Carlson Rezidor announces the very first Radisson Red in Europe, the Middle East and Africa: the group’s new upscale lifestyle select brand launches in Cape Town, South Africa. The Radisson Red Hotel V&A Waterfront will open in late 2016 and be located at the V&A Waterfront, with 24 million visitors per annum one of Africa’s most visited cultural and historical hubs. Set on the edge of a natural harbour with the Table Mountain as its backdrop, the V&A Waterfront offers a cosmopolitan mix of experiences ranging from shopping to exclusive entertainment. It also features prime residential and commercial property. The signing also strengthens Carlson Rezidor’s presence in Cape Town where the group now operates 5 hotels with almost 800 rooms of the brands Radisson Blu, Radisson Red and Park Inn by Radisson, and further solidifies Carlson Rezidor’s African pipeline: with 30 hotels and 6,500 rooms the company has the largest pipeline of hotels and rooms under development on the entire continent.
Featuring offers and services such as flexible, functional guest rooms, paperless check in, and 24/7 deli & bar, Radisson Red highlights a new hotel philosophy. “This transaction marks the launch of our brand in a key destination. Radisson Red complements our global brand portfolio ranging from mid-scale to luxury, and unlocks commercial value by capturing the growing guest segment of the millennial travellers. Set for ambitious growth in urban locations, the brand targets 60+ hotels worldwide by the year 2020”, commented Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer of Rezidor.
The Radisson Red Hotel V&A Waterfront will form part of the new “Silo District” of the V&A Waterfront that will also be home to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA). Designed by Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studio in London, the museum is scheduled to open in late 2016. The founding collection is that of German businessman Jochen Zeitz, gifted in perpetuity to the museum. Art connoisseurs already place MOCAA in the same category as the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Besides 235 guest rooms which include Studios, Studio 4’s and Studio Sweets, the Radisson Red will offer a “Redeli” and a “Ouibar” where tempting taster plates, wine & beer and bottled cocktails will be available 24/7. Business travellers will benefit from 5 meeting event studios with an area of 460sqm. And after a long day of meetings or sightseeing in Cape Town, guests can relax in the “Red Face” fitness studio and rooftop swimming pool or enjoy a sunset cocktail with DJ performances at the hotel’s rooftop garden terrace and bar.
The site is also located in walking distance of the Cape Town Convention Centre (CTICC) which hosts all major meetings and events in the city. The V&A Waterfront is easily accessible by car, train, ship and helicopter, and is 20km away from Cape Town’s International Airport.
The Radisson Red Hotel V&A Waterfront Cape Town will be operated by The Rezidor Hotel Group.
