Free Wi-Fi for Tsogo Sun guests

South African hotel group Tsogo Sun has installed high-speed Wi-Fi in all its hotels, and is offering a certain amount of free connectivity over a range of packages.

Depending on where you’re staying, you can enjoy 250MB (at StayEasy hotels), 350MB (at Garden Court hotels), 500MB (at Southern Sun hotels), or 750MB (at Tsogo Sun’s Deluxe hotels) of free Wi-Fi Internet access, per room, per day. In all the hotels, these data limits are restricted to a maximum of three devices per room.

The introduction of this service follows extensive specification of the technical requirements of providing free Wi-Fi, and the installation of an advanced system by service provider Alwayson. This system network offers symmetrical, high-speed Internet access.

“We were determined to get our Wi-Fi offering right in terms of what our guests need – whether they’re business or leisure travellers,” said Graham Wood, Tsogo Sun hotels Managing Director. “Our Wi-Fi offering is free from the first connection and we have set the cap in our different hotels at levels that would suit even the most technophilic of our guests.”

Tsogo Sun Commit to Big Investment

Tsogo Sun has announced that it has committed $100m towards the group’s hotel expansion in the rest of Africa, outside of South Africa, through the expansion of its hotel in Maputo and an acquisition in Nigeria. This brings the value of Tsogo Sun’s various investment projects under way to about $280m. The group said it will invest $30m in the expansion of its Southern Sun Maputo hotel in Mozambique, involving a complete refurbishment of the existing 158-room hotel.
 In addition to refurbishing rooms, public areas and expanding the restaurant, 110 hotel rooms and new conferencing facilities will be added. Subject to conditions including regulatory approvals, the group will also acquire a 75% stake in Ikoyi Hotels — the holding company of the Southern Sun Ikoyi hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.
Tsogo Sun has managed the hotel for the original developers since it opened in 2009. The group said investment, including loan funding, was about $70m. Tsogo Sun operates hotels in six African countries outside of South Africa, namely Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and the Seychelles.

Tsogo Sun Invests Big in Durban’s Golden Mile

Tsogo Sun is consolidating and relaunching its Southern Sun Elangeni and Southern Sun North Beach hotels into one complex – Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani.

 The South African hotel group has for many years featured prominently on Durban’s Golden Mile, with the two properties already mentioned, along with Garden Court Marine Parade, Garden Court South Beach, and the SunCoast Casino and Entertainment World, including the SunSquare and SunCoast Towers hotels. 

The first phase of the project, which will be completed in time for the Tourism Indaba in May, will consist of: a total refurbishment of the Maharani Tower, including the bedrooms, core infrastructure, conference centre and public areas; substantial new food and beverage offerings within the Elangeni Tower; the rework of the Porte Cochere’s creating a sense of arrival and better access to the complex; the renovation of the external building facades. 

The complex facilities  include 734 rooms, two gyms, three swimming pools (one heated), free Wi-Fi connectivity, 17 meeting and conference rooms, two fully-equipped business centres, and 11 restaurants and bars offering a variety of a la carte and buffet meal options. Phase two will see the opening in the third quarter of 2013, of The Camelot Spa, which will feature five treatment rooms, a double treatment room with a hydro therapy bath, and a Himalayan salt room in the Elangeni Tower.

 The historic Raffles area is being transformed into a multipurpose venue on top of the Maharani Tower available for conferences, launches, themed evenings and a myriad of other events. The final phase will include a refurbishment of the Elangeni rooms and additional public areas, and once complete, Tsogo Sun would have invested a total of R220 million.

SAA Upgrades Food Menu

South African Airways has brought Tsogo Sun’s Executive Chef, Benny Masekwameng onboard to upgrade its premium and regional onboard menu. Masekwameng is the Executive Chef of the Tsogo Sun hotel group and a MasterChef South Africa judge, and his signature dishes will be introduced on all of SAA’s international premium class and regional flights. SAA refreshes its food and beverage menu annually. Each SAA customer is offered a menu selection, which includes Halaal, Kosher and Vegetarian options.

54 on Bath Open for Business

Tsogo Sun’s latest edition, the 54 on Bath hotel, in Rosebank, Johannesburg is open for business. This new boutique hotel boasts 60 deluxe rooms and 12 executive rooms.
 In October 2011, Tsogo Sun acquired the Grace Hotel property and office buildings. The group adopted the address of the property as the name of the new hotel.
 In keeping with this trend, the well-known restaurant on the fourth floor is now known as Level Four, which is an uncomplicated yet elegant space that allows for intimate and comfortable dining and opens up to the renowned fourth floor roof terrace and garden. 
Guests and local residents can choose to either relax in the intimate champagne bar on the fourth floor or enjoy a special cocktail at the boutique coffee bar in the lobby lounge. The hotel is perfectly situated for the leisure and business traveller with easy access to designer shops, boutiques and entertainment facilities at the Rosebank Mall, through the hotel’s link from the second floor.