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What do you do when you’re seeing an increase in digital nomads, staycationers and business travellers as clientele? You cater to them by giving them exactly what they want, a place to stay – but only for a little while, with no big strings attached.
These clients don’t want to commit to a short-term home rental but, for some, it’s not a short holiday either. So, they want something in between that gives them added flexibility. In addition, they need something that feels like ‘home’ but also makes them feel like they’re on holiday – yet have all the amenities at their disposal?
It may sound an impossible feat to cater to this picky bunch. But the answer is a simple one: the aparthotel model.
What is an aparthotel?
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As people want a ‘home away from home’ the aparthotel offers more than just a bedroom and basic bathroom like you would find in a hotel. The staycationer or business traveller wants a modern, slick apartment that has a fully furnished kitchen (not just a kettle, cup and small milk containers) and an area for entertaining guests or family. It may even offer space for sports equipment and a pantry for food storage.
If it’s space they want, why don’t they invest in a short term let you ask? For these types of travellers, a short term let with notice periods and rent guarantees is just too much of a hassle for these short term travellers who demand a comfy lifestyle.
Aparthotel in Cape Town
The answer to this type of clientele is the aparthotel and there are a few examples of such options around South Africa now. One Thibault is a familiar icon of Cape Town’s skyline and has opened its aparthotel facilities to the travel industry from the beginning of this month (1 November 2022). The property was recently redeveloped to incorporate co-working commercial space, city apartments and will now include an accommodation-offering.
It’s managed by Cape-based management company, WINK ApartHotels and boasts 102 rooms, ranging from studio apartments to one- and two-bedroom units, situated on floors 15 to 20 of the building. Opening rates start at R1120 per room per night.
Units are all fully kitted to be self-catering, a popular option for short and long- stay guests and plans are in the mix to develop food and beverage offering within the next few months. General Manager and hotel specialist, Peter van Rensburg claims that interest in the units is high as the city enjoys a tourism recovery phase thanks to the so-coined post Covid “revenge travel”.
It’s important for aparthotels to be central. As it’s located in the CBD of Cape Town, One Thibault visitors get access to the natural amenities of Table Mountain, the nearby leisure parks, beaches, and vineyards. The property is within walking distance of the Cape Town Convention Centre, is on the MyCity Bus route, and neighbours some of Cape Town’s best restaurants and nightlife in the famous Bree Street vicinity (La Parada, Sza Sza and Villa 47 to name a few).
Local and foreign aparthotels
One Thibault is not the only aparthotel offering in Cape Town. Another iconic building, 15 on Orange also got makeover (to the tune of R20million) to offer luxury hotel suites and serviced apartments.
Cape Town can’t boast to be the only South African city to feature aparthotels. In Johannesburg, there’s Hyatt House Rosebank, which was opened just three months after launching the brand in Sandton.
Aparthotels are still relatively a new concept in Africa, but they are growing in importance and necessity due to the Demand. According to hospitality.net, there were 8,802 serviced apartments in 102 locations in Africa, but this mushroomed to 9,477 serviced apartments in 166 locations in 2017.
International hotel chains like Marriott, Radisson Hotel Group and Best Western have taken advantage of this growth opportunity but there’s no reason why more local developers (large and small) can’t get in on this (very lucrative) act.
