It is always a good idea to take a few moments for yourself to cope with today’s hectic lifestyle. Being pampered is a great way to rejuvenate, and taking some time away from one’s hectic city lifestyle to spend a few quiet days in a peaceful and tranquil environment, is a good investment in your well-being. Ashwood Guesthouse and Spa is just the place to do so. It offers five-star service to guests and with five standard rooms and one exclusive suite, guests have the luxury of receiving spa treatments in the comfort of their own rooms.
Situated only 6km from the Bloemfontein CBD, Ashwood Guesthouse and Spa opened its doors on the 1st of April 2015. Operations Manager, Naledi Tshabalala, says they were reluctant to apply for grading at first, as they had not been operating for long and had they not received the five-star grade on the first try, they would have to wait another year before applying again. However, after being assessed on the 11th of July 2016, the grader was very impressed with them and gave them a five-star rating, with which they were immensely pleased.
She says the guesthouse has had a wonderful journey so far. Ashwood Guesthouse has a young, dedicated team who work very hard to ensure that their guests are well taken care of. The team includes five Motheo TVET College students who are gaining hands-on experience while working at the spa for 18 months.
Ashwood hosts a variety of events, which include weddings, conferences, baby showers and year-end parties. The biggest function accommodated 500 guests who keep coming back. Tshabalala says this reiterates that they are providing a great service to their customers.
Ashwood has also been the recipient of the MEC Awards category of the 2016 provincial Lilizela Tourism Award which was presented by the then Destea MEC, Sam Mashinini, in September.
Tshabalala says they were hesitant to enter for the award, as they were still awaiting their grading results. But once they received their grading results, they took the plunge and bet on themselves. She says the win came as a shock as they had entered very late and didn’t think they would make the cut. She had already started planning ahead to enter again next year, when it was announced that they had won.
Tshabalala says the award has kept the staff highly motivated and dedicated to providing great service. The community is welcome to enjoy the restaurant and whiskey bar, even if they do not spend a night or two at the guesthouse. The restaurant offers an à la carte menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and buffets can be arranged for big events. Ashwood often posts its restaurant and event specials on its website, where one can also make bookings. (www.ashwood-guesthouse.com). Invest in your well-being and spend a night or two at Ashwood Guesthouse and Spa. – Seithati Semenokane
seithati@centralmediagroup.co.za
