Zorgvliet Portfolio a special experience for business and leisure travellers
When property developer and entrepreneur Mac van der Merwe started the Zorgvliet Group of Companies‚ now known as the Zorgvliet Portfolio, in 2002, his vision was to create special experiences for special people. The start-up acquisition of Zorgvliet Wine Estate in the Banghoek Valley near Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands marked the beginning of what is now a thriving and impressive collection of award-winning five-star travel, tourism, hospitality and lifestyle brands.
In addition to the historic Wine Estate, the Zorgvliet Portfolio now proudly owns the Sure Zorgvliet Travel Agency in South Africa; St Andrews Travel Agency in Bolton, England; the Zorgvliet Vineyard Lodge & Spa situated on the Zorgvliet Wine Estate; the Ka’Ingo Private Reserve & Spa in the malaria-free Waterberg region; the Riviera on Vaal Hotel & Country Club in the historic Vaal Triangle near Johannesburg; majority shares in the King George Protea Hotel in George; and newly-launched Dinkweng Safari Camp, one of South Africa’s first fractional ownership bushveld property also located in the Waterberg Biosphere. All three destinations are aligned to the internationally-recognised luxury Boutique Hotels collection while the Zorgvliet Vineyard Lodge & Spa and Ka’Ingo Private Reserve & Spa have a strategic alliance with African Pride, which is Protea Hotels’ Superior-Deluxe range of five-star hotels, lodges and country houses. All Zorgvliet Portfolio destinations are five-star graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa and are well positioned and equipped to deliver on their brand promise of special experiences for special people.
“We invested extensively in refurbishing, upgrading and equipping all our properties with the necessary systems, infrastructures and people to maintain our brand’s five-star status. It is a worthwhile on-going investment that enables us to continually compete with other companies locally and abroad,” says Group CEO of Zorgvliet Portfolio, Mac van der Merwe. The Zorgvliet Vineyard Lodge & Spa, delicately nestled at the foot of Simonsberg Mountain on the historic Zorgvliet Wine Estate, was acquired by the Zorgvliet Portfolio in 2002. It has 9 luxury rooms, a picnic garden, wedding chapel, modern cellar, Spa, golf driving range and the legendary Herenhuis (Manor House) restaurant.
Dating back to 1692, the estate consists of approximately 130,000 vines which produce award-winning wines including the flagship Zorgvliet Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Zorgvliet Cabernet Sauvignon and Zorgvliet Shiraz 2003. The working Wine Estate is located along Route 62, the world's longest wine route, 45-minutes drive from Cape Town International Airport and five minutes drive from Stellenbosch, South Africa’s second oldest town. The architecture and history of the classically decorated Zorgvliet Vineyard Lodge & Spa reflect centuries of heritage, making it the ultimate getaway for both first-time and seasoned travellers. Here guests can explore the expansive vineyards and have genuine mountain braais atop Simonsberg Mountain whilst indulging in intimate wine-tasting sessions with the winemaker. Those attending the estate’s annual End-Of-Harvest Wine Festival in April are encouraged to “become a winemaker” for the day under the expert guidance of the winemaker and to learn the secrets of vine cultivation and wine-making.
In 2002, Zorgvliet Portfolio also bought the 8,700-hectare five-star bushveld property Ka’Ingo Private Reserve & Spa in the malaria-free Waterberg Biosphere of Limpopo Province. Boasting more than 4000 head of game representing approximately 35 species and 350 bird species, Ka’Ingo is a haven for nature lovers. It also has diverse plant life including the Silver Cluster Leaf known for its curing properties of Bilharzia and the fabled Pear Tree that the Sotho people of the region believe is a rain-maker. The reserve also runs Sable and other game breeding programs and has ancient heritage sites with beautiful natural art collections of San and Pedi rock art. Ka’Ingo Private Reserve & Spa, is a scenic three-hour drive from Johannesburg and is one of only two Big Five private reserves in the region that are open to local visitors. Set on the banks of the Mokolo River, it has a private 1,2km landing strip for chartered flights from Lanseria Airport.
“When we introduce our first Cheetah at Ka’Ingo this month-end, visitors to the reserve will have an even more gripping time navigating the wild bush with our expert Game Rangers,” adds van der Merwe.
The Riviera on Vaal Hotel & Country Club, yet another Zorgvliet Portfolio property, is set on the willow-fringed banks of the majestic Vaal River in Vereeniging near Johannesburg. Having joined the Zorgvliet Portfolio in December 2003 and undergone extensive refurbishments before reopening to guests in March 2004, this 70 year-old establishment is only 45-minutes drive away from OR Tambo International Airport (formerly Johannesburg International Airport). It has two main restaurants, floating restaurant, cocktail lounge, terrace café, 18-hole golf course, flood-lit 9-hole pitch ‘n putt course, Zorgvliet Spa complete with fully equipped in-house gym, Zorgvliet Wine Shop, day care centre, wedding chapel, in-house business centre and four fully-equipped conferencing rooms. The Riviera on Vaal Hotel & Country Club first revamped only 30 rooms but within two months all 89 luxury rooms were ready for occupancy, complete with panoramic river views.
With more than 300 employees catering to guests’ needs, it is a truly sophisticated and upmarket venue with a welcoming atmosphere. As one of the few child-friendly hotels in South Africa, the Riviera on Vaal Hotel & Country Club offers parents ‘time-out’ while their children are kept entertained in a secure environment. The Clubhouse, designed by British architect Sir Herbert Baker, dates back to 1938 and was once the private residence of British millionaire Isaac Lewis. After playing the Club’s professional prior to winning the British Open for the first time in 1950, international golfing legend Bobby Locke named the Club’s 14th hole as one of his favourite courses to play world-wide. The Club also offers tennis, squash, snooker and water sports.
The Sure Zorgvliet Travel Agency (formerly Top Travel) is also a member of this family-owned business and is situated at the Riviera on Vaal Hotel & Country Club in Vereeniging. Since its acquisition in 2004, the Portfolio has focused on improving this agency’s technology and systems placing special emphasis on the training and development of its employees to ensure the presence of industry knowledge and expertise among staff, and improve client relations with the business and leisure travellers it services around Africa, Europe and the USA. Sure Zorgvliet Travel is currently operating under the guardianship of four specialist travel consultants with 62 years of travel experience between them.
Spreading its wings further abroad, Zorgvliet Portfolio acquired the multi-award winning St Andrews Travel Agency (STA) in Bolton, England in the second half of 2005. With more than 30 employees driving its business, the agency’s growth has been through strategic market and product development, some acquisitions and a focus on differentiation by service in an extremely price-conscious market. STA has maintained its local focus by consolidating its successful expansion onto four sites serving local people in the Bolton area and beyond. The agency now has thriving outlets in Horwich, Astley Bridge and Westhoughton to complement its flagship headquarters in Bolton town centre where they also have a world lounge dedicated to tailor-made and cruise clients as well as a Bureau de Change. All five STA branches have been successfully re-branded and refurbished to reflect the more classic Zorgvliet brand image complete with new business strategy and new General Manager, Carmel Alexander. Overseeing the laun chof the agency into its new era of business in global travel and tourism, Alexander is importantly tasked with the active promotion and sales of Zorgvliet Portfolio destinations and products alongside other South African offerings to UK travellers. More recently, Zorgvliet Property Development, a division of the Zorgvliet Portfolio, announced the launch of a R50-million lifestyle property development project in the malaria-free Waterberg region. Dinkweng Safari Camp is South Africa’s first bushveld fractional ownership property offering investors the opportunity of owning a piece of unspoilt land in South Africa with all the benefits of a Big Five game reserve.
Without the ongoing responsibilities that are normally associated with such an investment, the 12 fully-services lodging units are being sold at €30, 000 per unit and are built individually at secluded positions atop a valley ridge overlooking the Waterberg mountain range. The units each have three bedrooms, three bathrooms, living area, private pool, outside leisure area and six-seater Polaris 4x4 Ranger game viewer vehicle. Dinkweng Safari Camp also has a central communal area with a television lounge, business office with internet facilities, tuck shop, braai (barbeque) area, garden, swimming pool with extended deck and a covered dining boma (place for social gatherings). Buyers will have the luxury of watching Giraffe, Kudu, Impala, Waterbuck, Eland, Nyala and Zebra right in their yards knowing that the herds are managed according to sound ecological practices by the game management team from Ka’Ingo Private Reserve & Spa.
“The Zorgvliet Property Development division has, over the past two years, funded and concluded various development projects across South Africa worth more than R350-million,” states van der Merwe.
Overall, the Zorgvliet Portfolio employs over 600 people and follows a strong policy of job creation and social investment with preferential employment from the local communities within which it operates. As part of its empowerment strategy, Zorgvliet Portfolio focuses strongly on in-service training and skills development programmes for staff, and awarding contracts to local businesses.
