CRESTA HOTELS’ newest operation, Cresta Sprayview at Victoria Falls, has opened and welcomed its first guests, a group of holidaymakers from the United States.
Cresta group chief executive Mr Glenn Stutchbury said refurbishment of the hotel started several months ago, after the hospitality group took a lease on the former Sprayview Motel from its long-time owners and then started work on the creation of a three-star hotel with broad appeal to local and international visitors.
“Workmen are still on site putting finishing touches to the hotel, but we are now operational and we look forward to adding a new dimension to the hospitality offering to visitors to Zimbabwe’s premier tourist attraction,” he said.
Cresta Sprayview was originally built as Peter’s Motel in the late 1960s and was redeveloped into the Sprayview Hotel in the 1990s.
The refurbishment project is being undertaken at a cost of US$1,75 million aimed at a complete transformation into a modern and appealing establishment that will play host to travellers from across the world.
This is Cresta’s first foray into Victoria Falls and comes just ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly in the resort town later this month.
“The target was to be fully operational in time for the UNWTO gathering and this we have achieved it, with extremely positive feedback from our first guests,” said Mr Stutchbury, who is in Victoria Falls this week to oversee the opening.
The new hotel has 65 bedrooms, one restaurant, two bars, two conference rooms spread around a swimming pool area on a well-maintained garden site.
The hotel is only 1,4km from the falls and will prove popular with tourists from South Africa and abroad, as well as from within Zimbabwe, and also with business travellers and conference delegates.
“We noted the need to offer a new and improved product in the three-star market and our investment fills this need with an exciting new hotel that has both its own history as well as the new strength of the Cresta management and marketing thrust,” said Mr Stutchbury.
“Tourism operators in Victoria Falls have been touring the new hotel and feedback has been extremely encouraging and this is an exciting time for Cresta Hotels.”
The general manager of the hotel is Mr Roddy Meiring, who has vast experience in hospitality management in Zimbabwe and Mozambique and is son of well-known hotelier Mr Roy Meiring.