News / Regional
Upmarket lodge opened in Beitbridge
23 Feb 2012 at 06:32hrs | Views
A NEW upmarket lodge has opened its doors in Beitbridge as the town moves a gear up towards its transformation into a modern medium city. White Lodge, which is owned by a former Cold Storage employee Mr Midian Hlabano who is now based in South Africa, has brought convenience to many travellers who had been facing challenges in overnight accommodation.
Construction work began in 2006 soon after Government accorded the border post town status under the National Economic Development Priority Programme.
The 20-bedroomed lodge is located 2km out of the town's CBD area along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo road and becomes the ninth lodge to offer overnight accommodation in the border town.
It is understood that over 4 000 people including truckers and tourists pass through Beitbridge everyday with most of them seeking overnight accommodation en route to their different destinations.
The complex has a modern restaurant, bar, state-of- the-art kitchen and several offices.
Mr Hlabano officially opened White Lodge late last year. In an interview, Mr Hlabano who is also a well- known accounting consultant in South Africa, said the lodge was constructed as a way of furthering his economic interests in the country as creating employment for his fellow countrymen.
He said the lodge was constructed in the model of a cultural village and it is also convenient for conferences, weddings and other social gatherings.
"The rooms are thatched with grass and are air-conditioned.
"Basically, we are creating a home away from home for tourists and many other travellers who pass through Beitbridge town.
"As you are aware Beitbridge is one of the busiest entry points across the region and as such the demand for overnight accommodation has never been met fully.
"For that same reason I chose to put up this lodge and create employment for the Beitbridge community. I am also working towards establishing similar structures in Harare and Bulawayo in the near future. I want to call upon other Zimbabwean nationals in the Diaspora to put their resources together and be at the forefront of the country's economic development programme," he said.
Mr Hlabano said he would continue investing in property and in the hospitality industry.
In another development, Kombami Africa Lodge Palm Tree recently opened its doors in the border town.
He said he was currently busy putting up a similar structure in Johannesburg and will soon build a bigger hotel in Bulawayo.
Construction work began in 2006 soon after Government accorded the border post town status under the National Economic Development Priority Programme.
The 20-bedroomed lodge is located 2km out of the town's CBD area along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo road and becomes the ninth lodge to offer overnight accommodation in the border town.
It is understood that over 4 000 people including truckers and tourists pass through Beitbridge everyday with most of them seeking overnight accommodation en route to their different destinations.
The complex has a modern restaurant, bar, state-of- the-art kitchen and several offices.
Mr Hlabano officially opened White Lodge late last year. In an interview, Mr Hlabano who is also a well- known accounting consultant in South Africa, said the lodge was constructed as a way of furthering his economic interests in the country as creating employment for his fellow countrymen.
He said the lodge was constructed in the model of a cultural village and it is also convenient for conferences, weddings and other social gatherings.
"Basically, we are creating a home away from home for tourists and many other travellers who pass through Beitbridge town.
"As you are aware Beitbridge is one of the busiest entry points across the region and as such the demand for overnight accommodation has never been met fully.
"For that same reason I chose to put up this lodge and create employment for the Beitbridge community. I am also working towards establishing similar structures in Harare and Bulawayo in the near future. I want to call upon other Zimbabwean nationals in the Diaspora to put their resources together and be at the forefront of the country's economic development programme," he said.
Mr Hlabano said he would continue investing in property and in the hospitality industry.
In another development, Kombami Africa Lodge Palm Tree recently opened its doors in the border town.
He said he was currently busy putting up a similar structure in Johannesburg and will soon build a bigger hotel in Bulawayo.
Source - beitbridge
