African Sun takes pleasure in offering visitors a timeless piece of heritage in a contemporary atmosphere, where each guest feels at ease and their feedback is acknowledged. African Sun has embarked on multi-million dollar renovation projects across its hotels, with a US$2 million refurbishment at the Troutbeck Resort recently completed.
Major Macilwaine founded and built the Troutbeck Resort in 1947. The resort opened its doors to the first customer on the 1st of March in 1951, and has since then supplied country resort lodgings to a wide range of individuals. The resort has now grown into a 70-room country getaway that offers a beautiful environment and accommodation to business, leisure, and, of course, amorous visitors! The just completed refurbishment intends to integrate modern and traditional ideas and infrastructure to create a resort with all the conveniences of the modern world while keeping Troutbeck’s country spirit and Scottish Flair. We were excited to stay and see the “All New Troutbeck” that African Sun is so proud of. Ray Mavhumashava, the General Manager, took the time to explain the new developments, which began with the stripping of each room down to the brick and rebuilding it from there. The new design includes new bathrooms and wonderfully spacious bedrooms with new electrical fittings in the six room types, which are The Executive suite, Executive rooms, Deluxe rooms, Family suites, Standard rooms, and a Paraplegic room. Ray characterizes the procedure as “extremely fulfilling”.
A LOOK AT THE ROOM TYPES The Executive Suite
Situated on the first floor with views of the beautiful landscaped gardens and lake, a wall-mounted flat-screen TV, visitors’ sofas, and a coffee table, it is Troutbeck’s crowning achievement. This luxury accommodation option includes a bedroom with a king-sized bed, a bathroom, a lounge, and a bar area. This is an excellent choice for the traveller who prefers the privacy of a private retreat or for a couple on their honeymoon
Executive Rooms
All executive rooms have a large bathroom and an open-hearth fireplace. Warm tones, stylish amenities, elegant wooden interiors and plush relaxing lounge chairs create the ideal cosy ambience. Each room has a King-size bed, a workstation, and tea and coffee-making facilities. The elegant bathroom with shower and an overall spacious layout creates the foundation of the perfect setting for a memorable stay. Deluxe Rooms
These large ground-floor rooms with door-light windows offer fantastic unobstructed views of the Lake and are a Troutbeck favourite en-suite bathrooms with showers that are comfortable in size. These rooms are ideal for taking in the beauty of Troutbeck while reading a book.
The Family Suites
Located on the East wing, the family suite consists of two inter-leading rooms, the first being a double room and the second a room with two double beds and an alcove bed. Each room has its own bathroom and is ideal for a family of four or parents with kids. The rooms have been tastefully decorated with soft pink and unique wallpaper.
Standard Rooms
These are located in two areas: The Garden Wing and the East Wing. The standard rooms are slightly smaller than the above but still provide the same comforts as the other room types. These have an option for a tiled room instead of a carpeted one and a room with a bathtub combined with a telephone shower; who said the standard had to be boring?
Paraplegic Room
To ensure that each guest is comfortable, the hotel has ensured that all aspects of the design are wheelchair friendly. The wheelchair accessible room is spacious and provides enough space to move around; another bed can be brought in for an aide upon request. A roll-in shower and grab rails for the shower and toilet have been installed in the bathroom.
Restaurant
The two dining areas directly overlook the Lake and have views of the mountains. The Beck Restaurant has been refurbished and now has state-of-the-art seating facilities.
What else to expect
As the refurbishment is still underway, there are a few changes still to be made- All the TVs will soon be replaced by smart TVs between the 42-50inch range. New air-conditioning systems are set to be installed soon, and all carpets in the public areas will be replaced with the new style Edwardian carpet. All the three conference rooms will also be refurbished this year.
Blue Swallow Lodges
The self-catering Blue Swallow lodges located at the Troutbeck Resort will also be undergoing refurbishments in due course, ensuring that your lodging experience is comfortable, enjoyable and memorable while having access to the resort, activities and hotel amenities. The African Sun refurbishment process is exciting and well-executed, which is a good improvement following COVID. We are looking forward to seeing all of the exciting new concepts and improvements that the Group has in store for us.