New owners for S Coast hotel

THE Macquet brothers, owners of the well-known Champagne Sports Resort in KwaZulu Natal's (KZN) Central Drakensberg region, concluded negotiations at the beginning of the month for the purchase of a second hotel - the 33-room Pumula Beach Hotel on KZN's South Coast - from former owners Colin and Carol Henwood. The property's existing management team of Philip Gibson, general manager, and Michelle Fortune as 'marketing manager-cum-master of all trades' - both of whom were previously at Champagne Sports and latterly at Cathedral Peak - is being retained. Fortune told Travel Now that Pumula is currently undergoing an extensive two-phase renovations and refurbishment programme - the first phase of which will be completed by month-end, the remainder being completed by the end of October "at the very latest". Renovations will see the hotel's accommodation expand to 40 rooms, including 15 family and 25 double/twin sea or garden-facing rooms as well as the upgrade of its air-conditioned conference/function room, which - with basic facilities - can seat up to 80 delegates cinema-style. "We will be catering to a broad spectrum of guests from both the corporate and leisure markets," said Fortune. "We will be very much family-oriented though will also be working at growing the conference and wedding side." The beach-front hotel, located 100km south of Durban, features a comprehensive range of family activities including an 18-hole sports putt course, with more facilities being developed in the near future. Special rates are available to November. (Elizabeth Sheridan)