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Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO Continental Hotel in Kumalo suburb has completed a renovation exercise at an estimated cost of $80 000.

The renovations took four months to complete.

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority accorded the hotel a two-star rating a month ago.

In an interview the hotel manager Mr Edward Ngarava said they saw themselves as a competitive player to conventional hotels.

“We pretty much keep the hotel low key, but it is surprisingly busy, obviously owing much to the good word spread by most of our clients.

“We have done major renovations to the hotel at a cost of about $80 000 and as a result one of our highlights, the conference centre can now hold up to 130 people.

“It is a blend of traditional thatching, steel and glass walls.

“Our rooms are made up of chic colour schemes of the standard guest rooms to state-of-the-art apartments, where television sets are mounted on walls and are air-conditioned,” he said.

“This is an eccentric but yet luxurious establishment.  We are a hotel like no other in the city. All the rooms have ensuite, plasma TVs, connected to Dstv and have fully functional air conditioning systems.”

Mr Ngarava said the hotel completed its quest to be considered a key player in the hospitality industry by erecting an additional 10 fully furnished, ensuite and air conditioned rooms.

He said not only did the hotel add more rooms, but it also extended its conference centre to cater for about 130 people compared to 60 that were previously accommodated.

As a result of the major refurbishment programme, Bulawayo Continental Hotel also established a fully functional restaurant offering hot cuisine.

Before the renovations, the hotel had 30 rooms but now has 40 state-of-the-art rooms.

“All the rooms are slightly different, but follow a striking design. We have family, standard and executive rooms to cater for people’s choices.

“Our service is of the utmost quality,” said Mr Ngarava.

The hospitality concern was established about four years ago and has grown to be one of the more popular facilities in the city.

The two-star hotel was originally a tiny residential house that was extended and renovated into a guesthouse in 2013.

Mr Ngarava said their focus was on offering exclusive services, targeting professionals such as business executives.

He said plans were in the pipeline to establish another branch in Victoria Falls in 2017.

“We are presently working on establishing another branch in the Victoria Falls. We want to be considered as one of the key establishments in the country to have contributed significantly to domestic tourism,” he said.