Lilizela Accommodation Award 2016 – Top 4 Star Guesthouse in Gauteng – Liz at Lancaster
As the year races past it is already October and past the time for the Department of Tourism’s Lillizela Gauteng awards. And …. Drum … Roll… Trumpets … Liz at Lancaster did it again:
Earlier on that Provincial Award afternoon Tagala Mlalazi and Catherine Mahlangu, General Manager and Manager Housekeeping respectively, were considering what to wear and wondering if we had won anything! Just in case there was reason to celebrate they decided that Uber’ing would be the best way to get to Gold Reef City and back.
What it takes to win a Lilizela Award
The following morning in a gap after breakfast, everyone was feeling very pleased with themselves and reflecting on what it takes to keep guests happy – which is the essence of winning awards! The attention to detail, preparedness, cleanliness, listening to guests and their requests, anticipating their needs and having a genuine interest in them and their travels, are all crucial to service excellence. And we should not forget Alick our amazing gardener who relates to all our guests by talking to his plants (and his secret recipe – worm wee from our worm farm! More on that at another time). The flowering plants are a source of constant comment. Nor should we forget Thandie who sees to the birds that visit the bird table so that at all at breakfast enjoy watching from the breakfast patio. It’s a wonderful start to a busy day.
Lilizela Accommodation Award 2016 – Top 4 Star Guesthouse in S.A. – The Three Boutique Hotel
Liz attended the National Awards ceremony at the Sandton Convention Centre with Nico and Lené Fourie, guests at Liz at Lancaster, whose Guesthouse – 75 on Milner in Kimberly – just happened to be the Lilizela Accommodation Award Winner 2016 for the Northern Cape!
Right from the entrance – where we were met by black and gold dressed greeters who directed us to the cocktail and canapes, to the banqueting hall with tables covered in candelabras, king and pin-cushion proteas, strelitzia and arum lilies, along with gleaming glasses and white and black plates – it was all a visual feast!
The winner – The Three Boutique Hotel in central Cape Town – is a stunning beautifully restored historic building with 18 rooms. Liz and Lené wondered how do we compete with that plus a roof deck with panoramic views of Table Mountain and Cape Town City !
Lilizela Accommodation Awards 2016 – Gauteng winners at national level
There were two Gauteng provincial level winners who made it at the national awards – in the Backpackers category – Curiocity Backpackers and Events and Venue category – The Forum The Company . Congratulations to two great tourism contributors – well done Gautengers!
Lilizela Minister of Tourism Overall Award 2016 – Esther Mahlangu Cultural Guide
This award given at the discretion of the Minister of Tourism which goes to:
“a proudly South African business or personality, that sets the tourism benchmark not only in our country, but also globally”, went to Esther Mahlangu under the category of Cultural Guide – perhaps an underestimation of her contribution to South Africa’s image. She is the grand dame of Ndebele design with her work reaching the international market when she added her creative finishes to the BMW 525i Sedan in 1991. In 2016 she has again become involved in a BMW project, painting Ndebele patterns on the real wood interior trims of a BMW 7 series, shown for the first time at the Frieze Art Fair (5- 9 October) in Regent’s Park, London. This car now takes pride of place at South Africa: the Art of a Nation, a major exhibition currently showing at the British Museum from 27 October 2016 – 27 February 2017
The Lilizela award evening from initial entrance to chicken starter to decadent chocolate, crooning saxophones, uplifting solo and all the rest, was a thoroughly enjoyable event! Planning and hoping to be there next year!