Meikles Hotel owner keeps word on US$30m investment

Dubai-based Albwardy Investments which bought Zimbabwe’s Meikles Hotel for US$20 million three years ago and vowed to upgrade what is one of the southern African nation’s most well-known establishments, has kept its word.

According to reports at the time, Albwardy was expected to spend up to US$30 million in upgrading the hotel.

Meikles Hotel general manager, Tinashe Munjoma said the hospitality group has lived up to its word and is committed to seeing it through.

“ASB Hospitality is committed to ensuring that Meikles Hotel remains Zimbabwe’s premier hotel and to making sure its infrastructure, operations and standards are world-class, second to none in this market. Meikles Hotel’s status as market leader is treasured, respected and supported,” Mr Munjoma said.

The group has begun to invest using the said war chest with renovations which are set to give the hotel more products for its customers now entering the seventh month of its twenty-four-month journey.

Mr Munjoma said, “A major phased refurbishment programme is now in its seventh month and will yield a series of innovations and upgrades when the first phases are completed later this year, including a wholly redesigned reception, social facilities and dining area on the ground floor, as well as a residents’ pool deck on the first-floor level.

“Also on the first floor will be the largest and most modern gymnasium and spa in the country, open to hotel residents and to paid-up members drawn from the community. Further phases will involve other aspects of the hotel operations and these will be highlighted when they take place.”

Target for the hotel is to maintain its status as the hotel of choice in the country for both local and foreign tourists and business people alike.

“Key to our future success will be a range of operational, marketing and customer-driven initiatives and innovations that position the hotel as the first choice for top-end business travellers, tourists and people or organisations who or which are our primary target market,” he added.

This success will come only if we recognise our position as the market leader in our chosen areas of business and act accordingly. I can assure you that this is what we shall do. Mr Munjoma said he was happy that the Covid-19 era is behind as it was calamitous for travel and tourism.

It is his hope that the present growth path can be sustained and that Meikles Hotel can soon even surpass business levels enjoyed in the year before Covid-19 struck.

The Hotel last month won the Twalumba trophy for service excellence at the recent tourism awards and the general manager believes it is a show of how well they have been doing.

Mr Munjoma said the whole team at Meikles Hotel was delighted to be presented with the Twalumba trophy for service excellence, which was given to them as having the best service standards not just from within the hotels of the country but also from within the entire travel and tourism sector.

“We are well used to receiving accolades like this, but we still value each one and we use such recognition to spur ourselves to achieve even higher standards,” he added.

The hotel, which was established in 1915, has 312 rooms.-herald.cl.zw