Jasper says there will be a strong focus on dining. “Food and beverage is, after all, the heart and soul of the hotel – the touch-point,” he explains. “If you go somewhere and have a good meal you’ll remember it. It’s the one aspect of a hotel, other than sleeping in a bed, that’s based on an experience and not a process. It’s where the guest unwinds, relaxes, lingers and engages with the property.”
Rosa, named because it overlooks the rose garden, is enhancing the Palazzo with a venue for small events, special occasions and intimate functions. “I believe it will soon become one of the most sought-after small function venues in Joburg. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the hotel’s food and beverage delivery through various special offerings, giving our guests a different experience of the hotel,” says Jasper.
The design of Rosa is in keeping with the Tuscan theme of the hotel. Rosa is located adjacent to the walkway that leads guests out of the hotel into the Montecasino complex, with an existing stone boundary wall clad in ivy forming the back wall of the restaurant. This lends a garden ambience to the restaurant, while tables and chairs in the walkway add to the venue’s typical European café style.
The interior of the restaurant is airy and Italian, yet with a slightly Provençal feel. The design integrates with the garden, while the exposed ceilings feature timber beams from which chandeliers and fans are suspended, co-ordinating with the timber frame glass doors and timber floors. “The restaurant features a deep, rich wallpaper with a striking red flower running through it. The red is extended through to the new show kitchen and onto the linen on the tables. The chairs are a combination of some formal, deep button-back upholstered dining chairs and some casual black-and-white outdoor wicker café style chairs.”
“We pride ourselves on our reputation for providing ‘the velvet touch’ to guests,” says Jasper. “This entire refurbishment, and in particular Rosa, has ensured that we maintain the high standard of refined elegance and opulence that have been the hallmarks of this property since we opened in November 2000.”
The Palazzo Montecasino is one of the properties within Tsogo Sun’s portfolio of over 90 hotels and 14 casino and entertainment destinations throughout South Africa, Africa and the Seychelles.
For more information, visit www.tsogosun.com.