I decided then that I wanted to be a hotel manager. I took up a position at the Mandarin as an intern when I was 17 and later studied hospitality in the Netherlands. I joined the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in 2000 and worked in a couple of their hotels before becoming the youngest female General Manager (GM) in the group when I was appointed to head the Park Inn at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris at the age of 29. In October 2010, the GM of Park Inn Sandton moved to Belgium and I seized the opportunity to move back to SA. How does the Park Inn Sandton fit into the Carlson Rezidor Hotel group? The Park Inn brand is part of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group also known for its five star brand, Radisson Blu. The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is working on developing this brand in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as we have noted the significant demand for midmarket hotels in these regions. In EMEA, there are about 300 hotels open or in development including the Park Inn by Radisson Foreshore in Cape Town and projects in Polokwane SA, Nigeria and Mozambique.
June 2010 because there were many hotels that were open during that time and after the tournament there was a significant dip in occupancy. We have gone from virtually no guests to profitable occupancy levels thanks to the strong and dedicated team that we have here. I enjoy the teamwork we share and my management style is firm but fair. What does the Park Inn Sandton offer and what sets it apart from other hotels? We are a mid-market hotel offering four star services. We cater for various guests including corporate clients as this is an ideal location in Sandton City. We host several leisure travellers including tourists on their way to and from various destinations in SA. Given that disposable incomes have dropped in the wake of the global recession, guests are pleased
a full buffet breakfast. It is a full dining restaurant from 12 p.m. daily. We provide an hourly complimentary shuttle bus to the Gautrain and we also transport business guests anywhere within a five kilometre radius. Most of our competitors in Sandton are much older while we are new and funky. The hotel owner has an eye for aesthetics as is evidenced by the attention to detail even in the lounge chairs that we have. We have young and energetic team members at management level who are also very experienced having worked at some of the top hotels around the country. We are very responsive to requests and are flexible enough to look for a solution should your requirements differ from our regular offering. - KEITH KUNDAI
“My Danish father and Dutch mother met and got married in Nigeria the 1970’s. I believe that once you are bitten by the African bug, you can’t help but to return.....”
How has the experience of managing Park Inn Sandton been for you? This hotel has been a fantastic challenge as it is a beautiful product to sell. It opened in a turbulent time in
to enjoy a good hotel at a reasonable price. We manage to offer this by focusing on what is needed; a good clean room with tasty cuisine and not necessarily pricy extremes like gold laced fabric sheets and multiple cupboards. We offer room service in all 273 rooms and there is Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel. We have several conference rooms and the RBG restaurant offers
WWW.EXPATRIATE.CO.ZA
49