A regular programme of specialinterest group events and a hearty helping of Karoo hospitality may make this iteration of a Barrydale country hotel the one that finally succeeds.
The adage that to make a small fortune in the wine industry you have to start with a big one applies equally to running a hospitality offering.
Heavy competition from providers of Airbnb-type accommodation scratches away at room-rate earnings, while the growth in self-catering options and the increase in available convenience foods erodes restaurant income.
NOT YOUR TYPICAL B&B
The solution may be what the Karoo Art Hotel in Barrydale is doing. Here, they offer competitive room rates yet deliver more than a typical B&B in terms of style and comfort. Here, too, the food offering is sufficiently affordable, tasty, and hearty in portion size to tip the balance in favour of dining out rather than in.
And they welcome the whole family including one’s pets. Olden-time spoils include the option of a morning coffee tray brought to the room as a wake-up call if you’d rather not make it yourself.
Karoo Art Hotel chef Derek Louw knows his market well and delivers handsomely. Added to which, the relatively new owners, Sue and Rick Melvill, the founders and partners behind Melvill & Moon’s high-end safari accessories, have the business and social networks, as well as the marketing skills, needed to succeed.
FROM A BYGONE ERA
A mini showroom of Melvill & Moon items available for purchase sits in the hotel’s breakfast room and coffee shop, and a number of their furniture items, such as chairs in the dining room and the Roorkhee Campaign chairs, modelled on the original used by the British army and made from timber and canvas, are on the black-and-white ceramic tiled front stoep. Look out for their safari washbasin/ice buckets and luggage racks, too.
Bu hikaye Farmer's Weekly dergisinin August 02, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Farmer's Weekly dergisinin August 02, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
New farmers' seedling pitfalls
Inexperienced farmers may be tempted to grow seedlings from seed themselves, but they have much to gain by trusting a seedling grower at a nursery to perform this task for them instead
South African avocado production: a success story
Avocado production in South Africa has expanded markedly since the industry's humble beginnings over 80 years ago. From a small grove planted in 1938 in what was then Nelspruit, the industry has blossomed to seven million trees planted on 20 000ha. Dr Guy Witney, project manager at Great Brak Avos, spoke to Annelie Coleman about the country's avocado production.
Unlocking value through livestock exports
Exporting livestock might sound like a daunting business that's better left for big companies, but Gerrie Ferreira, who farms near Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape, has been doing it successfully for almost 30 years, sometimes in partnership with other breeders. He spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the huge potential this market holds, and offers some advice for farmers who are contemplating going this route.
An agribusiness's dedication to community upliftment
For agribusiness NWK, located in Lichtenburg, North West, corporate social investment is an important part of creating a positive influence alongside financial returns. Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporate marketing and communication, spoke to Annelie Coleman about why the company chooses to invest millions of rands in the area it operates in every year.
Empowering dreams, transforming lives
Since its launch in 2013, the Agri's Got Talent competition has revolutionised the lives of many farmworkers by unlocking their hidden talents and fostering a culture of empowerment. Glenneis Kriel spoke to various finalists about how the contest has changed their lives.
Foreign investment: agriculture maintains its appeal
South Africa remains a popular destination for foreign investors, despite an often negative outlook from its citizens. It is a gateway to Africa, and with its counterseasonal production to the Northern Hemisphere and favourable weather, local agriculture is especially well placed to attract foreign interest, bringing with it hope for rural communities
The real value and message of COP29 for SA agriculture
While the 2024 Conference of the Parties may have disappointed those who hoped for real progress, it's more important for South African agriculture to highlight its role in carbon mitigation
Improving efficiencies in feed and grain milling
Bühler, a Swiss-based company that provides solutions and equipment for various industries, including food and animal feed processing, has pledged that by 2025, it will deliver scalable solutions that will reduce energy, waste and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers.
Tips for better olive production
At an SA Olive Association field day in November, industry experts shared ways to improve olive production efficiencies, from soil preparation to harvesting.
More effort needed to protect vulnerable cheetah
On International Cheetah Day, commemorated every year on 4 December, emphasis was placed on the vulnerability of the species.
