Aerotel Hoedspruit – A unique hotel in Zandspruit
A first for South Africa, right here in Hoedspruit!
Well, Aerotel Hoedspruit or BIL as the airplane is fondly referred to has been causing quite a stir on its journey from Johannesburg to its final home, Zandspruit Bush and Aero Estate.
What is Aerotel Hoedspruit you may ask?
Simply put; it is a recycled Boeing 737-200 which will be converted and set up on the Zandspruit Bush and Aero Estate into a 12 sleeper boutique hotel with breathtaking views of the Drakensberg Mountains. Exceptionally unique if you ask us!
Aerotel is the idea and brainchild of Martin den Dunnen, businessman in Hoedspruit for approximately 20 years, who is a pilot himself. Martin used to have a construction company, property projects and then ventured into land development, where he created Zandspruit Estates. Zandspruit Estates is an integrated, multi-faceted development, situated 2 km outside of Hoedspruit, which spans over 2 town extensions of Hoedspruit. At the heart of this development is the Bush and Aero Estate, also a first-time concept in South Africa, where aviation meets the love for wildlife.
Aviation, love for nature, ecological conscious development all played a role in bringing Aerotel to life. It has been a long time dream of Martin to buy up a plane, to convert it into a living space of some sort, but the timing of all the elements concerned never seemed to come together until around late March this year when the right aeroplane, at the right location, at the right price became available and Martin had the time the project would need to get off the ground.
ZS-BIL (old aircraft registration number) will be placed in the Retail and Commercial development
area of Zandspruit Estates, which is along the R 527 provincial road between the entrance of Zandspruit Bush &Aero Estate and Hoedspruit Town. The timeline for the project is estimated at opening round about September/October 2019, but this remains flexible. Pricing per night will be released closer to the opening date, but there will be opening specials and early-bird booking bonuses offered.
Hoedspruit was chosen as the location due to it being the home base of Martin and the development company Zandspruit Estates Pty Ltd. Hoedspruit was chosen initially by Martin in 1999, as a quaint rural town where the ultimate lifestyle can be achieved, the perfect balance between quality family life and competitive business. Hoedspruit is a tourism hub and the gateway into the true wildlife region of South Africa. The warm climate of Hoedspruit, its proximity to The Kruger National Park and all the Associated Private Nature reserves, the various internationally acclaimed animal rehabilitation centres, The Blyde Canyon area, the Panorama route, featuring the Gorge lift, the Potholes, the waterfalls all make Hoedspruit an absolute platinum destination in South Africa and heaven to live in.
Martin had been an active and integral part of the development of Hoedspruit, with developments such as Kamogelo Tourism Centre, Khayagelo Village Apartments, Wildfig Apartments as well as the development and building of more than 200 homes and lodges in and around Hoedspruit and its outlying areas.
Aerotel will be an ecologically friendly development, with a low ground coverage percentage and most of the surrounding buildings being steel structures, which are floating on pillared substructures, so as to allow the micro-ecosystems to continue to co-exist underneath it. The recycling of the large steel fuselage and wings is also in trend with where development and housing should be going, where innovation and up-cycling of sound structures should be encouraged as opposed to the throw- away, breakdown, and buy/build new outlook which lies at the heart of consumerism and the depletion of natural resources on the planet.
The aim is to, where possible, use the authentic internal fittings of the plane in the decoration and styling of the Aerotel, to provide a truly unique experience and ambiance.
Text: Tracy den Dunnen
Well, this is certainly something interesting to keep following, and we look forward to bringing you updates on this first for South Africa.
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More on the quaint town of Hoedspruit | More on the Valley of the Olifants area |