Carlson Rezidor expansion in Cape Town, South Africa

Carlson Rezidor, one of the most dynamic hotel groups worldwide, further strengthens its rapidly-growing presence in Cape Town by announcing the Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence Cape Town. The 338-key property is the conversion of “Triangle House,” an iconic 23-storey office building in the city’s Foreshore precinct. It will be the first internationally-branded hotel and residence in Cape Town and South Africa, and is scheduled to welcome the first guests in late 2016.

“We are delighted to expand and diversify our portfolio in Cape Town which now features 6 hotels with 1,150 rooms in operation and under development and covers three of our four brands: Radisson Blu, Radisson Red, and Park Inn by Radisson”, said Wolfgang M. Neumann, President & CEO of Rezidor. “Hotel residences are becoming an increasingly important offer for business and leisure travellers alike. This new property will allow us to add value for our guests and to capture additional market share”, added Neumann.

The Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence will be situated in the heart of Cape Town’s prominently located financial & law district known as the Foreshore and only 500m away from the Cape Town International Convention Centre. V&A Waterfront, Africa’s most visited tourism site, is 1km away; Table Mountain 4km. The landmark property will comprise 214 bedrooms with Radisson Blu signature services such as free high-speed internet access, and 124 apartments including a luxury penthouse on the skyscraper’s top floor. Guests will also enjoy an all-day-dining restaurant & bar, a lobby bar café & lounge, a swimming pool bar & terrace, an executive club lounge, 8 meeting rooms with 730sqm in total, a gym, and underground parking.

Property owner Shaun Rai (Stonehill Property Fund) said that the existing architecture of the building made it perfect for conversion from office space into a hotel and residences: “Because of the unique nature of the building’s floor plate, all units have external windows, so we did not have to do much in terms of structural adjustment. A team of architects and interior designers, including Juan Bernicchi Architects, DHK Architects and Source Brand Interior Architects, took great care to make optimal use of the unique opportunities inherent in the building. The final product is a beautiful collection of rooms and apartments awash with natural light”.

Radisson Blu is the core upper upscale brand of Carlson Rezidor, one of the leading international hotel operators in South Africa and Africa: the group has a total of 62 hotels with more than 13,900 rooms in 26 countries across the continent, and has the largest pipeline of hotels and rooms under development in Africa.

“Africa is one of our most important markets for growth. We believe in the great potential of this continent and are committed to constantly strengthen our role as a key player in the travel and tourism sector across the continent,” commented Andrew McLachlan, Vice President Business Development for Africa & Indian Ocean Islands of Rezidor. The group’s overall development strategy is built on asset-light, sustainable growth with a particular focus on emerging markets.

“Africa offers excellent opportunities due to its huge natural resources and workforces, improved infrastructure, and a growing middle class. We want to grow further on the continent together with our existing and new partners through transparent and responsible long-term business relationships. We also want to be a leading employer in Africa. By creating new jobs for local talent and by contributing to the communities where we operate in, we can make a huge difference”, ended McLachlan.