The Sunday News
WALK through the gates of the Bulawayo Continental Hotel, which is silently tucked away in the leafy suburb of Kumalo and you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve walked through a time warp leading to Greek mythology’s fabled God’s Palace on Mount Olympus.
This luxurious, eccentric hotel in Kumalo is full of surprises — not the least of which is how the cognoscenti have kept it a secret for so long.
The hotel is said to have been established about two years ago.
Perhaps that’s because the hotel was intended to be a secret all along, as it ideally offers exclusive services, targeting professionals such as business executives from across the country and beyond.
Originally a tiny residential house, it was extended and renovated into a guesthouse in 2013 and today boasts of 30 state-of-the-art guest rooms.
The luxurious hotel is particularly handy for visitors driving from the capital and also targets local and international tourists.
Inside Bulawayo Continental Hotel
From the entrance, one is greeted by a cool breeze coupled with sweet scents from the flora.
The driveway is made of glossy ceramic tiles, which cover most parts of the ground that don’t have any plants.
Framed on one side of the hotel is a buzzy poolside underground bar, which is probably the highlight of the hotel. On the other side is a smart but relaxed bistro and barbeque area.
The $1 million worth establishment boasts of a two-star rating, which the manager of the establishment, Edward Ngarava said were bestowed on the hotel by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority last year.
“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 are a ZTA two-star certified establishment and have a staff complement of 10 qualified hotel staff,” said Ngarava.
Mixing it up at the Bulawayo Continental, this luxurious hotel keeps you on your toes with its eclectic design scheme.
The conference centre is a blend of traditional thatching and steel and glass-walled. The conference centre is also able to accommodate about 60 people during meetings and conferences.
The rooms, however, yank you into the 21st century, from the 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 awaiting your pleasure.
“This is an eccentric but yet luxurious establishment, we are a hotel like none other in the city. All the rooms have en suite, plasma TVs, connected to DStv and have fully functional air conditioning systems,” he said.
The hotel also boasts of having a laundry mart, a well-equipped gym, majestic garden, themed with ponds and wildlife mannequins.
“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 Ngarava.
He added that before it was awarded hotel status it was once featured as Lodge of the Year in the Fazak magazine in 2013.
Finding a hotel in Bulawayo, let alone the whole of Zimbabwe has become a daunting and cumbersome task, with most hotels and lodges falling short of their ratings.
Bulawayo Continental Hotel offers more than what just meets the eye and should be ranked as one of the best in the country. An experience at the hotel could leave you thinking that you are in heaven on earth.
