CHAKELA HOTELS AND RESORTS

Ok, can the person who hid February please return it?!? I know it’s hard to believe it, but February is now just a distant memory and March, the first autumn month (what! No please say it isn’t so!) is upon us. Thank goodness we’re in Cape Town! I woke up today to this gloriously overcast day, the smell of the sea lingering everywhere. How lucky am I to live in one the MOST beautiful cities in the world?! Ok enough of making you jealous, I promise that wasn’t my intention; I just believe it’s important to count your blessing.

So back to the subject at hand, I’ve been wracking my brain trying to decide what to write about for our 2nd newsletter and then it hit me! Chakela Hotels and Resorts! I bet you’ve been wondering a little about this hotel network. You’ve probably thought, “Umm… Chakela Hotels and Resorts? I’ve never seen one.” And you’d be right! You wouldn’t have seen one, and there’s a very good reason why you wouldn’t have seen one.

The whole reasoning behind that was this: independently held hotels offer just as much and sometimes more than their bigger and better known counterparts. But when it comes to world wide footprint, they just can’t compete. Enter stage left, Chakela Hotels and Resorts. They offer the independent hotelier exactly what the big chains do, but with a BIG difference. They don’t take away their own names! That’s why you don’t see Chakela Hotels at any of their 70 member hotels. So the Fountains Hotel will always remain the Fountains Hotel. Brilliant hey!

So that being that, how about checking out the other articles where we focus on some of these hotels.

Ciao for now,
KB

THE FOUNTAINS HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE

Located in downtown Cape Town, within walking distance of the city’s many attractions, the Fountains Hotel and Conference Centre offers all the services and facilities you would expect from an inner-city hotel. A gym, pool, bar, buffet restaurant with a terrace and the friendliest staff in town, all contribute to make the Fountains Hotel a luxury home away from home.

The City of Cape Town boasts a wide range of attractions. These include three World Heritage Sites, a diverse mix of cultural, historical and heritage sites, outdoor and leisure activities, entertainment, nature and environment, and of course, luxury wining and dining.

But when all the exploration, sight-seeing and shopping has worn you out, the Fountains Hotel will accept you with open arms. The reception at the hotel is a welcoming space, furnished with couches to create a relaxation area. Those who would like to keep an eye on the work side of things can turn to the hotel’s business centre. Located in the lobby, it boasts two Apple computers.

Friendly and knowledgeable staff offer, a full concierge service and can refer guests to the tourism centre, which is also located in the lobby. This centre is equipped with flyers and information about all the popular tours and destinations in and around Cape Town. The multi-lingual staff can also help with any bookings that need to be made.

The Fountains Hotel and Conference Centre is a secure establishment. We have qualified staff and a security station at each entry point of the hotel to ensure that our guests remain safe. Three levels of underground parking provide secure parking for our guests.

Conference facilities are also available at the Fountains Hotel. These modern and flexible rooms are set up to accommodate private meetings or functions with up to 250 delegates in various rooms. An in-house professional conference co-coordinator is always on hand to assist with conferences.

There is wireless internet access available right throughout the hotel, including in the rooms, in the public areas and inside the conference rooms.
24-hour room service is also available.

THE STRAND TOWER HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE

The Strand Tower Hotel is located in the hub of Cape Town’s CBD on the corner of bustling Strand and Loop Streets. It was officially opened to the public with a glittering affair where the mayor and other dignitaries where invited, on the 12th May 2010 .It offers 4 Star-plus accommodation and conference facilities, making it the ideal place to stay for business, conference and leisure travelers.

Cape Town’s business centre is within easy walking distance from the Strand Tower Hotel. The city’s many major tourist attractions, such as Table Mountain, Robben Island and the V&A Waterfront, are also within easy access from the hotel. Other notable landmarks nearby include the Cape Town International Convention Centre, which is just 2 kilometers away, and the Green Point Stadium, which was constructed for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The stadium, which is 3.5 kilometers from the hotel, is now home to many other major sports tournaments as well as big names in entertainment, U2 played to a sell out crowd recently.
Boasting a gym, sauna, bar, restaurant and satellite television, the Strand Tower Hotel is almost entirely self-contained. So much so, that our guests don’t even need to go outside.
But this is Cape Town, after all. And among the array of places to visit and things to do, are the city’s many renowned and amazing eateries, many of which are within walking distance of the hotel. These include Rouge on Rose, Savoy Cabbage, Ginja, Marco’s African Place, The Africa Café, the Gold Museum, Caveau, and Simply Asia, to name but a few.

For those guests who still prefer to be staying in, the hotel has plenty of facilities to keep them entertained and relaxed. The pool deck, which is located on the second floor of the hotel, provides guests with a lush, tranquil oasis in the heart of the city. The gym area, sauna and steam room allow guests to de-stress after a long day while having fabulous views of Table Mountain.

As is customary of all the hotels in the Leisure Hotels Group, personalised service, dished up with the legendary South African charm and hospitality, is a priority at the Strand Tower Hotel. This is a family-run business with a lot of special touches, such as the attention the group bestows on incorporating recycling and conservation to the day-to-day running of the hotel.