The five-star Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit – the global group’s first safari hotel in South Africa – is set to open in the next quarter and GM, Charles McCarthy, is excited to introduce it to the market.
In this Q&A, he shares a bit about this highly anticipated property.
Q: Why Hoedspruit?
A: Hoedspruit is a popular destination for both locals and international tourists. Its convenient location makes it an ideal base for exploring some of South Africa's top attractions.
Situated in Limpopo Province, Hoedspruit is near the renowned Kruger National Park, which offers visitors the chance to witness Africa's iconic Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, and buffalo) in their natural habitat. In addition to Kruger National Park, Hoedspruit is also close to other popular game reserves such as the Balule Nature Reserve and the Timbavati Game Reserve, providing plenty of opportunities for unforgettable wildlife experiences.
Moreover, Hoedspruit boasts breathtaking natural beauty, with its proximity to the Drakensberg Mountains providing stunning landscapes and outdoor adventure opportunities. Visitors can enjoy activities such as hiking, hot-air ballooning, and exploring the scenic Blyde River Canyon.
Q: What sets the hotel apart from other offerings in the area?
A: Several factors set the Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit apart.
Location: Our upscale safari hotel is situated in a unique location in the heart of the grasslands, surrounded by spectacular views of the Drakensberg Mountains.
Accommodation: Our hotel offers luxurious and comfortable accommodation that blends modern amenities with an authentic safari ambiance.
Meetings and Events: There are five on-site meetings and event spaces and guests can choose from a well-equipped, spacious banquet hall or one of our comfortable boardrooms. With breakout areas and state-of-the-art technology, we can accommodate a variety of different events and celebrations for up to 200 people.
Q: What will the hotel offer once opened?
The hotel will feature 138 modern rooms and suites. Other facilities include a spa and fitness centre. And our on-site restaurants and bars offer a delicious selection of fresh local and international dishes.
Guests staying at our hotel can visit our activity desk to book game drives, hot-air balloon trips, quad-bike safaris, boat rides, horseback safaris and many more. These adventures are sure to create a memorable experience for all.
Q: Which source markets are you targeting?
A: Mainly tourists from South Africa, America, Germany and the UK. We will cater for leisure guests as well as incentive and corporate travellers.
And niche sectors such as families, adventure seekers and luxury travellers.
Q: Community upliftment and sustainability are in Radisson’s DNA – how will this hotel carry this forward?
A: We believe in supporting and uplifting the local community of Hoedspruit. From the onset of the project, we committed to source our labour force, fresh produce and products from local suppliers, and where we could not find something in the local area we vowed to source within South Africa.
From next year, we will start with an in-house hotel management training programme where selected individuals from the local youth have the opportunity to gain practical experience within our hotel.
Furthermore, the environment and wildlife are something very close to our hearts. As a hotel we will actively be involved in conservation efforts in the area. We will offer consistent environmental training to our staff and school groups, teaching them how to care for the environment.
The hotel recycles all our grey water which then feeds into our irrigation system and helps to maintain our gardens. All our plants and vegetation are indigenous and help to create a beautiful landscape when visiting our hotel.
This commitment also flows through to our housekeeping department and cleaners, who will be using only environmentally friendly cleaning agents. A company called GENSO will also be assisting us with reducing all our wet waste into compost.
Guests will never be left in the dark as the hotel has adequate back-up power supply feeding all areas. Currently, we have 250 solar panels feeding all light and plug outlets. By end 2023 we’ll endeavour to increase the solar farm capacity to 500 panels.
