Carlson Rezidor has announced 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.
“Following the recent Carlson Rezidor signing of the Radisson Red Shenyang Hunan in China, we are now delighted to announce the first Radisson Red in EMEA in a location as prominent as the V&A Waterfront – giving our new brand both local and global visibility, and adding a vibrant new concept to this world class destination. Radisson Red is inspired by the trends of the highly connected, high-octane and design savvy millennial lifestyle”, said Wolfgang M. Neumann, President & CEO of Rezidor.
David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront, added: ‘’Radisson Red is an exciting, creative and innovative offer in the lifestyle select sector, and it is a coup to have the first hotel in EMEA at the V&A Waterfront. We believe an internationally branded and marketed hotel will add to our existing portfolio and meet the increasing demand for such accommodation. In addition, this new concept is key to the continued development of the district and its mixed-use appeal.’’
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.
