Tucked in the Cederberg Mountains of South Africa’s Western Cape, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is renowned for its guest service, experience in excellence, and for setting new standards in luxury.
Central to the property and its unique environment is Bushmans Kloof’s widely respected commitment to conservation, culture, and advancement of community – an approach to tourism that is recognized worldwide as an exemplary model for truly sustainable growth and development.
Continuing to look to the future in this spirit, Bushmans Kloof is proud to announce the reopening of its significantly improved BK Family Village. Setting the standard for future models of employee accommodation sustainability for hotels in remote areas, the custom-designed village – first built in 1995 – seeks to improve the living conditions for employees and their families, providing them with a healthy, fulfilling home life and sense of community.
Home to more than 71 staff members and their families, with a total community population of 126, the BK Family Village represents a clear expression of and investment in the future of tourism through the well being of those who work in the industry.
The visionaries of the staff village facility are Stanley and Beatrice Tollman, Chairman of The Travel Corporation and President and Founder of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, respectively. The couple is acutely aware of the value and importance of staff in the consistent creation of genuine, meaningful guest experiences that embed lifelong memories for guests. At the heart of the initiative was their desire to improve the quality of life of individual staff members. The goal is to provide a home for employees and their immediate family, create a sense of community amongst the people of Bushmans Kloof, and provide employees with a happy fulfilled work life with genuine career progression.
“It is largely thanks to our dedicated and devoted staff members that Bushmans Kloof is today recognized for excellence by so many guests across South Africa and the world,” said Beatrice Tollman. “My husband and I are so proud of our team. They really do pride themselves in going the extra mile to offer outstanding service to our guests. We wanted to ensure that they also had a home to be proud of, in a community that they care about. We wanted them to feel comfortable welcoming guests into their own homes.”
Considering the beauty yet remoteness of the location of Bushmans Kloof, Bea Tollman also acknowledges a critical aspect of the social value of the BK Village.
“So often, especially in rural areas, families are forced to break apart as one or both parents need to go off to earn money for the family while the children stay at home to be able to go to school,” said Mrs. Tollman. “With the Staff Village, families are able to stay together. This is such a key part of ensuring that these families, these communities, are able to maintain their roots and family structures.”
Within walking distance from the Bushmans Kloof main lodge, the BK Village facilities are located and designed based on leading practices for community planning and development, including:
Housing – accommodating 26 families and designed for family living, the houses offer private bedrooms for individuals, while couples have the option of living together. As part of the upgrade of the village, additional bathrooms are offered, while the fully furnished rooms include comfortable beds, new carpets, a dining room table and chairs and lamps. All new rooms feature solar heating geysers, in compliance with Bushmans Kloof’s environmental policy. Cottage gardens run throughout the village, providing home grown vegetables for village residents.
Education and career progression – Central to the village offering is the educational infrastructure. The village provides a library with high speed internet access. The upgrade features a new nursery, with games, toys and educational materials for children.
Relaxation and leisure – A newly-built community hall provides a meeting place for up to 80 people with a large flat screen TV positioned on one wall. The community hall can also be used for cultural and social shows, entertainment, performances by Bushmans Kloof’s award-winning choir and for church services. The recreational area around the village is grassed to provide enhanced social space while adding to the beautification of the village, using clean filtered water from the sewage system, which will also be used to irrigate the existing soccer field. The planting of 50 trees further ensures a green, healthy environment, providing shaded eating and relaxing areas for all to enjoy.
To ensure effective operations of the Staff Village in line with community needs, the model village will have its own managerial committee. The community has chosen Assistant Gardens Manager Maans Witbooi to act as the “Mayor” of the BK Village.
Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) said at the official opening of the new facilities on January 7, 2014 that he was delighted with the new development.
“I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Stanley and Beatrice Tollman for the success business and human story in which they transformed Bushmans Kloof,” said Rifai. “The tourism community is privileged to count on entrepreneurs like you, who transform tourism daily into new opportunities and new dreams for their clients, their employees and the communities that host them.”
This message was echoed by Helen Zille, the Premier of the Western Cape of South Africa, who said, “The Bushmans Kloof Family Village offers a glimpse of what the New South Africa can be.”
The creation of the BK Village at Bushmans Kloof is a natural expression of and extension to the investment that the Tollman family makes in its businesses across the globe. Supporting the skills development and career advancement programs in place for employees, the Tollmans are committed to the schooling and training of staff members’ children. The Tollman Family Trust is currently funding schooling and boarding for children of Bushmans Kloof employees at the local Primary School, Elizabethfontein Primary. The school is situated just outside Clanwilliam, close to Bushmans Kloof, where it serves the immediate community of farm workers and provides schooling for approximately 270 children from Kindergarten to Grade 7, including 27 children of Bushmans Kloof’s staff members. This access to formal schooling also allows the children the opportunity to meet children from other local communities, widening their sense of “home.”
BK Village stands tall as a solid, new approach to genuinely sustainable, equitable, holistic tourism development.
About Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat
Bushmans Kloof is a luxurious ecological oasis situated at the foothills of the breathtaking Cederberg mountains. Nearly 19,000 acres of majestic views, staggering rock formations, open plains and invigorating outdoor activities cumulate to create an unforgettable wilderness adventure. The five-star resort features 16 luxurious rooms and suites, award-winning Cape cuisine and a complete wellness experience deeply rooted in nature. Bushmans Kloof also offers its private Koro Lodge to families and groups of travelers, featuring the fully-independent services of a guide, game viewing vehicle, and dedicated chef and hostess.
Bushmans Kloof is located less than three hours from Cape Town and is consistently recognized for its award-winning environmental and conservation projects. The entire reserve is malaria- and predator-free, serving as a sanctuary for endangered species, indigenous plants, and a variety of birds and animals. It is one of South Africa’s Natural Heritage Sites as well as part of the Cape Floral Kingdom and home to more than 130 ancient Bushman rock art sites. Condé Nast Traveler readers recently voted Bushmans Kloof, a member of Relais & Chateau, as the #1 ‘Resort and Safari Camp in Africa’ as well as the #3 ‘Top 100 Hotel and Resort in the World’ during their 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards. The gorgeous reserve has won numerous annual awards for its exceptional hospitality and opulent accommodations from National Geographic Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, and Travel + Leisure.
About The Red Carnation Hotel Collection
Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is a member of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, award-winning collection of five- and four-star family-run boutique hotels in London, Dorset, Guernsey, Geneva, Palm Beach, South Africa and Ireland. In South Africa, sister properties include The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town and The Oyster Box in KwaZulu-Natal. Each property has its own individual character and unique location that reflects the local environment, culture and cuisine. They all share the qualities central to The Red Carnation’s ethos that win them so many prestigious awards – splendid luxury, generous hospitality, inventive and traditional cuisine, private art collections, passionate service and loyal staff committed to creating richly rewarding experiences for all their guests.
For more information about The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, please call toll free from the USA/Canada 1.877.955.1515 or from Europe, Australia and New Zealand at + 800.1698.8740. Visit us at www.redcarnationhotels.com or email book@rchmail.com.
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About The TreadRight Foundation
The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is part of a joint initiative with The TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation established by The Travel Corporation to encourage sustainable tourism within our own family of brands and in the places we visit. To date, TreadRight has donated more than US $2 million to sustainable tourism projects around the world. To find out more about our work with TreadRight, visit: www.TreadRight.org.
Red Carnation Hotels – Because We Care |
25 Jan 2014
