The Faircity hotel group celebrated its recent acquisition of the Quartermain and Falstaff hotels in Morningside, Sandton. Having started in 2007 with the opening of the four-star Faircity Mapungubwe Hotel in Johannesburg, Faircity’s latest acquisition brings to six the total number of hotels in the company’s portfolio.
“Faircity believes that the two new additions will add tremendous value to the company and provide the opportunity to compete in the most competitive business node in South Africa,” says Faircity Hotels MD Gustav Holtzhausen.
The acquisition is a joint venture between Faircity and Attventure, a venture capital partner. “Having been introduced to the seller by The Louis Group in 2009, we are delighted that the two-year negotiation process has now been successfully concluded,” says Faircity Hotels director of commercial and business development, Lukas van der Westhuizen.
The Faircity Quatermain is a 104-room hotel with five conference rooms. The architecture was inspired by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Demetri Porthyrios. It was built to replicate grand English lifestyle living, while the indigenous gardens provide the backdrop for an African experience.
The hotels have undergone subtle rebranding to reflect the Faircity ownership and staff say they look forward to being part of a group and the opportunities that it offers.
Around the corner from the Quatermain is the Faircity Falstaff Hotel, a 41-room country-style hotel with two conference rooms. Inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘jolly host’, Sir John Falstaff, the hotel offers business and leisure travellers a stylish yet affordable stay.
The launch was well attended by some 120 people in business and government, including City Lodge Hotels’ Clifford Ross. Master chef Coco Reinarhz, owner of the fine dining French cuisine Sel et Poivre restaurant at the Faircity Quatermain and the Le Petit Sel at the Faircity Falstaff, demonstrated his skills by giving guests a taste of his famous cuisxine. Entertainment was provided by the Soweto Marimba Youth League and the Vienna String Quartet.
“We have been careful to ensure that the hotels’ loyal client base continues to receive the excellent service to which they are accustomed. We are excited about the future and look forward to providing guests with a uniquely Faircity experience at our two premier properties in Sandton,” says Faircity Quatermain and Faircity Falstaff Hotels’ GM Jaco Steyn.
Over the next ten years, Faircity Hotels intends to acquire and develop three-star and four-star properties that are well located, complement its corporate market focus, and are aligned with its financial priorities. These latest acquisitions represent significant progress towards the company’s long term strategy, which is to position itself as one of the major hotel operators in South Africa, and later in Africa.
Seen at the launch at the Faircity Quatermain on 6 October, toasting a successful future for Faircity hotels, was Coco Reinharz, master chef (left) and Gustav Holtzhausen, MD of Faircity Hotels.
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