Located at the corner of Grayston Drive and Rivonia Roads in Sandton, Johannesburg, The Maslow was awarded the 4 Star grading by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.
Business hotel property, The Maslow in Sandton, Johannesburg, has been awarded the 4 Star grading by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.
The business hotel property opened for trading in January 2013 following a R250 million refurbishment by owners Sun International Limited a Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed company which owns a number of hotels and casino properties in South Africa and in parts of Africa.
According to general manager Johan Scheepers, from the start of their original investment, the aim was to provide a modern 4 Star hotel in Sandton that would offer excellent service and value for money in an area that is customarily expensive.
He explains that the decision not to compete in the 5 Star Sandton hospitality market was a strategic calculation on their part.
“As this was our first business hotel in Sandton we did extensive research as to what the market would yield, and a 4 Star hotel grading was the result of our findings.
“Furthermore, we also wanted to attract government business and to this end have adopted a group-wide government rate strategy,” says Scheepers.
Asked about business since opening, he says the grading has been positive as it confirms that it was a strategic move given the 5 Star standards they aspire towards.
“Many hotel guests have indicated they would stay anytime over a 5 Star hotel because the standards are very high and the hotel has really transformed over the last 18 months since acquisition,” he says.
Inside the property
Chic living at The Maslow hotel is all the rage at this property as it continues to be a place to see and be seen in Sandton, courtesy of its new vibey appeal not only to business travellers, but leisure and hangout spot for after work drinks.
According to general manager Johan Scheepers, from the start of their original investment, the aim was to provide a modern 4 Star hotel in Sandton that would offer excellent service and value for money in an area that is customarily expensive.
Scheepers points out that everything in this property is purposely built around the business traveller, the décor is very trendy and snazzy, complemented by the oasis garden and landscape.
Keeping true to catering fully to the needs of the business traveller, the hotel now offers a complimentary internet connection, something which Scheepers says is now a necessity and not a luxury to business traveller.
“At The Maslow, we offer high speed and uncapped internet access to ensure our guests stay connected with their businesses and families, and at the same time, enjoy our property facilities,” he says.
Even before opening last year, the property had already garnered support through social media networks and this has since grown to a point that is keeping up with the Joneses of social media - the property will launch its app next month which will be free to download.
Award-winning property
If you are going to spend R250 million on refurbishing a hotel property in Sandton, you sure need something to show off.
This property, which offers 281 guest rooms and suites furnished with style and functionality, was awarded top honours in the refurbishment category of the South African Property Owners Association Innovative Excellence in Property Development Awards 2013, held at Sun City in May.
Click here to read the article.
Also in Sandton, Alexander Forbes head office at 115 West Street was named the overall winner at the awards.
The Maslow Hotel, developed by Sun International and designed by Dakota Architecture, is decorated in a restful, “neutral palette”, the interiors induce a sense of simplicity and comfort - the essence is that of a home away from home.
Each room has been designed to meet the needs of the business traveller and provides for the best sleep and the best shower in Sandton.
As Sun International’s first venture into business hotels, it undertook a nine-month long refurbishment of the five-storey hotel, formerly the Southern Sun Grayston Hotel.
Furthermore, the property houses Africology Spa, which won for outstanding achievement in service delivery over the past year in the World Luxury Spa Awards.
The Maslow Hotel, developed by Sun International and designed by Dakota Architecture, is decorated in a restful, “neutral palette”, the interiors induce a sense of simplicity and comfort - the essence is that of a home away from home.
According to Vassilli Droganis, Africology marketing manager, these awards are as a result of public votes and so it a real testament to how they wish to treat their guests providing them with an authentic spa experience.
"Recently the Africology Spa at The Maslow also won The Les Nouvelle spa award for innovation in spa concepts and overall delivery so we have all been elated at the response thus far especially considering these awards are internationally recognised."
I suppose if you are a business or leisure traveller, you are likely to be knowledgeable about spas as some hotel properties offer these facilities.
However, looking at the global economy and hearing about some corporate cutting budget on travel and hotel stays (the number of days at least), I couldn't help wonder what the notion is regarding spas, not only locally but globally too.
Droganis explains that the spa concept is by no means a new one, however, over the last decade there has certainly been a greater awareness and need for the services commonly acquired through a spa.
“I believe that this correlates with the fact that people are becoming more focused on wellbeing and taking care of themselves over and above conventional methods.
“With this in mind, consumers are now also making the difference between a spa which merely pampers and one which is focused on results and is orientated upon overall healing and renewal.”
Furthermore, the property houses Africology Spa, which won for outstanding achievement in service delivery over the past year in the World Luxury Spa Awards.
While Droganis could not pinpoint specific trends in spa properties, he says those spas with a medical focus are becoming more popular, treatments which focus on Nutraceutical supplementation as part of an ongoing process as well as the endorsement of natural, chemical-free, green products and spa deliverables.
Having set the bar high less than a year of opening, it would be interesting to see what this property does next, what with many properties in the Sandton area either going for a full revamp or redevelopment.
Hotel property market in Sandton
According to Kamil Abdul-Karrim, managing director of Pam Golding Tourism and Hospitality consulting, a division of Pam Golding Hospitality, there has been no growth in inventory in Sandton at the 4 Star level since 2010 and there are no planned new hotels in this sector in Sandton that they are aware of.
“The only question remains the redevelopment of Village Walk which had in the past encompassed a hotel but the project developers have made no recent announcement in this regard.”
On occupancy levels, he says the 4 Star properties in Sandton grew by just under 14 percent in 2012 but are flat year-on-year as at July 2013.
Meanwhile, the average room rate grew by 3.5 percent in 2012 and a further 7.1 percent in 2013 on a July year-to-date basis and what this translates to, is a Sandton 4 Star sector growth of 17.9 percent in 2012 and a further 6.5 percent growth in 2013 on a July year-to-date basis, explains Abdul-Karrim.
Looking forward, he adds that industry prognosis is that at worst the current levels of growth will at minimum hold till the end of the year, but more importantly, growth in the sector is set to improve at above inflation levels for the immediate future, at least two years, as inventory remains stable and demand gradually increases, providing rate optimisation opportunities. - Denise Mhlanga
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