy one Being able to cook for yourself also saves money First-time users of Airbnb for Business Travel get £38 off their next rental – I will certainly be making use of that AIRBNB IN NUMBERS Sources: Airbnb, HRS, Marriott, skift.com, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg 2008 2.5 million year founded worldwide listings in 2016 21,000 1.1 million number of travel management companies that have partnered with Airbnb average cost of hotel stay in London in 2015 worldwide guest arrivals in 2009 191 guest service fee Airbnb takes from each booking 40 million hotel rooms provided by merger of Marriott and Starwood to create world’s biggest hotel chain worldwide guest arrivals in 2015 10% 34,000 million estimated revenue it earned in 2015 100 million percentage of Airbnb stays for business travel in 2016 number of cities you can stay in $30 total worldwide arrivals since 2008 50,000 $115 120,000 companies that have so far booked with Airbnb for Business in 2016 average Airbnb rate for one-night stay in London (2015-16) worldwide listings in 2011 Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za countries Airbnb has a presence in $183 6-12.5% $900 billion most recent 2016 valuation of Airbnb $10 billion revenue forecast for 2020 DECEMBER2016 | 39 HOURS IN… Rustenburg Harties Cableway Take a ride to the top of Magaliesberg with the Harties Cableway and be rewarded with panoramic views of the Hartbeespoort Dam The infrastructure was upgraded in 2010 using the latest materials and technology, and the new cablecars are able to ferry up to 500 people on a round-trip per hour At the top, you can walk the Dassie Loop, with its informational placards, relax on the grass or enjoy refreshments at the express service restaurant The cableway opens at 08h30 every day of the week and the first car departs for the top at 09h00 The last car down leaves at 16h00 A return ticket costs R195 No food or drinks are permitted to be brought into the area hartiescableway.co.za Bushbabies Monkey Sanctuary6 The Bushbabies Monkey Sanctuary is a privately owned, non-subsidised sanctuary in one of the many gorges of the Magaliesberg mountain range Primates such as squirrel, spider and capuchin monkeys that were previously kept as pets, are given a new lease on life, allowed to live as naturally as possible in a wild world laden with waterfalls, lush vegetation, and natural mountain springs The sanctuary is supported solely by donations and the money collected from tours A one-hour tour, which will leave you with a better understanding of why monkeys don’t make good pets, costs R295 monkeysanctuary.co.za Kedar Heritage Lodge Every year Kedar Heritage Lodge, just outside Rustenburg, unveils a statue for Heritage Day showcasing participants in the Anglo Boer War (South African War) This year, Mahatma Ghandi was honoured with a memorial to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his return to India Other exhibits include Sol Plaatjies, Paul Kruger, Jan Smuts and Kgosi Mokgatle The lodge is open to the public and you can visit the statues free of charge any day of the week between 08h00 and 17h00 kedarcountryhotel.com 40 | DECEMBER2016 Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za Brauhaus am Damm Cold German beer, brewed on the premises that overlooks the Olifantsnek Dam in Rustenburg, is the order of the day at Brauhaus am Damm, and is complemented by delicious German cuisine The menu includes eisbein, pickled herring, sauerkraut, spätzle and weisswurst But it’s not just German dishes on the fairly extensive menu There is also a beer-roasted half-duck, slow-cooked pork belly, grilled red prawns and braised venison potjie Leave room for traditional apple strudel, baked cheesecake and brownies The restaurant opens at 11h00 from Tuesday to Sunday The kitchen closes at 21h00 every day except Sunday, when it closes at 15h00 The restaurant closes one hour after the kitchen dasbrauhaus.co.za SkyDiversity A tandem skydive is the perfect way to push your adrenaline to the max At SkyDiversity, you’ll not only get to experience the thrill of a freefall, but you’ll also get an aerial view of the Magaliesberg mountains on your way up to 10,000 feet in the purpose-built and turbine skydiving aircraft – The Turbine Atlas Angel You’ll get a certificate and if you want to relive the experience, you can order a personal DVD as a keepsake Safety is a primary concern, and bookings must be made in advance A tandem skydive costs R1,780 per person Video footage is an extra charge skydiverustenburg.co.za Sun City If you’re in the area, a visit to the recently refurbished Sun City is a must About 50 kilometres from Rustenburg you’ll find an entertainment mecca waiting for you You could start at the casino, or make your way to the Valley of Waves Get wet at Waterworld, speed along the world’s fastest zipslide, pamper yourself at the Royal Salon or visit the Gary Player Health Spa Stop by the Brew Monkey gastro pub for craft beer and artisanal meals; Legends for a bout of nostalgia and trendy grill house food; or Bocado for a Mediterranean dining experience Day visitors to Sun City pay R60 each to gain entry to the complex and for the Valley of Waves, which is open daily from 09h00 to 18h00, entrance fee is R160 suninternational.com southafrica.net Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za asata.co.za DECEMBER2016 | 41 TRIED & TESTED/Hotel MASERU, LESOTHO AVANI Lesotho Hotel & Casino BACKGROUND: Sun International sold portions of its Lesotho, Botswana, Namibian and Swaziland operations, and the whole of its Zambian offering, to Minor Hotels in 2014 in a deal worth $47 million Minor has rebranded the hotels under its AVANI and Anantara brands, bringing its Asian hospitality, typified by friendly, helpful staff, to Africa WHERE IS IT? You’ll find the hotel on a hill in the north-west of the city, just over four kilometres from the border with South Africa If you’re flying into Moshoeshoe I International Airport on either Airlink or Maluti Sky, the 20-odd kilometre drive will take you about half an hour ROOM FACILITIES: There are a total of 158 rooms, ranging from standard, executive and superior rooms to suites (including one Presidential suite), laid out in four wings My executive room had a very comfortable king-size bed, writing desk, aircon, luggage rack, electronic safe, tea-and-coffee making facilities and private balcony overlooking the hotel’s pool area and the city at the bottom of the hill The room was spacious and well-appointed as was the bathroom, which had a large vanity around the basin, a bath and a separate shower Housekeeping set out a pair of slippers at my bedside each night and a robe in the bathroom The plug points at the desk were easy to access I was sceptical about the ottoman that was clearly intended as a chair, worried that the lack of back support would cause pain, but it was comfortable 42 | DECEMBER2016 enough for the short time I needed to use it Guests receive 250MB of free wi-fi data per day; extra data can be charged to your room It was easy enough to connect my iPhone and laptop to the network, but my Samsung tablet had difficulty The connection wasn’t terribly fast, but it did work There are two elevators servicing the entire hotel and they worked hard during my stay, given the 100% occupancy If you’re not keen on waiting for a lift, you can take stairs, which I found to be mostly unused The staff at reception were very helpful when I needed to have my key card reprogrammed (note: don’t keep your room card in the same pocket as your cell phone – it wipes out the coding) and my request for extra Rooibos teabags was promptly attended to RESTAURANTS & BARS: There are three dining options onsite Café Nala serves three buffet meals a day Over the course of three breakfasts, I sampled the muesli and yoghurt, croissants (which were deliciously buttery), eggs, bacon, savoury mince, sausage and mushrooms, all of which were really tasty Coffee takes a little while to brew, so if you’re there early, you might have to wait until it’s ready At the lunch buffet, I opted for roast beef, rice and hot veggies I was disappointed at the lack of grav y, but the meal was delicious nonetheless Jing Tao serves Chinese cuisine, catering to the large contingent of Chinese guests who come to play at the casino The food is the westernised version that I am familiar with and it’s all outstanding, especially the sweet and sour pork and the spicy beef Leifo Bar, adjacent to reception, offers cocktails, coffee, cakes and a full menu of bar snacks BUSINESS & MEETING FACILITIES: The hotel houses six meeting rooms on the lower level The smallest, Seotlong, seats nine or 10 people in U-shape or boardroom seating respectively, while the largest, Pisto and 2, can accommodate 200 in either U-shape or banqueting style, and 300 with cinemastyle seating LEISURE FACILITIES: The biggest drawcard is the casino, with its roulette and blackjack tables and banks of slot machines in both smoking and nonsmoking sections The onsite g ym offers workout spaces and a small number of heartrate-elevating machines The spa’s menu includes massages, facials, manicures and pedicures The outdoor swimming pool is inviting during Lesotho’s sweltering summer VERDICT: A decent four-star offering Rooms are comfortable, food is tasty and staff are friendly, although wi-fi speeds could be faster C Kate Kennedy CONTACT A: Hilton Road, Maseru T: +266 2224 3000 E: lesotho@avanihotels.com W: minorhotels.com/en/avani/lesotho Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za TRIED & TESTED/Flight SINGAPORE - JOHANNESBURG Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900 Premium Economy Class BACKGROUND: Part of Singapore Airlines’ 120 craft fleet, the brand new A350-900 – the latest generation Airbus – now serves the long haul flights from Singapore Changi Airport to O.R Tambo International Airport seven times a week and on to Cape Town International Airport four times a week With advanced technology, fuel-efficiency and bespoke design of seating in all classes, the A350-900 offers passengers a significantly improved flying experience Expect larger windows, higher ceilings, an extra wide body and carefully placed lighting, styled to reduce jetlag CHECK-IN: I arrived from Thailand in Changi Terminal 1, so strolled to Terminal to check in There is a Skytrain connecting all three terminals for those who are tired or in a hurry It impressed me that there was already a record of my baggage from Thailand – on another airline – having been checked in for my Singapore Airlines flight to Johannesburg In a few minutes I had my boarding pass, with a suitable window seat, so I could photograph the elegant wing tip of the A350 at sunrise LOUNGE AND BOARDING: There is no designated lounge for premier economy passengers, but Changi Airport has several areas with reasonably comfortable seats in darkened areas, where you can snooze till your flight leaves at 02h10 Being a Singapore Airlines passenger in transit means you can present your SGD20 Changi Dollar voucher – valid until 31 March 2017 – to spend time in the Ambassador lounge where refreshments and hot showers are available KrisFlyer Elite Gold members Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za can use the KrisFlyer Elite Gold lounge In Terminal 3, it was sheer pleasure to bypass the queue of economy class passengers, to be waved ahead for priority boarding THE SEAT: The 24 new seats in the premium economy cabin of the A350900 offer far more space, comfort and convenience than economy class Configuration is 2-4-2 Every seat has full leather finishing, a calf-rest and foot-bar and increased legroom Even tall and wide people, like myself, can sit more comfortably with a seat pitch of 97 centimetres, a width ranging between 47-50 centimetres and a 20 centimetre recline I appreciated the lumbar support and adjustable headrest, the individual in-seat power supply, two USB ports, bright personal in-seat reading light and the additional stowage space for my iPhone With only eight seats in a row, elbowroom is generous The new A350s offer the eX3 in-flight entertainment system The personal 33.8 centimetre fullHD monitor – 5.6 centimetres larger than in economy – has a video touch-screen handset Comfortable, active noisecancelling headphones are provided At a cost, you can surf the internet, send and receive emails on smart phones and other electronic devices, and send and receive SMS text messages with GSM-compatible mobile phones, using Panasonic connectivity services THE FLIGHT: Greeted by professional, well-groomed cabin staff dedicated to premium economy Class, I was helped to place my hand luggage in the capacious overhead storage units Hot towels and a welcome drink of Ernest Rapeneau Brut Prestige champagne helped me to feel better in these wee hours of the morning An upgraded amenity kit held an eye-mask, anti-slip socks, a toothbrush and toothpaste, in a pouch designed as a collectible item Besides a standard menu with three meal choices, on certain long-haul flights – including Singapore to Johannesburg and Cape Town – selections are available from the ‘Premium Economy Book the Cook’ service featuring special dishes like seafood thermidor, rosemary beef brisket, roasted chicken rice, pork congee with century egg and other delectable options I slept well using the cottoncovered pillows, beneath a light blanket My request to be left to sleep through breakfast was respected I was graciously offered a meal when I woke up, although standard service was completed ARRIVAL: We arrived at ORTIA on time, at 06h55 and I exited the plane easily, ahead of economy class passengers, so I had a shorter wait at the passport control VERDICT: Premium economy on the A350-900 is well worth the extra cost, for its comfortable seats with extra all-round space, positioned in a separate cabin for added privacy, the superior food and cabin service, 35kg baggage allowance, as well as priority check-in and baggage handling, boarding and disembarking C Gillian McLaren CONTACT W: Singaporeair.com DECEMBER2016 | 43 Q&A Finding a solution The card payment and reconciliation space remains a topical one, with all of the major players looking to develop technology that will simplify the process for business travellers, corporates, TMCs and the suppliers involved American Express is one of these major players, and Tshipi Alexander, Head: American Express Corporate Issuing & Merchant Sales, took some time to give us his views on all aspects of the card space Tshipi Alexander Head: American Express Corporate Issuing & Merchant Sales Q: What's currently the number one talking point in the card space, as it relates to business travel, and what's the Amex view on it? A: The current talking point is Q: How long, in your opinion, will it be before African countries such as Nigeria move away from a reliance on cash, and what will it take to achieve this? A: This is very difficult to around accommodation billbacks and how the payment of this is achieved via a card payment AMEX believes a payment solution that takes into account how a hotel merchant processes the payment in a secure manner is important ascertain Generally cash is a preferred method of payment for various reasons, but mostly because there is a lack of card acceptance Many factors would need to be in place to reduce the reliance on cash There would need to be a drive towards greater credit card issuance and utilisation, and customers would Q: Why are hotel billbacks an need to have bank accounts outdated payment method? allowing them to transact via card A: There is a lack of technolog y that allows for the supply of timely or EFT Furthermore, merchants would need to accept non-cash invoices to the TMC This results methods of payment The actual in the clients being charged technolog y and infrastructure reconciliation fees by their TMC, would need to be in place and be as well as delayed payments to robust enough to support this accommodation vendors Q: What's the most recent piece of technology that Nedbank/ Amex Card has developed to make the life of business travellers/corporates easier? A: BTA Powerlink with automatic invoice matching makes management and reconciliation of business travel simple and easy for all users Q: How does the African traveller compare with those of other markets, in terms of his or her attitude towards technology? A: In many African countries, technolog y use is behind other markets and card payments are not as widely accepted, resulting in cash being the fall back In terms of the traveller, access to cash – via ATMs – would then be important, and the ability to keep track of cash withdrawals for expense management purposes However, Africa is catching up with technolog y development and this may result in leapfrogging certain technolog y stages and becoming more advanced than other countries 44 | DECEMBER2016 A: Business travellers are becoming more demanding, as they are expecting all travel information to be easily accessible The use of travel applications is dominating the market, as they are a key tool being used to deliver things like online checkin, virtual itineraries, reporting of missing luggage, travel insurance claims and emergency contacts Q: Are there any international technology trends/talking points that you have picked up on that interest you and could be transplanted to the SA business travel space? A: There is an international trend towards simplifying payment processes by using a card-based payment solution, and this is one area where Africa is still in the early adoption phase In addition, full end-to-end expense management on card programmes is something we believe will add a great amount of value Q: Do you see mobile payment methods such as M-Pesa becoming more prevalent in some of Africa’s more advanced economies, such as South Africa? Q: What are your thoughts on A: Mobile payment solutions are virtual cards as a travel solution? A: Virtual cards are very topical, definitely the future for many African countries However, successful implementation will depend heavily on the local conditions in these markets and how these conditions will impact on acceptance of these solutions Q: What’s the Nedbank/Amex Card view on mobile and how is it integrating this device into its offering? A: Mobile applications are given their ability to curb some of the fraud risk However, we have seen that issuing virtual cards will not necessarily address all of the other issues found in the billback process, namely inefficiencies, transparency, reconciliation and timely payments We are currently working on a revolutionary system which will allow for all these issues – as well as fraud – to be addressed and rectified C becoming the standard mechanism on which to conduct business, and Nedbank is leading the way in bringing mobile expense management solutions, such as Concur and Visa IntelliLink, to a traveller’s pocket Q: What you think the business traveller now expects of its travel service provider, in terms of technological offering? Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za Q&A Strong intentions Neil Bald CEO: aha Hotels In August 2014, the Competition Commission approved the acquisition of Three Cities Management Company by Tourvest’s Accommodation and Activities division, African Hotels and Adventure (aha), signalling the group’s intention to become a major player in the tourism accommodation sector Following the completion of the acquisition, aha’s portfolio of contracted boutique hotels, game lodges and lifestyle retreats more than doubled from 20 to 43 properties spread across the country and elsewhere in Africa As part of the deal, aha also acquired a majority shareholding in the Alpine Heath Resort and the Greenway Woods Resort in White River Mpumalanga In the two years since the deal was inked, aha has incorporated the new properties under its banner and is looking for new opportunities Newly-appointed CEO Neil Bald gives us his views on the hospitality industry Q: What’s your view on the state of the South African hotel industry? A: The South African hotel industry is in good shape although it still experiences ups and downs Q: How does aha benefit from being part of the Tourvest group? A: aha is the accommodation arm of Tourvest and is virtually integrated into the group Q: Are you pursuing any new opportunities outside South Africa? A: aha Hotels & Lodges is actively looking for opportunities in Africa in the major gateway cities to manage hotels and lodges We are one of the few companies that are able to operate across both the hotel and lodge space and we are capable of adding enormous benefits to owners and developers of both types of properties The aha Hotel brand also allows for flexibility in design and build which again is important when it comes to costs and achieving the ideal cost per key during construction when compared to other global hotel brands Our route into Africa would ideally be through management contracts and to be part of either mixed-use developments or being located in key tourist attraction areas We currently manage over 38 properties for a variety of different owners with great success Q: In South Africa, you believe there is greater opportunity in the five-star or mid-market hotel range? A: There is a greater opportunity in the mid-market hotel range, For more news, visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za however in the lodge space there is opportunity in the four and five-star range Q: What is in the aha pipeline? A: We are currently looking at several highly popular hotels on a management contract to be signed during the next few months, as well as being involved in several ‘greenfield’ developments in the major centres in South Africa We are targeting the centres where aha doesn’t have sufficient room inventory like Cape Town, Sandton, Rosebank, Umhlanga and Pretoria for new hotel opportunities We are also looking to sign a few exciting contracts in Namibia, Botswana, Ethiopia and Zambia Q: What you make of the recent Marriott acquisition of Starwood? A: I think it is a positive move for the industry at large and guests because there is currently a period of consolidation taking place for hotel companies globally – look at the recent Hilton and Radisson deals with Chinese investors being announced – so this was just the forerunner for this process The removal of Starwood as operator from the local market will hopefully open certain opportunities for smaller companies like aha to be considered for management opportunities by owners properties were integrated into the aha brand All properties were rebranded and aha brand standards were introduced Q: Which other properties have been given a refurb in the past two years? A: Properties that have undergone or are in the process of being refurbished are: aha The Waterfall Hotel & Spa, aha Shakaland, aha Harbour Bridge Hotel & Suites, aha Lesedi, aha Casa Sol Hotel & Resort, aha Alpine Heath Resort, aha Makalali Private Game Lodge and aha Royal Palm Hotels Q: How does aha ensure that its properties remain attractive and appealing to modern day business travellers and MICE delegates? A: aha prides itself in having good-quality, well-presented hotels C Q: Since taking over Three Cities in 2014, has aha made any changes to the properties previously under the Three Cities banner? A: All of the ‘old’ Three Cities DECEMBER2016 | 45 PEOPLE ON THE MOVE CEO Aha Hotels & Lodges has appointed Neil Bald as its new CEO Bald has been the Managing Director of the group for the last four years and has 28 years’ experience in the hospitality industry Through his vast range of industry knowledge, experienced people management and empowerment he has been pivotal in driving sustainable profitability within the business as well as the acquisition and transformation of the group’s growing portfolio Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Graeme Edmond has been promoted from National Sales Manager to Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at aha Hotels and Lodges He will be accountable for increasing revenues and currently oversees the corporate travel market, in-bound tours operators, international agents, domestic, government and the conference market Marketing Manager Graceland Hotel, Casino and Country Club has appointed Veneshrie Chetty as its Marketing Manager Chetty studied Travel and Tourism and has worked in the gaming industry for 10 years She has also completed other short courses, including Public Relations and Management Development, and is currently completing her B.Com Marketing degree Marketing Manager Sun International has appointed Ismael Kashiku as Marketing Manager for SADC and East Africa He rejoins Sun International after a year at Carlson Rezidor In his new position Kashiku will be responsible for both sales and marketing in-country and to drive awareness of the Sun International brand in his markets 46 | DECEMBER2016 Marketing Manager Umfolozi Hotel, Casinos and Convention Resort has appointed Motsumi oa Mphirime as the resort’s new Marketing Manager Motsumi began his journey as a Communications Manager and later on moved to brand management He has extensive knowledge in the gaming, hospitality and tourism industry New Business Development Aha has appointed Andrew Rogers as the New Business Development Executive for the group He brings with him a wealth of experience within the hospitality industry Strategic planning and implementation; acquisition and disposals of assets; and asset management are among his key specialties Rogers was previously the CEO of the Hospitality Property Fund General Manager Tsogo Sun has appointed Kaliq Essop as the latest General Manager of the InterContinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers Essop studied a National Diploma in Hotel Management at the Durban University of Technolog y He has worked for Tsogo Sun for the past 23 years, starting out as a night auditor at the Durban Inn before moving to the Garden Court South Beach as Night Manager for four years Essop was promoted to Front Office Manager at Garden Court Marine Parade and relocated to Cape Town after a few months to open the Holiday Inn Waterfront His first General Manager position was at the Holiday Inn Elangeni Four years later, Essop moved to the Holiday Inn Pretoria before taking up the GM position at the Suncoast Hotel and Towers General Manager Tsogo Sun has appointed Bernie Hilario as the new General Manager of SunSquare Montecasino She moved across from Garden Court Hatfield where she was also the General Manager Hilario studied at Allenby Campus, did her training at the Arthur seat hotel in Cape Town in 1996 and started off as a receptionist at the Cullinan Hotel in 1998 She was the Duty Manager at Garden Court Morningside from 1999 to 2002, before moving to Southern Sun Katherine Street as a Front Office Manager and then Assistant General Manager/Rooms Division Manager Hilario was part of the team that opened Southern Sun Hyde Park in 2009 She was promoted to General Manager of Garden Court Hatfield in 2015 Deputy General Manager Garden Court Marine Parade has appointed Michelle Bregger as the new Deputy General Manager Bregger’s career began as a part of the hotel management trainee programme at Meikles Hotel in 2003, where she stayed on as Assistant Executive Housekeeper until December 2005 and then Executive Housekeeper until 2008 She then joined Cathedral Peak Hotel as Executive Housekeeper in February 2009 and was promoted to Rooms Division Manager in 2012 Bregger worked in Namibia between 2013 and 2015, before joining Tsogo Sun in April 2015 as Deputy General Manager at Southern Sun Riverside Sun PR and Copy Writer Angeline Marokoane has been appointed as PR and Copy Writer within aha’s marketing department Previously Marokoane was the News & PR Manager for East Rand Stereo She has extensive experience in PR and the radio broadcasting sector and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics from the University of Johannesburg Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za BITE WITH THE EDITOR Happy Birthday! Sir Richard Branson FOUNDER – VIRGIN ATLANTIC Virgin Atlantic recently celebrated 20 years of f lying to South Africa, and as part of the celebrations the airline’s founder, Sir Richard Branson, joined a group of journalists on a flight between Johannesburg and London Editor Dylan Rogers took the opportunity to grab 10 minutes with Branson in the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse at O.R Tambo International Airport R ichard Branson isn’t surprised that Virgin Atlantic has survived 20 years of flying to South Africa “Jo’burg has been one of our most successful routes throughout the 20 years,” he says “I’m more surprised that Virgin Atlantic has survived 33 years when all our competitors have gone bust!” For those South Africans with an affinity for the Virgin brand and its slightly different take on air travel, Branson offers some good news “It’s great that the new runway at Heathrow has been announced,” he says “It will enable us to fly to Cape Town, for example, which we had to pull out of because we only have a limited number of slots at Heathrow, and we have to use them for the most profitable routes Once there’s a new runway, we’ll definitely be able to come back into Cape Town, maybe even before, if we can get a slot.” Branson’s ‘love affair’ with South Africa is well documented, with the businessman a regular traveller to the country over the past 20 years He built a friendship with former president Nelson Mandela, brought the Virgin Active and Money brands to South Africa in the 1990s, and enjoys visiting his private game lodge, Ulusaba, whenever he gets the chance But when he launched the Virgin Atlantic Johannesburg service back in 1996, it was not due to sentiment “There were just two airlines, BA and SA A,” he says “The airfares were high and there was 48 | DECEMBER2016 no competition, and the quality of service was pretty awful Virgin Atlantic shook it up and we now have something like 30% market share, despite the fact that we only have one plane flying this route and the competitors have two each.” The international airline landscape has changed dramatically in the past 20 years, with consolidation just one of the major themes to emerge Unsurprisingly, Branson has strong views on this feature of the market “We fought for years to stop British Airways and American Airlines from colluding and working together with our ‘No Way BA A’ campaign,” he says “They finally were allowed to, so we then consolidated with Delta Air Lines – we had to, to survive So, there is less choice and I think the competition authorities made a mistake in allowing there to be less choice, but that’s the new world we find ourselves in.” As one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the past 40 years, Branson has built a reputation as a visionary, with the Virgin brand attached to everything from music to trains, g yms, aviation, insurance, mobile phones and hotels Sure, he’s had his failures, but also plenty of successes, and he’s not afraid to venture into previously unchartered territory So, what’s the next big thing in aviation, specifically? “With our space programme Virgin Galactic, we hope to one day be building planes that will go much, much quicker than any plane has ever gone before, using space-ship technolog y,” says Branson He says he believes that this technolog y is still roughly 20 years away, in terms of commercial use, but Branson has no doubt it will happen “There’s two approaches that we’re working on,” he says “The first one is sub-orbital flight, travelling at about 4,000 miles an hour, and the other is orbital flight, travelling at about 17,500 miles an hour So, with the one, you could go from London to Australia in about an hour, whilst the other would take you three or four hours.” That certainly would be a game-changer But what about closer to home? There was a time when Virgin Atlantic flew to Ghana (Accra) and Kenya (Nairobi), along with its existing routes to South Africa and Nigeria So, what are the airline’s plans for Africa, besides the possible Cape Town route? “Until we have more runway space at Heathrow, there won’t be a lot more expansion from us, and we’re unfortunately a few years off from that,” says Branson “That’s what has held us back, but one day we’ll be competing with BA on most of their routes.” British Airways, you’ve been warned! C Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za • Conferences • Training • Meetings • Private functions In the heart of Sandton (Rivonia), there is a unique destination Set among the trees on the banks of the Sand River, you will find peace and tranquillity unmatched in Jo’burg’s north Set on an acre, home to an abundance of birdlife, conveniently located to the Rivonia CBD and the major arterials, Sand River Guest House offers guests something distinct Be it the Star luxury rooms, or the meeting facilities through to our unique conference and meeting destination, we call the Tree House Full Day Conference - R330pp Rates include: tea/coffee on arrival; mid-morning tea/coffee and scones, lunch, afternoon tea/coffee with cake of the day Half Day Conference - R195pp Rates include: tea/coffee on arrival; mid-morning tea/coffee and freshly baked scones with jam and cream Rates are subject to change withouth prior notice SAND RIVER G U E S T H O U S E & T R E E H O U S E C O N F E R E N C E V E N U E ★ ★ ★ ★ It’s hard to believe that you’re in Jo’burg T: +27 (0) 11 234 1666 M: +27 (0) 71 324 7857 www.sandriverguesthouse.com