Melissa Theron (née Burns) has taken the reins as General Manager of The Plettenberg, the iconic five-star property in Plettenberg Bay that is recognised as one of the most exclusive addresses on the Garden Route. 

Theron has an impressive track record with The Liz McGrath Collection that spreads over a decade, including the last two years as General Manager of sister hotel, The Marine, in Hermanus.  

Theron first joined The Liz McGrath Collection in 2013 as Sales and Reservations Agent, from where her career blossomed, and she was promoted twice within a year to Guest Relations Manager and Front Office Manager at The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel in Cape Town. In 2017 she was promoted to Assistant General Manager at The Marine Hotel, followed by her successful appointment there in 2020 as General Manager.  

Her career in luxury hospitality first started as Functions Co-ordinator at the Peninsula All-Suite Hotel before she caught the travel bug and gained 18 months of international experience, working at country clubs in Palm Beach and Chicago in the US. 

On her return to Cape Town, Theron was appointed Reservations Agent for the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, quickly working her way up to Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator, before she took the career opportunity to join The Liz McGrath Collection.