TRP News 02/02/2026

FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY

To Give Our Guests a Complete Experience and a Perfect Stay.

PRIMROSE HOUSE

Human Resources

We will be rolling out our final Employee Engagement survey for this financial year early next week, and we would really like to encourage everyone to take part. The more feedback we receive, the better we can understand what is working well and where we need to focus our efforts.

We are also reviewing our training sessions to assess which formats and time slots are most effective, and each property has received an email requesting ideas and suggestions to help make training more accessible for everyone.

We would like to wish the next group starting their management and leadership course training well, and to remind everyone that if a session cannot be attended at a scheduled time, alternative options can be arranged to avoid missing out.

Marketing

We launched our latest Masiya’s Camp video over the weekend, which beautifully captures the gentle pace of the camp and the deep connection guests experience with nature. It has gone live across Instagram and Facebook, with LinkedIn and wider channel rollouts to follow.

Alongside this, we have completed a comprehensive update of our affiliate partners, including Booking.com, ensuring that new photography and video content is being carefully and consistently introduced across all platforms so that our most current and evocative material is always driving bookings. This also includes keeping Safari Portal fully up to date so the travel team can build itineraries using the latest visuals and collateral.

We have continued to focus on strong human-interest storytelling, including a detailed blog feature on Lourenco Afonso (Wildlife Photographer and Content Creator) that explores not only his role, but his philosophy and creative process behind the photography and video content at Royal Malewane.

At La Residence, we have developed new content around the cellar dining experience, with photography already live on the website and fact sheets, making it fully accessible to both the sales team and direct guests.

Recent email campaigns have included Leading Hotels of the World announcements, festive communications and tailored property content across multiple markets.

On the collateral front, we have been steadily updating and refreshing printed and digital materials, including foundation flyers in-room at Birkenhead House, co-branded guest questionnaires and stationery, and the Culture Champion of the Month certificate, which is now being rolled out across properties.

We have also updated the photographers’ guide to ensure consistency in how our properties, people and experiences are captured, helping us build a stronger and more cohesive image library over time. Kids’ welcome letters have been introduced at La Residence and The Silo, with Royal Malewane next, and we are continuing to work closely with properties on ways to further elevate the family and children’s experience.

PR coverage remains exceptionally strong across international markets, with features appearing in major titles such as Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, and further syndicated coverage extending into Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.

We are also continuing to receive beautiful new photography from Lourenco, capturing the lush seasonal landscapes and wildlife, which will be fed into our marketing channels in the weeks ahead.

Sales

We’ve had a very busy and productive period for the sales team. We recently held our sales strategy and team-building session with Leon du Toit (Coach), which was especially valuable as the team continues to grow. It was a great opportunity to connect beyond our day-to-day roles and align around our priorities for the year ahead. At the same time, we’ve been finalising our sales budgets and locking in sales trips for the first quarter, including Africa-based fam trips, site inspections, and Leading Hotels of the World fam trips and events across various international markets.

We are also continuing with regular site inspections across the properties, ensuring strong engagement with our partners and agents. Looking ahead, Hoon will be travelling through Japan, China and Korea at the end of February as part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen our presence and relationships in key source markets.

PROPERTIES UPDATE

Birkenhead House

At Birkenhead House, we continue to be inspired by both our guests and our team. Mornings at the property remain especially beautiful, setting the tone for the day before guests arrive for breakfast. Over the festive period, we welcomed a number of memorable stays, including long-standing return guests and extended villa bookings over Christmas and New Year. From private wine tastings to relaxed braais by the lighthouse, these personalised experiences once again reminded us why guests keep returning.

This year, we are placing a strong focus on celebrating our people. From early morning preparations in the kitchen and maintenance teams at work, to housekeeping, security and front-of-house getting the property guest-ready, every role plays a vital part in running the hotel.

We were also delighted to introduce new staff uniforms across housekeeping, reception and front-of-house, which look elegant and are already being worn with pride.

January also gave us the opportunity to celebrate birthdays, long service milestones and well-deserved staff awards, including Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year.

We recently underwent our first Leading Hotels of the World assessment during peak season and achieved a solid result, with valuable feedback that will help us grow even further.

Alongside this, we’ve continued to invest in sustainability through our Roux du Preez's (Maintenance Manager) vegetable garden, supplying fresh herbs and vegetables to the kitchen while adding greenery to our pool area.

Our ongoing social responsibility initiatives remain close to our hearts, from supporting the night shelter to assisting child welfare homes with essential school supplies.

We were also deeply affected by the recent fires in the surrounding areas and witnessed first-hand the incredible community efforts to protect lives and wildlife during a very difficult time.

Lastly, we proudly recognised our Culture Champion, Lindeka Mgadi (Sculler) whose dedication truly reflects our values, and continue to build small but meaningful moments of connection within the team, including daily handover breathing and wellness practices. It’s these collective efforts that keep the spirit of Birkenhead House strong, even during our busiest periods.

The Silo Hotel

At The Silo Hotel, we’ve had a fantastic start to the year, with great feedback from our guests highlighting the exceptional service of various team members. Our team continues to shine, not only through delivering complete guest experiences but also through recognition in industry awards, including the upcoming FEDHASA Hospitality Awards.

January brought many personal milestones and staff achievements. Roderick Fransman (Night Manager) celebrated his wedding signing, while Cemone Harrod (Concierge) proudly received her coveted keys, making The Silo Hotel one of only two hotels in South Africa with dual representation. Nosiposake Mgoqi (Commis Chef) graduated from the Cooktastic program, and Liam Charles (Maintenance Technician) in maintenance successfully passed his refrigeration trade test, a remarkable feat. We also celebrated Employee of the Month with Andrew Pecsy (Maintenance Handyman) and are preparing for January’s announcement.

Staff development remains a priority, with Vic’s management and leadership course commencing for new team members, cocktail training in F&B, and ongoing Sage ESS training sessions.

Our community initiatives continue with the Leliebloem House visit and a stationery drive to support the children.

In addition, our culture corner remains lively, welcoming new P & Vs committee members and keeping staff engaged with fun, interactive challenges that reinforce our Purpose and Values. It’s wonderful to see our team growing, learning, and celebrating both personal and professional milestones together.

La Residence

January delivered outstanding guest satisfaction at La Residence, with consistent praise for personalised service, attention to detail, and warm hospitality across all departments. VIP returning guests enjoyed extended stays, memorable farewells, and many have already confirmed their return for next year.

The highlight of the month was the spectacular Midnight at the Sultan’s Palace New Year’s Eve celebration, one of the biggest events to date, setting the benchmark for future family-focused experiences.

Staff appreciation remained a key focus, with personalised messages from the GM accompanying festive gifts, creating meaningful moments of connection. Beverage excellence was showcased through the expertise of our F&B department, elevating the guest experience throughout the hotel.

On the development front, La Residence introduced NOOA Coffee across the vineyard suites and public areas, supported by comprehensive training for housekeeping and front-of-house teams.

Innovation continues with a refined guest-gifting strategy tailored by age, gender, and family profile, alongside popular Friday Pilates sessions in the vineyard, now a signature wellness activation for guests and the local community.

Social responsibility initiatives included donating 100 school backpacks to Grade 1 learners at Wes Eind, supporting firefighters during the Franschhoek fires, and expanding guest-led giving initiatives in support of local feeding schemes and schools. Guests have embraced these opportunities, deepening their connection to the community and the La Residence purpose.

Royal Malewane

Malewane Lodge

Despite challenging weather conditions and flooding toward the end of the month, our focus on guest satisfaction at Royal Malewane never wavered. Heavy rainfall damaged access roads, and maintaining safe passage for guests, suppliers, and staff required an incredible collective effort. Teams from across the lodge, including management, safari, and maintenance, worked side by side to keep roads drivable and address damage as quickly as possible.

Employee engagement during this time was exceptional. With some staff unable to reach the lodge due to flooding, the food and beverage team stepped into the kitchen to assist with staff meals, while the safari team supported maintenance efforts and helped recover vehicles that became stuck. It was inspiring to see how everyone pulled together and made the best of a difficult situation.

From a development perspective, our housekeeping team participated in in-house training focused on ethical behaviour and integrity in the workplace, with further cross-property training planned at Farmstead, Waterside, and Masiya’s Camp. We also sent our first group of team members to the Cape Town properties, and we look forward to welcoming them back with new insights and shared learnings.

Following the rain, great care was taken to protect and store lodge furniture, with items carefully packed and prepared for secure storage as containers arrive.

We also continued to prioritise wellbeing, with the spa team offering relaxation treatments to colleagues as part of our ongoing culture and wellness initiatives.

Farmstead

December and January were wonderfully busy months at Farmstead, filled with celebrations and memorable guest experiences. We hosted numerous birthdays and honeymoons, creating special moments through personalised sundowner stops, complete with bubbles, chocolate-dipped strawberries and beautiful celebration cakes prepared by our chefs. One of the highlights for guests was a herd of elephants that spent over an hour grazing near camp, an unforgettable experience for everyone who witnessed it.

New Year’s Eve was celebrated with a combined bush dinner across Masiya’s Camp, Farmstead, Africa House and Malewane, bringing all our guests together for a vibrant evening with marimba music, a celestial safari setup and an exceptional atmosphere. It was a truly special way to welcome the year ahead.

From an employee engagement perspective, the heavy rains and limited staff movement meant that everyone on site worked closely together, stepping into different roles to ensure smooth operations and that all team members were well cared for. We also enjoyed celebrating our staff Christmas party and Secret Santa, followed by quieter moments once the festive rush eased.

On the development side, cross-departmental exposure continued, with team members supporting front-of-house operations and guest welcome experiences. It was encouraging to see the team embrace learning opportunities while maintaining the warm, genuine hospitality our guests value so highly.

Waterside Lodge

Despite the heavy rains, we continued to deliver memorable guest experiences at Waterside. We hosted honeymoon guests, creating a romantic turndown and a special sundowner at the Baobab Suite, made even more magical when a rhino joined us at the drink stop and lingered while the guests enjoyed the moment.

From an engagement perspective, the quieter periods allowed the front-of-house team to experiment with new cocktail ideas for an upcoming menu, while the housekeeping team enjoyed a short game drive as a well-deserved break.

On the development side, we congratulated Conrad Zeelie (Professional Field Guide) on successfully passing his specialist skills assessment in floral design, a fantastic achievement for him and the team.

We’re thrilled to announce that Waterside will be sending team members to Cape Town properties over the coming weeks as part of our skills development initiative. This opportunity will allow them to gain firsthand experience of the Cape Town properties, explore the unique ways each lodge operates, and return with new skills and insights to share with their colleagues at Waterside. We look forward to seeing the knowledge and inspiration they bring back to enhance our guest experiences.

Operationally, the intense rainfall required close coordination, with maintenance managing water flow by opening the dam and safely removing a fallen fever tree to protect the lodge.

Even under challenging conditions, we continued to host guests, serve full dining experiences and operate game drives, working together across departments and with guests’ good humour when vehicles became stuck. It was a true team effort and a strong reflection of our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences, no matter the circumstances.

Masiya's Camp

At Masiya’s Camp, guest feedback continued to be exceptionally positive, with honeymoon guests from the United States leaving delighted and already promising to return, while visiting agents confirmed strong future support and bookings for the lodge.

Employee engagement was celebrated with our Quarter Three awards, where Prince Mathebula (Maintenance Technician) was named overall winner, alongside departmental winners.

From a development perspective, the lodge continues to come into its own, with the new watering hole in front of the lodge adding a beautiful focal point at sunset and enhancing the guest experience, while the boutique has been refreshed with carefully curated stock and now looks exceptional. Small but impactful innovations were also introduced, including clearly marked steps for improved guest safety and new heating lamps at the finishing pass, creating both warmth and atmosphere as dishes are plated and served.

FOUNDATION UPDATE

The foundation sponsored 100 backpacks for grade one students at Wes Eind, each filled with pencils, erasers, glue, flip files, crayons, water bottles, scissors, and chair bags, everything needed for a successful start to the school year. We are also sponsoring two full governing body teaching positions and contributing to a librarian and sports coach for 2026.

This year, we are also sponsoring three governing body teachers, an additional Grade R teacher, a Grade 1 teacher, and a Grade 2 teacher at Sihlekisi Primary School. Class sizes have reduced from about 80 to 40 pupils per classroom, allowing for more focused attention. Support continues for the librarian and IT coordinator, Menelisi Ngomane to manage the school’s computer resources.

We’re excited to help create an enriching and supportive environment for these young learners and look forward to another successful year of educational impact.

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 January!

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

• Lina Mathebula (Demi Chef @ ML) | 10 Years on the 22nd of February 2026

• Ramos Mathebula (Junior Duty Manager @ ML) | 25 Years on the 07th of February 2026

• Busi Mathebula (Housekeeping Supervisor @ WS) | 25 Years on the 10th of February 2026

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