SOUTH AFRICA – The Reserve, part of the Sun Vacation Club at Sun City, is undergoing a ZAR210 million (US$11.73m) refurbishment for its 236 units.
According to Sun International, the upgrade started in July and is anticipated to take three years.
The Reserve is nestled amid indigenous Acacia and Leopard trees, giving the feeling of being in nature. According to Blacksmith Interior Inspiration director Ryan Ilgner this is represented in the interiors.
“The interiors of the newly reimagined Sun Vacation Club at The Reserve were designed to encourage escapism into the African wild, bringing the outside world in. This is evident from the natural stone look tiles to the woven savannah-inspired wallpapers and grey granite textured tops,” said Ilgner.
He added that the visual journey continued with bespoke animal pattern fabrics developed in vibrant colours. They were complemented by contemporary African wildlife photography.
“The framing of the artwork is truly unique, transforming headboards into art pieces using larger-than-life animal portraits.
“Newly introduced white shutters and dusty blue ceilings, combined with LED cove lighting, lend a fresh, cool feel to the palette, balancing the rich timber tones of the furniture pieces.
“One can’t help but be rejuvenated being in these soothing spaces, resulting in a feeling of connection to the surrounds whilst escaping into one’s own world of relaxation,“ said Ilgner.
Sun International introduced a new accommodation model, The Sun Vacation Club (SVC), at Sun City in 1996, responding to demand for self-catering units at the resort.
SVC first went to market with The Reserve, created by converting a staff village into timeshare units. This was later followed by The Aviary and more recently, by the luxurious Lefika Villas.
28 years later, SVC has grown into one of South Africa’s leading timeshare accommodation offerings with contract periods of between five and 10 years.
In October 2022 Sun International announced the Lefika Villas development at Sun City, which has 48 three-bedroom and 10 free-standing, four-bedroom villas.
Sales for Lefika have exceeded expectations. Janita Donaldson, Group GM for the Sun Vacation Club said: “We realised that the demand for high-end luxury accommodation was there, but the market reaction to the development exceeded all our expectations and outstripped our sales predictions.
“By the end of 2023, our entire four-bedroom stock had been sold and only limited stock of the three-bedroom villas is still available.”
Donaldson said 40% of Lefika Villas sales were from existing Sun Vacation Club members.
“The success of this project is down to a great product, Sun International’s reputation for high standards, and Sun City’s world-class offering. For the next 10 years, new Lefika Villas owners can enjoy a well-deserved holiday knowing that they and their families will love every moment of their stay,” he added.
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