What makes a great South African weekend?
For many, it is a simple recipe: good food on the fire, friends and family close by, and sport playing somewhere in the background.
On 24 September, that familiar scene will unfold across the country as South Africans celebrate Heritage Day. From Musina to Mossel Bay, braais will be lit as people come together to celebrate the traditions, tastes and experiences that make South Africa unique.
For The Capital Hotels, Apartments & Resorts, however, keeping things local and lekker is not limited to Heritage Month. It is part of the group’s approach to hospitality throughout the year.
As Garnet Basson, COO of The Capital Hotels, Apartments and Resorts, puts it: give South Africans a braai, rugby on a big screen and somewhere comfortable to relax afterwards, and you have the ingredients for a lekker weekend.
“We’ve built a business around that feeling,” says Basson.
A proudly South African beginning
The Capital’s own story started during a difficult economic period.
In 2008, as the global financial crash put pressure on businesses and consumers, founder Marc Wachsberger noticed an opportunity in the accommodation market.
Hotel rooms were expensive, while good apartments were standing empty.
His solution was to lease and furnish apartments and rent them out by the night.
That approach helped make The Capital one of the first businesses to bring apart hotels to South Africa, combining the space of an apartment with the service associated with a hotel.
It was a homegrown idea built around a distinctly practical South African insight.
And, according to the group, while others have since followed the concept, the original recipe still has something special about it.
Local goes straight to the plate
The Capital’s commitment to local business extends beyond accommodation.
The group employs more than 1,000 people, with more than 95% hired locally. This makes The Capital a significant employer in the cities where it operates.
The local focus also reaches the kitchen.
The Capital works with proudly South African suppliers and follows a farm-to-table approach, with fresh produce travelling from local farms to the group’s kitchens before making its way onto guests’ plates.
For Basson, keeping the journey local makes sense.
“A tomato tastes better when it hasn’t done more travelling than our guests,” he says.
The approach also keeps spending within local businesses while helping keep menus fresh.
But the local experience does not stop with food.
South African design, artwork and music form part of the experience, while concierge teams bring their own knowledge of the cities where The Capital operates.
That means guests can get guidance on local concerts, markets, shopping and match-day atmosphere from people who know their cities.
Heritage Day, The Capital way
For those looking to celebrate Heritage Day closer to home, The Capital has two experiences planned.
At The Capital On The Park in Sandton, guests can enjoy a Heritage Day braai on Thursday, 24 September, priced at R250 per person and including a complimentary Castle Draft.
Then, on Saturday, 26 September, The Capital Mbombela will turn up the flavour with its Heritage Shisanyama.
The experience includes a buffet and live entertainment and is priced at R395 per person.
Both experiences bring the familiar ingredients of a South African celebration together: food, music, people and a sense of place.
Keeping the feeling going
Heritage Month may put the spotlight on local culture, but The Capital says the local approach continues beyond September.
Travellers who want to keep the experience going can join The Capital Circle, the group’s loyalty programme.
Members can receive up to 20% off when booking directly, giving regular travellers another way to experience The Capital’s hospitality.
From its origins in 2008 to its focus on local employment, suppliers, food and culture, The Capital’s Heritage Month message is simple.
Sometimes, celebrating what makes South Africa special does not require looking far.
It can be found around a braai, in the food on your plate, through the music playing in the background, in the artwork around you and in the people who make a place feel like home.
Local. Lekker. And proudly South African.
