Keep Up To Date With Southern Sun Sandton

Holiday Inn Have Been Rated Winner of The Hotel Category in The 2013/2014 ICON Brands Survey For The Third Consecutive Year

The Icon Brand Awards play host to the largest of its kind in South Africa. With a product category of 165, the awards extend to over 8 000+ brands and is measured by face to face interviews with South African consumers.

The awards praise and benchmark those that have preserved their unique identities over time and still appeal to and are relevant to South Africa's multicultural population.

"To be able to hold onto this title for the third consecutive year is an honour, and we aim to uphold our position by continuing to deliver on our promise to all our guests" says Ignace Bauwens, Intercontinental Hotels Group's Vice President of Operations for United Arab Emirates, Near East and Africa.

The Icon Brand Awards is conducted by Target Group Index Southern Africa (TGI SA), world renowned leaders in marketing and media surveys, and sponsored by City Press and Rapport.

It is industry standard that in order to be eligible of this status, brands need to be consistent and provide a stand-out experience amongst the South African market place.

According to Maria Petousis, Director at TGI "From a South African perspective we have to ask ourselves which brands unite us as a nation, which brands are used and loved by South Africans across all demographic groups. The ICON Brand Survey by TGI answers these questions for us."

Holiday Inn is one of the largest hotel brands in the world, with 1,300 hotels open and a further 240 to open in the next three to five years. In South Africa guests can stay at Holiday Inn Sandton, Rivonia road.

Free Wi-Fi Launched at Holiday Inn Sandton

Holiday Inn Sandton in Johannesburg has announced a significant upgrade to the guest and conferencing internet experience at the hotel, now offering complimentary high-speed internet. In line with international trends and guest feedback, internet connectivity for all hotel guests will be complimentary from 1 March 2013. Dedicated fibre connectivity ensures that the hotel's free uncapped service makes it an industry leader in technology.

"In this fast-paced world, missing out on the latest news or any email is not an option," says Garnet Basson, general manager of the hotel. "This is the reason why we now offer free internet to all guest who check into our hotel. Our valued guests will continue to have free internet access until 18h00 on the day of check out."

Together with Wi-Fi partner Always On, the hotel has further invested in a dedicated high-speed internet on-demand service for conference guests. Utilising 50MBps fibre connections to the hotel, conference organisers can now provide dedicated high-speed internet access for delegates, ensuring seamless connectivity for conferences, events and functions.

Holiday Inn Sandton maintains it is one of only a few venues in Johannesburg able to provide dedicated connectivity at these speeds, positioning the hotel for bandwidth-intensive events.

Holiday Inn Once Again Receives Icon Status

The Holiday Inn has been named winner in the hotel category, for the second year running, in the annual Icon Brand Awards. The Awards are conducted by Target Group Index (TGI) marketing and media surveys company and are sponsored by City Press and Rapport. To determine winners, the usage of over 8 000 brands is measured across 41 product categories and through 15 000 face to face interviews.

Icon Brand Award winners are brands that are loved by and have a durable and timeless relationship with, the South African public. Ignace Bauwens, Intercontinental Hotels Group's Vice President of Operations for United Arab Emirates, Near East and Africa, says: "We are delighted that we were selected as the hotel brand of choice amongst the 15 000 South Africans surveyed. It is an honour and we look forward to providing many more years of warm and friendly service."

According to Dustine Tobler, TGI's marketing director, to be eligible for icon status, brands need to show growth and consistent relevance to consumers from diverse backgrounds, characteristic of the South African market place.

"Brands earn TGI icon status by being loyally used by South African consumers and defining a common experience. South African's love icon brands, use them often, and will even search for them outside our borders when they are not at home," says Tobler.

The Holiday Inn is the largest midscale hotel brand in the world and a familiar favourite among South Africans. Previously managed by then-called Southern Sun (now Tsogo Sun), the properties in South Africa today are owned and managed by various individuals and companies. The international chain of hotels celebrates its 60th anniversary next month, a reaffirmation of its strength both locally and abroad.

Holiday Inn Sandton Celebrates Positive Heroes

Holiday Inn Sandton has come out in support of a team of five inspiring individuals, all living openly with HIV, who aim to dispel the stigma and fear that still surround HIV. The group, called Positive Heroes, is set to prove by personal example that one can survive and manage HIV and that one is capable of living extraordinary lives just like everyone else. They include Masibulele Gcabo, Evelina Tshabalala, Kenneth Methula, Willie Engelbrecht and Barbara Kingsley.

The marathon is taking place on 30 September 2012, starting at 06h00 and organised by Central Gauteng Athletics. Distances to be covered include 50km, 21.1km and 10km. The starting point is Wanderers in Johannesburg, through to Centurion Rugby Club.

Positive Heroes executive director Sue Wildish explains: "For most people running a marathon is an incredible achievement – an Ultra-Marathon even more so – because running a marathon demands focus, dedication, guts, training, positive thinking, persistence and stamina. So does living openly with HIV."

The fear and silence that still surrounds HIV stops many people from getting tested, accessing treatment, seeking support and adhering to medication. As a result 1000 people die from HIV in South Africa every single day.

Positive Heroes is an NGO dedicated to preventing millions needless deaths as a result of the stigma, misinformation and discrimination that still surround HIV/AIDS. They provide compelling, inspiring role models, all living with HIV, who encourage and support others through powerful messages of hope and possibility.

Positive Heroes will also be hosting a water station along the marathon route, supported by Bonitas and hosted by Gauteng-based Positive Heroes. The team will be working with accommodation hosts Holiday Inn Sandton to provide storytelling workshops for their Johannesburg staff. They will also visit the South African Constitutional Court as guests of Justice Edwin Cameron, the charity's patron.

Holiday Inn Celebrates Its Jubilee

Holiday Inn, probably one of the world's most iconic hotel brands, marked its 60th Anniversary on 1 August 2012 and the start of a global consumer campaign to celebrate the brand's innovative heritage.

From the first Holiday Inn hotel in Memphis, Tennessee in the US, the brand founded by Kemmons Wilson in 1952 has grown to 3 375 hotels globally across its family of brands, which includes Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Resorts and Holiday Inn Club Vacations. (Pictured to the right is one of the original Holiday Inn roadside signs seen in the US.)

Introduced to South Africa some decades ago, there are currently two Holiday Inn and four Holiday Inn Express hotels, spread between Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. The Holiday Inn is a well-loved brand by South Africans, as seen with its win of the TGI Icon Brand Award.

As well as being one of the most recognised brands in the world, Holiday Inn has been at the forefront of industry innovation and has a rich history of 'firsts', including being the first international hotel brand in China in 1984. Today, it is also the first international hotel brand to open its 60th hotel in Greater China, Holiday Inn Changbaishan Resort. From the first roadside motel in 1952 to the recent completion of the $1 billion global refresh, Holiday Inn has continued to evolve to meet the needs of its guests.

The 60th Anniversary is a global celebration of firsts for Holiday Inn and we're excited about sharing this innovative heritage with our guests. We have all experienced 'firsts' in our lives and will continue to do so, but most importantly we'll never forget them. At Holiday Inn we've celebrated many firsts through the years. From the first hotel to let children stay and eat for free, to our one billion dollar global refresh. So we're celebrating 60 years of firsts with those who mean the most to us - our guests - by inviting them to share their memorable firsts with us and giving them a chance to create some new memories with Holiday Inn," says Verchele Wiggins, vice president, global brand management, Holiday Inn Family of Brands.

Holiday Inn Sandton, Rivonia Road Wins TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

Holiday Inn Sandton, Rivonia Road has announced that they are the proud recipients of the TripAdvisor Excellence Certificate 2012. This Certificate of Excellence award honours hospitality excellence. The accolade is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide.

Holiday Inn Sandton has consistently received traveller scores above 4 by ensuring quick and helpful responses to guest reviews. "Guests love our hotel and it's a great compliment to know that all the passion exuded by our staff is bringing forth such prestigious recognition for us" says Garnet Basson, General Manager of the award winning hotel.

Whether you're travelling for business, leisure, or simply enjoying sundowner cocktails and dinner with friends, Holiday Inn Sandton, Rivonia Road provides a memorable experience catering for all your requirements.

Supporting Sustainable Travel With IHG Green Engage

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's largest hotel groups, is leading the move to providing more sustainable hotel stays to an increasing number of environmentally savvy travelers, thanks to IHG Green Engage. IHG Green Engage is the company's online sustainability management system designed to help all IHG's hotels manage and minimise their impact on the environment.

By measuring, managing and reporting on their specific energy, water and waste consumption, IHG Green Engage is able to tell each property what they can do to be a 'green' hotel, and how to conserve resources and save money depending on their climatic location. A key feature is the more than 200 Green Solutions which hotels can implement to reduce their environmental impact and achieve energy savings of up to 25%.

"The sustainability practices of a hotel are becoming a significant consideration for travellers when it comes to deciding where to book their next holiday or business event. At IHG part of creating green solutions is designing, building and running more sustainable hotels," says Pascal Gauvin, COO Middle East and Africa. "We're proud of all our hotels that are IHG Green Engage accredited, including all nine hotels in South Africa, and that they are managing their environmental impact without compromising the guest experience."

Currently around half of the IHG estate is signed up to IHG Green Engage – and this number is continuing to increase. Through the use of this system, IHG reduced the total carbon footprint across all of their hotels and offices by 76,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in a year. This is the equivalent of providing electricity to 11,377 homes a year. Furthermore, the initiative has cut the carbon footprint by 19% per occupied room a year (2010 - 2011) and reduced energy by 11.7% per available room night across IHG owned and managed hotels.

"Energy costs are the second biggest costs to hotels," says Allan Cilngham, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Johannesburg - The Rosebank. "IHG Green Engage allows each IHG hotel to track, measure and report on its energy, water and waste usage, and recommends actions that will cut energy bills without compromising the guest experience at the hotel."

There are nine hotels under the IHG brand in South Africa: Crowne Plaza Johannesburg - The Rosebank; Holiday Inn Sandton - Rivonia Road; Holiday Inn Johannesburg - Rosebank; Holiday Inn Express Santon - Woodmead; InterContinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers; InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport; Holiday Inn Express Pretoria - Sunnypark; Holiday Inn Express Durban - Umhlanga and Holiday Inn Express Cape Town. All these hotels are conveniently located in the main business hubs of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban.

Guests can ensure they are booking a hotel that matches their sustainable values through an online booking capability that allows them to search for and book IHG Green Engage hotels.

As beautiful as Sandton may be from the ground, nothing beats a view from the top floor of a bar with classy interior decor and an elegant ambiance.

Skye Bar, on the 9th floor of the Sandton Holiday Inn is one place that gives you all that and more. Just a few minutes away from Village Walk and Nelson Mandela Square, it is the ideal hotspot for delicious cocktails, beer, soft drinks, ciders, etc. while enjoying some great music in the company of the grown and sexy who came to unwind with like minded people. With yummy dishes like their platters and Green Theme menu, you won't have to go anywhere else for a meal to keep you charged up and neither will you need to rush home and cook. Open from 4PM in the afternoon until late, it is the ideal place to go on an after-hours business meeting or date when you really want to make a lasting impression, plus they have occasional talented live bands that might just be a bonus. The excellent service from staff and the beauty of Skye Bar are among the things you can't afford to miss out on. What are you waiting for?

Skye Bar - Taking Cocktails To New Heights!

The Holiday Inn Sandton is a common fixture for those of us who travel through the CBD on a regular basis, but very rarely pay it any mind - as a Joburg resident, I viewed the property as purely Accommodation Only. But when I heard about the Skye Bar on the 9th Floor with panoramic views of Sandton, I knew I had to check it out in person even if it meant enduring a cocktail in the afternoon. Or two.

The views of Joburg are spectacular! The seating is very comfy, and there's a range of delicious and well priced cocktails to choose from. The snack platters are on the expensive side but are nice for a peckish group. I think Skye Bar is ideal for after work drinks, or a night out with the girls, especially if you're looking for somewhere to rest your heels on a Friday. If you're there for Lady's Night (every Friday), you get 50% off your first cocktail.

Every Monday night is the Inn Crowd Industry Night. If you're a part of the exciting world of Hospitality & Tourism - you're invited to enjoy the hospitality vibe at 33% less on selected beverages. Everyone in the industry is welcome to join in the fun, exchange trade secrets and bounce new ideas off one another. But, even if you just want a place to sit back and enjoy the sun set over the city we love, Skye Bar is just the place for you.

Skye Bar is open Monday - Sunday & Public Holidays from 16h00 to close.

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Sandton, Johannesburg - Southern Sun is proud to introduce the Southern Sun Sandton, previously known as Holiday Inn Sandton, which has been rebranded by the group and represents a new era of hospitality for business travellers, meetings, conferences, and events in the Sandton Central Business District.

“We are delighted to extend our presence in Sandton with this exciting addition, providing our signature Southern Sun Hotels brand to one of the area’s most well-established business and conferencing hotels,” said Southern Sun’s chief executive, Marcel von Aulock. “In addition to re-branding the hotel, we have fully refurbished the restaurant and bar, and refreshed the reception area and lobby lounge, adding to the elegance and comfort of this already stylish hotel, and we will be starting our extensive refurbishment of the rooms shortly.”

Southern Sun Sandton features 301 spacious bedrooms, the newly refurbished Eclipse Restaurant and Bar, the Skye Bar and rooftop Skye Venue, a fitness centre, a rooftop outdoor swimming pool, and a business centre. Ideal for accommodating groups and hosting meetings, conferences and functions, Southern Sun Sandton comprises two full floors of dedicated event space, offering a wide selection of versatile venues that can accommodate up to 400 guests and are equipped with modern technology. The Skye Venue located on the rooftop of the hotel, offers the ultimate function space for hosting unique urban events with sweeping views of Sandton.

To learn more about Southern Sun Sandton or to make a reservation, visit the website.

Tsogo Sun’s Special Spots For Sundowners

“Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words,” said Roman playwright Plautus more than 2 000 years ago. Jo’burgers love to do just that – celebrate any and every occasion with something bubbly, a glass of wine or a delicious cocktail and scintillating company, somewhere special.

The combination of the perfect drinks offering and exceptional settings is something Tsogo Sun prides itself in particular on three unbeatable spots –  the Island Bar on the pool deck of Southern Sun Hyde Park, the San Deck at Sandton Sun Hotel, and the Skye Bar on the 9th floor of the Holiday Inn Sandton. All three venues are becoming favourite sundowner destinations on Jozi’s vibrant social scene, where the panoramic views, glorious Highveld climate, magnificent African sunsets, and the glittering city night lights add unrivaled atmosphere to every occasion.

The Island Bar at Southern Sun Hyde Park is a trendy and vibrant place around a sparkling pool or comfortable indoor lounge seating, from which to enjoy the stunning view through wall to wall windows. The varied menu offering includes trendy cocktails, light lunchtime snacks, including their renowned sushi and sashimi, and indulgent sundowners. Guests who simply can’t tear themselves away from the view also have the opportunity of dining in Lucé, where the finest Italian cuisine is presented by Executive Chef Gareth Jordaan and his talented team, with unique flair, amidst hearty and wholesome flavours.

The San Deck at Sandton Sun is a sophisticated yet trendy outdoor venue that boasts views of the surrounding Sandton skyline topped by unforgettable African sunsets. With three large fire pits, lounge seating, live music, and a DJ on weekends, it’s perfect for informal get-togethers and special social occasions, serving light meals throughout the day. San Deck is also a participating auction wines restaurant, offering South Africa’s exclusive and finest wines, paired with leading executive chef Garth Shnier’s exceptional culinary creations.

The Skye Bar at Holiday Inn Sandton on Rivonia Road is a luxurious and ultra-comfortable venue with a relaxed ambience, also offering panoramic views of Sandton and beyond. It features an inspiring cocktail menu and is a popular place to catch up with friends, enjoy a romantic night out, or entertain corporate colleagues.

Says Priya Naidoo, Tsogo Sun’s GM, Group Communications, “Johannesburg often surprises visitors with its beauty, its friendly ambience, and its celebrated and world-class food and drinks culture. Tsogo Sun is capturing all this and more in our memorable drinks destinations – where locals and visitors alike can enjoy the very best that Jozi has to offer.”

Tsogo Sun’s portfolio includes over 90 hotels and 14 casino and entertainment destinations throughout South Africa, Africa, the Seychelles and Abu Dhabi. For more information, visit tsogosun.com, follow on Twitter and Instagram @TsogoSun or like on Facebook /TsogoSun.