Integrated Report 2020
City Lodge Hotel Group's brand strategy is aimed at showcasing the distinct attributes of each brand in the stable.
Much has been done since we moved on from the umbrella brand strategy, and we continue building and growing each of our unique brands.
'City Lodge Hotel Group cares for YOU'
The Fairview is a garden oasis of tranquillity in the vibrant, bustling Upper Hill suburb of Kenya, Nairobi, sought after by discerning travellers as the perfect East African venue to relax or do business.
The group initially acquired a 50% interest in the Fairview Hotel in 2012 and purchased the remaining 50% ownership in 2014. Acquiring the Fairview announced the group’s entry into East Africa’s fast-growing hospitality market, bringing us face to face with the nuances of this exciting opportunity. It was also a rare opportunity to introduce an iconic property to the CLHG portfolio. Operating this one-of-a-kind hotel destination with its unique reputation provides a benchmark of excellence for the entire group.
In the past, leisure and business travel to Kenya was troubled by the terrorist attacks on the Dusit Hotel complex in January 2019, and Kenya’s turbulent politics. Fairview is situated across from the Israeli embassy, which makes it more secure, and the hotel’s performance remains robust, with beautiful gardens and traditional appeal.
At present the group is fine-tuning the Fairview brand and its operations. This includes marketing more actively to South Africans and positioning Fairview as a first-choice conferencing, events and wedding venue.
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Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Our response to the pandemic was driven by the Kenyan government’s requirements. All staff members were tested for COVID-19 prior to reopening of the hotel. We acquired a licence from the Kenyan tourism department which enabled us to trade officially. Kenya has opened its borders and is receiving international and regional flights albeit on significantly reduced schedules. Fairview’s restaurant is open and attracts a few day visitors.
Our Courtyard Hotel brand merges the feel of traditional hotels in magnificent buildings with modern conveniences and touches. These include WiFi, access to boardrooms and offices, as well as a personal shopping service.
The Courtyard Hotel brand primarily serves business and upscale leisure travellers. Based on a four-star select service model, our Courtyard Hotel offering attracts guests who appreciate its clubby manor house feel and sprawling garden ambience. International visitors tend to stay longer than local guests, probably because doing business from the room or lounge – and touring – is so convenient.
The hotels of the Courtyard Hotel brand have recently undergone refurbishments to meet international guest expectations and remain aligned with upscale hospitality standards in terms of services and safety. Business travel expectations are changing rapidly, which has prompted us to refresh our service offering. Along with in-room connectivity and entertainment upgrades, we have introduced high-end coffee machines and in-room clothes ironing boards. We also implemented fitness rooms and an a la carte lunch and dinner menu.
Solo female travellers are a fast-growing hospitality trend, requiring heightened security and women-friendly touches to bolster the Courtyard’s appeal as a safe and welcoming haven.
Construction of our first ‘new concept’ Courtyard Hotel Waterfall City in Gauteng is currently in progress. This hotel is expected to include 160 rooms (with eight suites), meeting rooms (including a conference facility with 100 seats), a swimming pool, a gym, and a rooftop bar/function area. Completion of initial rooms was originally targeted for November 2020, however, construction was halted due to COVID-19. Construction has resumed and is expected to be completed in or around March 2021.
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The little things can turn a good stay into an unforgettable experience. Our City Lodge Hotel brand is well entrenched in its market category.
The brand is becoming known and sought-after across Africa: we recently opened new hotel locations in Maputo, Mozambique (February 2020); Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (2019); and Nairobi, Kenya (2018).
The City Lodge Hotels are particularly popular during the week among business travellers, with leisure travellers staying on weekends as a result of weekend promotions and targeted campaigning.
City Lodge Hotel continued adding fun and relaxation elements to our brand by extending the in-house #Cafe menu across all dietary requirements, from vegan to banting.
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Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic
In the larger South African metropoles where City Lodge is located, the most well-known City Lodge Hotel in the area remained functional during the stricter lockdown levels. We were therefore able to service our traditional business market, as well as transiting travellers and essential service workers responding to South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown. Government’s COVID-19 regulations and protocols were implemented at all our hotels.
The new City Lodge Maputo, in Mozambique, proved to be a difficult build, with many unexpected building and development challenges. The COVID-19 lockdown closed it a month after opening, but we foresee steady future growth driven by domestic and international business linked to Mozambique’s gas fields.
You needn't pay a lot to get a little more in your life. Town Lodge is the perfect solution for those who don’t want to break the bank, but still like a little extra with their stays. Town Lodge guests are more price-aware and may take a smaller room to save money.
The Town Lodge brand caters to a younger, millennial guest who values socialised working spaces and good connectivity. The Town Lodge brand hotels have recently undergone refurbishments to reflect a modern, connected and welcoming environment. These feature generous shared working spaces, good connectivity and WiFi, within an ambience of natural fabrics and textures. Recent Town Lodge hotel launches include a new hotel in Umhlanga (South Africa), which opened in October 2019.
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Sometimes people need places to stay with no frills, no fluff and no fuss. The Road Lodge brand seeks to provide affordable stays across South Africa by providing guests with basic services only. This offering allows guests to keep costs low while offering a hospitality solution for those with simple needs and a lower budget.
The Road Lodge brand caters largely to budget-conscious business travellers who are self-employed or who are employed by smaller corporates. The brand is also popular for family travel and school or sports group trips.
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, our occupancy rate has remained encouraging. Road Lodge was the best performing CLHG brand during the pandemic. The mining industry for the most part continued operating during the COVID-19 lockdown, generating a substantial uptake of our value-formoney offering. Companies are also keeping their blue-collar workers close to work and off public transport to minimise risk. We have a reputation for clean hotels, making companies more comfortable with Road Lodge accommodation than less formal guesthouses.
Road Lodge rooms are compact but not squashed, featuring crisper, new look linen on the beds, with blanket protectors rather than the traditional bedspreads. Each room offers tea and coffee, with light breakfasts served according to a rotating menu basis so that regular guests can stay up to four days without repeats.
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