Hotel Group Developments

Premier Hotels and Resorts – set to open new hotel in Umhlanga

Premiere Hotels and Resorts nears completion of its hotel development in Umhlanga, and legendary Cutty Sark in Scottburgh, due for opening in December.

Samuel Nassimov, managing director of Premier Hotels and Resorts, enthusiastically overseeing the final touches of Umhlanga’s new landmark Premier Hotels development high on the Umhlanga Ridge.

Premier Hotels and Resorts is nearing the end of its construction programme of two brand new hotels in Umhlanga. The R380-million investment will feature a four-star Premier Hotel, a three-star Premier Splendid Inn and a conference centre, all located in one precinct high up on Umhlanga Ridge in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

The three-star Premier Splendid Inn Umhlanga will open in time for the busy Festive Season in December while the four-star Premier Hotel Umhlanga will open in February 2021. The Premier Resort Cutty Sark, a famous landmark on the KZN South Coast, will also reopen in time for the holiday season.

The Premier Hotel Umhlanga will offer 130 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar, swimming pool and gym. The Conference Centre is fully subdivisible into three noise-dampening, acoustically designed units for delegate comfort and offering meeting capacities for up to 300 attendees. An amazing feature of the Conference Centre includes a magnificent open-air timber view deck with glass balustrade, allowing conference delegates to enjoy views of the Indian Ocean and the surrounding Umhlanga precinct from the tenth floor.

The hotel has been designed to maximise the use of its location, with all bedrooms having balcony access and spectacular sea views. The design characteristics of the hotel incorporates a modern yet classical palette, the use of darker stained ash woods, cut glass lighting and liberal use of marble tiling on floors and walls. The ninth floor of the hotel features all-suite rooms, whilst the 126-seater restaurant offers dining views of the Indian Ocean.

Premier Splendid Inn will feature 64-bedrooms and its own 50-seater restaurant. This urban style, modern and contemporary hotel offers a fresh young appeal, with light bleached oaks, sand-coloured marble tiling, and lighter finishes in the bedrooms and throughout the hotel – befitting the location close to the ocean. Guests in this hotel are able to access the rooftop pool and conference centre. The pool is located on the third floor with the main access from the four-star property – designed again with sea views.

The Premier precinct offers six floors of safe and convenient undercover parking, with the courtyard entrance offering a turning circle for small coach access or drop-offs for conference or international tour groups.

Samuel Nassimov, the founder and managing director of Premier Hotels and Resorts, said: “Our decision to invest in Umhlanga, even during this difficult time due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic, is testament to the confidence we have in South Africa’s ability to recover economically. The Umhlanga project will position the Premier Group as a firm favourite amongst holiday makers as well as corporate, government and international clientele – as we strive to secure a hotel presence in every major South African city.”

“The unique configuration in offering two hotels and a complex conference centre in one spectacular location, combined with the very best modern, contemporary and in some cases classical design specifications, will provide Umhlanga with probably its finest hospitality experience.”

“Scheduled for opening in December 2020, the Premier Group are ensuring meticulous Premier CleanCheck protocols are in place - involving cleanliness, sanitisation, preventative measures, staff training, and guest education on arrival - ensuring the well-being and safety of our guests and staff. Our protocols adhere to new health and safety best practice standards to respect social distancing, strict sanitisation methods and the use of PPE protocols at all hotels.”

Situated in Umhlanga Ridge, on the corner of Herrwood Drive and Umhlanga Boulevard, the new development is five minutes from Gateway Shopping Centre, close to swimming beaches, and in the heart of the local business district. Access to the new Premier development from the N2 is via the new Cornubia off-ramp off the N2 from King Shaka Airport, only a fifteen minute drive - and from Durban via the Gateway/ Umhlanga off-ramp.

Premier Resort Cutty Sark, in Scottburgh on the KZN South Coast, is being restored to its former glory.

The R65-million investment will improve all 59 sea-facing rooms – as well as adding a further 39 rooms for a total of 98 rooms while the resort’s furnishings, decor, and equipment have all been upgraded. The Resort will feature two swimming pools, including a new cocktail pool deck experience, with direct access to the swimming beach - as well as upgraded bars and restaurants, new facades, extensive upgrades to the dining room, foyer and reception areas. The architects and interior design team have re-imagined the existing footprint and spacial layouts, to create a nautically inspired experience – using dramatic blues, white bulk heads, timber finishes and floating bird-like lighting features. The new conference centre will open in February 2021.