TRP News 01/12/2025

FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER

Enriching Lives Through Luxury Travel

PRIMROSE HOUSE

Human Resources

We are currently running our quarterly Employee Engagement Survey, and today (05 December 2025) is the last day to complete the survey. If you haven’t done it yet, please take two minutes to fill it in on Connecteam. It really does provide valuable insight for the HR and management teams on how we can improve.

At Head Office, we recently had a fun internal challenge where each department created a short video interpreting our Purpose and Values. The marketing team took the win, admittedly, they do have a bit of an advantage when it comes to resources! It was great to see how much fun the teams had with it.

We also celebrated Victor finishing his full eight-week programme with TRP. On Friday we held the M&L leadership ceremony, which was a lovely way to wrap up his time with us. Thank you to everyone across the properties who helped coordinate his visits and made time for the training sessions. At 87 years old, it’s remarkable how he continues to bring such energy and commitment.

Last week Friday, the Head Office team wore black in support of the national call to stand against gender-based violence. We’ve also kicked off December with our Elf on the Shelf, who has been getting up to some mischief and helping highlight our Purpose and Values around the office, Elf is definitely keeping us entertained.

Lastly, just a reminder about Christmas bonuses - salaries will be paid on the 15th of December 2025, and bonuses will follow afterwards. If you have any questions about how your bonus is structured, please speak directly to your HR representative, who will be happy to explain everything clearly.

Good luck to everyone as we move into the festive season, and thank you for all your hard work throughout the year.

Marketing

The Marketing team has kept things fairly focused throughout November, but there’s still been a lot happening across the marketing team. We combined several messages in a Royal Malewane mailer, the launch of our kosher dining offering, the exciting announcement that Royal Malewane has been awarded three Michelin Keys at the inaugural Michelin Awards in South Africa, and a reminder about the beauty of the Farmstead, particularly how well it works as a wellness retreat. We also used the opportunity to promote combination stays across our Royal Malewane properties.

We released our official trade communication for the Royal Malewane Lodge refurbishment, outlining the renovation details, closure dates, and what partners can expect when the reimagined lodge reopens in mid July 2026. Alongside that, we sent out a reminder about our live availability tool, which provides real time booking visibility for all properties, especially useful for our trade partners. The usual pop-up still covers all the necessary disclaimers.

We’ve also updated several pieces of collateral. The new seasonal Silo Spa packages have been finalised, reflecting a few refinements to the offering. Another lovely project was the Birkenhead House Christmas Wish Tree, done with the Foundation and Hermanus Child & Family Services. Children wrote down a Christmas wish, and we’ve created guest messaging encouraging visitors to pick a card and fulfil a wish, a really meaningful campaign to work on.

A major milestone this month is our official acceptance into Leading Hotels of the World. The press release has already gone out locally and is being distributed globally by our PR representatives. LHW will also send out their own announcement shortly. Two supporting emailers, one trade and one guest facing, have also been distributed.

We also completed a new PDF showcasing La Residence helicopter experiences, covering scenic flights, picnics, Winelands tours, and peninsula trips. This is now available in the link library for trade and guest use.

On the PR front, we hosted five European journalists on a very successful press trip covering La Residence, The Silo, and Royal Malewane. Thank you to all the teams who helped host them, we’re already seeing great coverage coming through.

Media coverage continues to be strong, particularly for Masiya's Camp and Franschhoek House, with new pieces appearing in Condé Nast Traveler Italy. The Silo also received some wonderful exposure in The Golden Bachelor Australia, with an entire hour long episode showcasing Cape Town and featuring a rose ceremony filmed at the hotel, beautifully shot and very cinematic. Additional features have appeared in Trip Reporter, The Observer and Haute Living.

We’ve also been pushing out content around the Royal Malewane Apprenticeship Programme, including a detailed blog post tied to the video published a few weeks back. It’s important for us to continue elevating the guiding team, trackers, and apprentices across all platforms.

Lastly, we’ve updated our Royal Malewane imagery. The rains have transformed the estate, everything is lush, green, and incredibly photogenic. Lourenco Afonso (Wildlife Photographer & Social media Content Creator) captured some beautiful new wildlife and landscape images now available on our social channels and in the image library.

Sales

It’s been a very busy period for the sales team, with Sales Managers spending time at all of the TRP properties and Joaquin and Nigel are attending ILTM Cannes, so lots happening simultaneously. Recently, Werner Krause (Sales manager - USA) returned from a trip to the US, where he attended the Coastline Travel Group Agency trade show in Florida, with sales calls in Texas.

Hoon Kim (Sales Manager - Latin America) and Nigel Pace (Executive Head of Sales) have been hosting journalists and agents at the lodges throughout November, generating excellent feedback and ongoing media coverage.

Penny Fraser (Sales Manager - UK & Europe) also hosted numerous agents at The Silo Hotel and La Residence, attended workshops, and explored future technology for travel, including CRMs and property management systems. Peter Borchers, and I also attended workshops, where Peter contributed on a panel, a fantastic opportunity.

We’ve been working closely with Ian Taylor (Sales and Revenue Manager) and the Reservations team to convert potential bookings and reviewing the 2026 sales budgets. Locally, we’ve been visiting DMCs to deliver pre Christmas gifts, thanking them for their business, and schedule training for the coming year. Online updates to UK and European agent platforms are also ongoing, keeping content fresh and engaging, including weekly updates to backgrounds and imagery.

Events

November was a bustling month for Events particularly at La Residence, with multiple celebrations and bespoke experiences keeping the team on their toes. The month kicked off with a pre-wedding celebration that created a magical, intimate experience for the guests, with the team going above and beyond to deliver a “complete experience and perfect stay.”

An intimate booking of the Vineyard Suites featured a beautifully decorated Terrace Room with lavish floral arrangements. Guests were so impressed that the team became part of their family for the event.

A proposal in the vineyard was another highlight, where the farm team assisted in transforming the area to perfection. The special moment ended with a “yes” and a stunning x2 3 carat diamond ring.

The team also managed a rescheduled in-house wedding, where the bride was unwell on the original day. The celebration was seamlessly moved to the next day, including a custom cake and a framed watercolor memento for the couple.

Beyond these events, the team was busy behind the scenes preparing for festive celebrations and wedding tastings for early 2026, ensuring everything is in place for the upcoming season.

PROPERTIES UPDATE

Birkenhead House

Breakfast at Birkenhead House continues to be a highlight for guests, offering a memorable start to their day. Guest satisfaction remains strong, with positive feedback reflected in both online reviews and guest books. On one occasion, with no chef available for mussel picking, Roux du Preez (Maintenance Manager) and Wihan Riekert (Deputy General Manager) stepped in to guide the guests, resulting in an amazing experience.

Employee engagement has been celebrated with Chris Mcinjana (FOH Duty Manager) marking 20 years at Birkenhead House. Guests acknowledged this milestone by presenting him with a thoughtful gift.

Victor’s M&L sessions also made a significant impact, providing guidance and mentorship for upcoming leaders within the portfolio and we celebrated all of the 2025 attendees with a certificate ceremony.

Social responsibility remains a strong focus. During the regular night shelter, a guest joined and contributed a generous donation to Child Welfare. Additionally, staff visited Mount Pleasant Church to pamper senior citizens with hand massages, cupcakes, and small gifts, bringing joy and meaningful human connection to residents.

The Birkenhead House team also participated in a Christmas initiative with the Foundation, sending materials to the boys’ and girls’ houses to create personalised Christmas cards and wish lists. The response from the children was overwhelming, with additional cards returned due to two new permanent residents. Guests have also been contributing gifts and letters to the children, fostering heartwarming connections.

In the Culture Corner, two “culture warriors,” Zuki Demesha (Handyman) and Mbulelo Tobi (Waiter), were recognised for exemplifying the company’s Purpose and Values. Staff engage in fun learning activities, including game-based sessions, earning certificates and celebrating achievements as a team.

The Silo Hotel

Customer satisfaction remains strong, with guests frequently mentioning team members by name for the exceptional service they received, particularly highlighting Janine Hendricks (Breakfast Waiter) for her contributions.

Employee engagement included celebrating World Kindness Day on the 13th of November, with the Spa team giving Dove roll-ons to colleagues, creating a thoughtful and appreciated gesture. To welcome Victor Borchers (Executive Coach), departments painted representations of values they selected, which were then displayed in the staff canteen.

Development and learning initiatives included sexual harassment training in November. Staff also visited the waterfront waste center to understand the importance of waste separation and attended a Discovery session to learn more about Flexicare and medical aid products. The anagement and leadership graduates were celebrated alongside Uncle Vic, and two trainees from Silwood successfully graduated as qualified chefs.

Social responsibility activities included participation in FCP Pack Day and a visit to Leliebloem.

In Culture Corner, Employee of the Month recognition was given to Roderick Fransman (Night Manager) and Busiswa Ngwane (Team Leader) for October, celebrating their contributions and commitment to the team.

La Residence

With the return of beautiful sunny weather in Franschhoek, the property has been alive with celebrations. La Residence hosted several elopements, engagements, and a large pre-wedding, all set against the backdrop of clear skies and mountain views. A new non-alcoholic welcome amenity, a pre-made mocktail accompanied by simple instructions, has been introduced for guests who prefer not to drink alcohol, ensuring they receive the same thoughtful arrival experience. Proposals on property continued to shine, from personalised displays of photographs leading up to the moment itself, to a dramatic helicopter arrival and departure for a kosher couple celebrating a brief but unforgettable engagement. Lady Dawn has also been particularly popular again, with couples enjoying boat excursions in the warm weather. Large family bookings made excellent use of the Terrace Room, which continues to be activated more frequently for evening meals, thanks to the pleasant temperatures.

Employee engagement remained vibrant throughout the month. Craig Versfeld (General Manager) was front and centre supporting a pre-wedding celebration, while the afternoon tea team delivered exceptional guest experiences. During a recent cellar door photoshoot, our very own employees stepped in as models when numbers were short. Ray Meyer (Villa Duty Manager) maintained his signature enthusiasm after a sale of lions at La Residence, and Chef Granville Riffel (Terrace Chef) prepared for a series of beautiful cool-evening meals. Wesley Boonzaaier (Maintenance Technician) continued to lend a hand wherever needed, and Mario Paulse (Waiter), always smiling, assisted across the property, including setting up sundowners at the Lodge.

Innovation efforts focused on testing fresh dining layouts both at the Terrace Room and within the main hotel. Guests requesting to watch sports matches were treated to personalised setups, with duty managers printing schedules and signage to create dedicated viewing spaces. The gardens remain in excellent condition thanks to the ongoing work from the grounds team. A standout success this month has been the introduction of new children’s cards created in collaboration with the Marketing team, an immediate hit with families and a concept the team looks forward to expanding to adults.

In social responsibility, the property welcomed guests to visit Wes Eind, where they toured the library and confirmed a generous commitment of R100 000 per year for the next three years. The team also experienced a bittersweet moment with the birth of baby Sia, who sadly passed away three days later after being rejected by his mother. La Residence is now partnering with a Franschhoek local to create a plan for future similar situations to ensure proper care is available.

Culture Corner was particularly active. During a rare afternoon with no guests on property, the entire team gathered for games, from shouting out the Purposes and Values to an enthusiastic session of “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” followed by a round of charades based on the Purposes and Values cards. The staff also united for 15 minutes of silence in acknowledgment of the devastating statistic that 15 women in South Africa die from domestic violence every day.

Preparations for the festive season are fully underway, with a Nordic Noël theme planned for Christmas and a grand “Midnight at the Sultan’s Palace” Arabian-inspired celebration for New Year’s Eve. Mood boards and décor planning are well in progress, and excitement across the team is high.

Royal Malewane

A whole lot of fun and celebrations were had at the annual Royal Malewane Fire Extravaganza! Thank you to everyone who made the event possible and to everyone who attended.

Malewane Lodge

Malewane received encouraging guest feedback recently, and it’s been wonderful to see so many of our team members mentioned by name. Their commitment continues to shine through in every guest experience.

We recently came together for our Shambalula on 23 November, where we shared lunch, a few drinks, and a genuinely uplifting afternoon as we began preparing for our year-end celebrations.

In preparation for the lodge re-imagining and before the festive season begins in earnest, we’ve been immersed in development sessions with Leon. He has kept us thoroughly engaged, right through to this morning, and we’ve all gained valuable insight that will support the next phase of our journey.

We’ve also embraced a little creativity at reception, where we explored new ways to showcase and sell items in the curio shop. Our GM, Stefan Schoeman, even joined in, trying on jewelry, hats, and bags as we considered fresh approaches. The team has also been meeting with new local suppliers as we look to expand our offering with products that reflect our surroundings and community.

In the spirit of social responsibility, we gathered on Friday, 21 November, to honour lives lost to gender-based violence. It was a quiet and meaningful moment of reflection that brought the team together in solidarity and respect. With all the building happening, we are still determined to protect our environment by cleaning up the building rubble and discarding it responsibly. 

Waterside Lodge

At Waterside, where the bush is looking beautiful and alive with newborn animals. We recently hosted a family whose children had a wonderful time on a scavenger hunt before joining our chefs in the kitchen for baking and cooking activities. We also set up one of our signature drink stops, which continues to be a favourite part of the guest experience.

We’ve made a few small improvements around camp, including introducing a new loose-leaf tea setup for the spa. We’ve also moved our guest feedback book from the boutique to the pavilion, where it’s more visible and accessible, and it’s been heartening to read the thoughtful messages left by our guests. We celebrated Thanksgiving in camp with a number of American guests and invited a Brazilian family staying with us to join in, which made for a warm and memorable evening.

With two guest free days recently, we used the time for some lighthearted, hands on engagement. Our housekeeping team, held a bed-making session for colleagues, and also had the chance to learn coffee making skills at the bar.

For development, Conrad Zeelie (Professional Field Guide) led a walk for team members from various departments to view the lions around camp, while the chefs hosted an in-kitchen session where they taught staff how to prepare some of their curry dishes. Both experiences were incredibly well received.

We also came together in support of our local community by preparing graduation gift packs for the children at RML Crèches, which have already been delivered.

As part of our commitment to sustainable practices, we’ve been shredding paper on site and repurposing it for packaging in the boutique to keep items protected, a simple but effective way to reduce waste while supporting our operations.

Masiya's Camp

Masiya's Camp has received many excellent reviews recently and it’s always rewarding to see those positive comments come through. Life in camp has been lively too, we’ve had a rogue elephant wander through on several occasions in the past two weeks. While the guests were absolutely fascinated, the team saw it quite differently as he took out a few small trees and caused some chaos, but that situation has since been resolved. The tree frogs have also made themselves very at home. They sing throughout the day and night, and although I think they enjoy camp even more than the guests do, everyone has been intrigued to learn about them. We’ve installed new copper heater lamps and positioned a beautiful wooden board outside that will serve as the foundation for our interactive outdoor kitchen, something guests have been enjoying a great deal.

On the employee side, we’re leaning into the “welcome back sexy” message for Head Office staff that has now become a bit of a standard.

In terms of development, we installed new stained-glass windows in Room 3 after realising that guests inside the room were visible to anyone walking past, including housekeeping and maintenance. The stained glass has solved the issue beautifully. Here is an AI-generated visual showing what the new air-conditioning units will look like in the main area, which gets extremely hot. We are grateful to everyone who pushed for that upgrade.

In Tents 1, 2, and 3, we’ve had a flurry of activity with flooring repairs, sanding, grouting, sealing, and polishing happening while the old air-conditioning units were removed and the new ones installed. It’s been busy, but it’s all part of ensuring that guests staying in those tents enjoy a complete and seamless experience.

FOUNDATION UPDATE

The Foundation started a new partnership we began this year with Children of the Valley in Hermanus. The social worker we support there is Melissa and at the moment she oversees six little daycare centres in the valley. We support her with R4 000 per month along with a few additional items as needed, and she uses this to train the teachers and assist them with practical needs like waterproofing and other essentials. Our La Residence team also attended their graduation, and they brought together all the children from the centres that Children of the Valley supports. Some of our chefs were also there, and it was incredibly special to see all the kids celebrating together.

From here, we moved up into the bush for an update on what’s been happening at the CRC. We’ve been hosting training sessions at the CRC and at the dog unit, where teams have been working on anti-poaching techniques alongside the canine unit.

The foundation sponsored treadmills for the dogs, they may look like something fun, but they are genuinely important tools. When the dogs are working, especially when tracking, they operate in extreme conditions, and heat stress is a serious concern. These treadmills help keep them fit in a controlled environment, and they work like a giant self-propelling wheel. They only move as fast as the dog runs, so if the dog slows down, the treadmill slows too. At first, some of them sprinted too fast, then quickly learned to pace themselves. It’s been a great addition because it means they can train in the shade, and it also reduces the need for handlers to run long distances to keep up with them, although perhaps we should install a few in the office and insist everyone does 15 minutes before lunch.

We also had another graduation at the Sigagule crèche, which was attended by Royal Malewane team members. It’s a milestone moment in these kids’ lives and brings the whole community together in such a meaningful way. The photos show just how special the day was.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT TRP

Our Careers page is the reference point for all open positions available across The Royal Portfolio group. We accept internal and external applications here, and always, internal applications are given preference.

In order to ensure your application stands out, please apply via the Careers page and let your HOD and property HR Manager know of your desire to develop yourself further.

Feel free to share the site with your industry friends and networks too, in order to help us reach a wider network of exceptional candidates.

You can click here, or scan the QR code to visit the website.

TO BE WELCOMING GENUINE AND WARM

NEW STARTERS

A very warm welcome to the following new, and in some cases, returning or transferring, team members across The Royal Portfolio:

TO RECOGNISE, REWARD AND UPLIFT

PROMOTIONS AND TRANSFERS

Congratulations to the below staff for their hard work and for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure that we Give our Guests a Complete Experience and a Perfect Stay!

LONG SERVICE AWARDS - 5, 10, 15, 20 & 25 Years with TRP in December!

Congratulations and thank you to the following staff for their loyalty and hard work over the years:

• Rudi Booysen (Logistics & Driver @ HQ) | 5 Years on the 01st of December 2025

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