Pam Golding Hotels, a member of Pam Golding Hospitality (PGH), recently facilitated a transaction which resulted in the Shamwari Group, with partner Dubai World Africa, being awarded the management and marketing contract for the prestigious The Grande Roche Hotel – a member of Relais
& Chateaux - situated in Paarl in the heart of the Cape Winelands.
Comments Joop Demes, CEO of Pam Golding Hospitality: "The directors of The Grande Roche consulted us with a view to increasing brand awareness in an increasingly competitive market and also alleviating pressure in terms of day-to-day operations. Having introduced Adrian Gardiner, chairman
of the Shamwari Mantis Group to the directors of The Grande Roche, we were then commissioned by both parties to facilitate the negotiations, resulting in the awarding of the management contract. The entire process was concluded within four weeks."
Situated in an exceptional setting, The Grande Roche Hotel is considered the most well-known boutique hotel in the Cape Winelands, being particularly popular among a repeat clientele from Germany and the UK. It includes Bosman's Restaurant, a Relais Grand Chef and world class awardwinning
restaurant.
With Mantis Collection Gardiner has built up an exceptional collection of unique, upmarket and boutique hotels and game lodge establishments in Africa, England, Scotland and Europe. Says Demes: "Pam Golding Hospitality has a long history with Gardiner who has utilised our services extensively for consultations and facilitations for many well known properties such as The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the Western Cape, Steenberg Hotel in Cape Town and the Draycott Hotel in London. His keen eye in partnering with unique properties dovetails perfectly with The Grande Roche and this new association will benefit both parties."
Currently PGH is involved in nine other operator facilitation processes for new hotel developments in
South Africa. Demes adds: "We note the increasing competition that local and regional hotel operators
are experiencing from leading global hotel operators who have clearly targeted Southern Africa from a strategic point of view. We are also noticing a sharp decline in the 'old fashioned' plain management contract that the owner or developer is willing to award to a hotel operator.
"Without doubt owners are becoming more demanding, often insisting on a commitment which is resulting in an interesting combination of changes that include flexibility in terms of fees, duration and termination in the case of underperformance. Well funded developers in good locations are in a strong position to insist on agreed guaranteed results and/or equity participation by the hotel operators. In Southern Africa hotel operators are responding well to this challenge and seem to have a competitive advantage regarding access to liquidity," he says.
