Protea Hotels
| Hotels | |
| Industry | Hospitality, Hotels, Tourism |
| Founded | 1984 in Cape Town, South Africa |
| Founder | Otto Stehlik |
Number of locations | 98 in 8 African Countries |
| Products | Temporary residence |
| Website | Homepage |
Protea Hotels is a leading South African hotel brand headquartered in Cape Town. The brand holds an internationally recognised extensive footprint - with more than 10,000 rooms in the African continent. As of April 2016, it is the largest hotel company on the continent, with over 100 managed and franchised properties in 8 African countries.[1]
Founded in 1984, Protea Hotels continues today to grow its portfolio and brands, through investments and upgrades. The group currently comprises of two brands, the mid-up market Protea Hotels (including the lifestyle brand Protea Hotel Fire & Ice!) brand and the superior deluxe African Pride Hotels.
As of 1 April 2014, the group sold its hotel marketing, management and franchise business to Marriott International®. Today Protea Hotels operate as one of the 19 brands under Marriott International, a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 4,400 properties in 87 countries and territories.[2]
Locations
The company manages or franchises three, four and five star properties in 8 African countries. The majority of the group portfolio operates in South Africa, with over 70 of its properties located within the borders of South Africa, at April 2016. South Africa is where the company was founded and where it maintains its headquarters. Other countries of operation include Ghana, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
Awards and Accolades
Today the brand continues adding awards and accolades to its name, having been named the winner of 2 World Travel Awards for Best Hotel Group in Africa, winner of 3 Sunday Times Markinor Top Hotel Brand Awards and winner of 6 Sunday Times Generation Next Awards for the Coolest Hotel Group.
In June 2015, TripAdvisor, the world’s largest online travel site, recognised a bulk of the Protea Hotels as 2015 Certificate of Excellence Award winners. In July, the Group was awarded top spot in the Hotels Category in the Ask Afrika 2015/2016 Icon Brands Survey, a significant accolade for South Africa’s leading hospitality group.[3]
Brand Footprint Expansion
In 2015 Marriott International chose the Protea Hotel brand for the opening of its first Southern Suburbs hotel in Cape Town. The hotel opened its door as Protea Hotel Mowbray on 1 February 2015.[4] Further to the expansion into Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs was the opening of the 3rd Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! in Pretoria as Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Menlyn, which opened in March 2015.[5]
New acquisitions, saw the brand acquire the Hunters Rest Hotel in Magalies Mountains and the Malaga Hotel in Mpumalanga. 2015 saw the opening of the first-ever Protea Hotel in Ghana. Allowing the now parent company, Marriott International’s footprint in Middle East and Africa to extend to 19 countries.[6]
History
Protea Hotels was formed on 1 July 1984, with an initial base of four managed properties which were controlled by Otto Stehlik and his partners. The company was owned 60% by Bankorp and 40% by Stehlik and his partners, who were also directors of the company. At the time of its founding, the company had four properties under management; two in Cape Town, one in Johannesburg and one in KwaZulu Natal South Coast. After multiple changes in ownership, the Protea Hotel Group is organized as follows:
- Protea Hospitality Corporation
Also referred to as Protea Hospitality Holdings remained the holding company. The stock ownership comprised: 40% Black Economic Empowerment Partners, 30% Investec Bank and 30% Protea Hotels Group Management
- Protea Hotels
This entity was held responsible for the management and marketing activities of the hotels. This was done on the basis of a management or marketing agreement, a joint venture or an association.
- Protea Properties
This division was responsible for properties owned or leased by Protea Hospitality Corporation. These units maintained a management agreement with Protea Hotels.
- Marriott International
On 1 April 2014, Protea Hotels sold its hotel marketing, management and franchise business to Marriott International.
- Plan One
Plan One is responsible for planning, designing, refurbishing and upgrading of hotels. Protea Hospitality Corporation has a shareholding in Plan One. This company specializes in interior planning, design and consultancy.
- Procurement International
This is a subsidiary of Plan One. It specializes in the sourcing, supplying and installation of hotel furniture, fittings and equipment.
Brands
The hotel group offers three brands of hotels:[7]
- Protea Hotels - Mid-market brand, including the lifestyle brand extension, Protea Hotel Fire & Ice!
- African Pride Hotels - Superior Deluxe Luxury
- Protea Hotels
Protea Hotels is the leading hospitality brand in Africa and boasts the highest hospitality brand awareness in the Continent. With over 100 hotels across 8 countries including South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Namibia, Ghana, Uganda and others. Protea Hotels has the largest strategic footprint throughout the Continent and is highly committed to delivering every guest with a personalized service experience. Protea Hotels presents a full and diverse range of outstanding hotels, each is uniquely designed with its own personality, providing guests an opportunity to get a taste of the local flavor in a truly authentic way. Competing in the moderate and upper moderate tier categories, Protea Hotels is ideal for both business and leisure travelers by offering properties in major and secondary business centers and leisure destinations. Protea Hotels offers updated facilities, a unique service culture and consistent amenities such as full service restaurants, meeting spaces, complimentary Wi-Fi access and well-appointed rooms to ensure a comfortable, relaxed and successful stay.
- African Pride Hotels
African Pride Hotel is an exclusive African collection of superior-deluxe hotels offering the highest international standards of service, accommodation and facilities
Recent developments
April 2014, saw Marriott International complete their acquisition of Protea Hospitality Group; which enabled them to become the largest hotel company in Africa.
With this completion Marriott International officially welcomed Protea Hospitality Holdings to the company portfolio, increasing their global portfolio of brands to 19.[8]
In September 2015, Protea Hotels together with parent company, Marriott International won Best International Hotels Group Award at the Business Traveller Africa Awards; officially propelling Protea Hotels into the international grouping for the Awards.[9]
25 November 2015 saw Protea Hotels joining over 4,000 Marriott International Hotels where Marriott Rewards® Members can earn and redeem points for global travel.[10]
In new developments, work has commenced on the construction of a new Protea Hotel in Zambia, located in the city of Ndola opposite the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium along the important Ndola-Kitwe dual carriageway. This hotel’s completion is due Q3 of 2016 and will increase the Protea Hotels presence in Zambia to 8 hotels.
As of February 2016, Protea Hotels continues to expand with new development in Centurion, having announced plans for the construction of a new hotel with extensive conferencing amenities in the area.
Further African expansion for Protea Hotels was announced in March, 2016 with two additional hotels in Kampala, Uganda.
See also
References
- ↑ About Protea
- ↑ Marriott International completes acquisition of Protea Hospitality Group
- ↑ Protea Hotels And African Pride Hotels Recognised In Tripadvisor Certificate Of Excellence Programme
- ↑ Marriott opens first Protea Hotel in Cape Town Sothern Suburbs
- ↑ 3rd Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! opens in Menlyn
- ↑ First Protea Hotel opens in Ghana
- ↑ Protea Hotels Group:Brand Segmentation
- ↑ Your Key to Africa, and now the World
- ↑ Protea Hotels and Marriott International win Best International Hotels Group Award
- ↑ Marriott Rewards now available at all Protea Hotels
