Mobile check-out with Marriott hotels
MARRIOTT Rewards members can now check out via the new
Marriott iOS or Android app at all of the group’s US hotels as well
as 20 additional overseas properties. According to a report in
TravelMole, the move follows the group’s launch of a mobile checkin
app and positions Marriott as the rst hotel group to offer mobile
technology on such a large scale. On the morning of check-out,
guests are notied via the app to access and pay their bill with a
registered credit card. They then leave keys in the room, saving them
the time it takes to check out at the front desk
.
Singita Boulders Lodge closes for renovation
SINGITA Boulders Lodge in the Sabi Sand Reserve, adjacent to
the Kruger National Park, will be closed from April 22 to June 9
to undergo refurbishment. The renovation, which will retain the
essence of the existing lodge, will include substantial freshening of
the existing décor. The front-of-house areas will be rearranged to
improve the arrival and departure experience and the dining room
will be recongured to create a more spacious area, with two new
suspended replaces. A covered outdoor dining area will be created
alongside the existing pool and the edge of the river.
GC De Waal closes for refurb
GARDEN Court De Waal in Cape Town will close from April 1 to
August 31 for a facelift. Bedrooms will be completely refurbished
to include at-screen televisions, ultra-modern writing desks and
new chrome ttings in the bathrooms. The hotel will reopen on
September 1.
African Insignia expands further
AFRICAN Insignia has added new properties to its portfolio.
Robyndale Conference Centre and Piggly Wiggly Coffee Shoppe
have been added to its KwaZulu Natal portfolio. The conference
centre is close to the M13 in Kloof. Bushman’s Nek Berg and Trout
Resort in the Southern Drakensberg offers a selection of 58 rooms,
self-catering apartments and rustic log cabins. The portfolio has
also added The Pearl of Oudtshoorn Hotel in the Western Cape to
its listing. Situated in Oudtshoorn, the hotel nestles between the
Outeniqua and Swartberg mountain ranges.
On-the-move WiFi in Uganda
PROTEA Hotel Kampala is now offering guests free WiFi connectivity
on transfers between the airport and the hotel. Hotel shuttle buses
have roving Internet hotspots that have been tted with high-speed
3G modems that allow guests to connect on laptops, tablets or
smartphones during their transfer. This enables them to catch up on
urgent email and reconnect digitally. Entebbe International Airport is
35km from the hotel.
Taj renames planned conference venue
TAJ Cape Town has renamed its planned conference and banquet
venue The Reserve at Taj. The venue opened on March 1 in
the African Banking Corporation building, following extensive
renovations.
