Picturing a hotspot in the Bahamas? Think again. This is the latest in student accommodation on offer right here in George.
The beleaguered Far Hills Hotel, located in one of the most scenic parts of the Garden Route, has become student lodgings for the Saasveld campus of NMMU.
Over the past few years the hotel has been through many ups and downs and the operational side of things has changed hands many times. The hotel, situated just before you enter the Kaaimans Pass from George, regularly closed during winter and was operating at a complete loss.
However, from now on the Far Hills Hotel, with 60 double rooms and some single accommodation, will operate as an upmarket residential student hotel. Seeing the dire shortage of student lodgings in George, local businessman and entrepreneur, Ferdi Nortje started looking for appropriate venues. "I spoke to various hotels in the area, and as the Far Hills has been closed for almost a year, it just turned out to be the perfect place. It is the closest to campus and the infrastructure is in place."
After successful negotiations with the owners, Nortje and his team immediately got to work. "The place was a bit neglected, but now it is once again shipshape and the students are over the moon. At the moment we have 60 bookings and can still accommodate more than double that amount. Our main focus is NMMU, but students from other academic institutions are welcome to apply. Some lecturers have also expressed an interest in our accommodation for themselves."
He says students who need transport to class and back can make use of the available shuttle service at a nomi-nal charge.
The accommodation crisis at Saasveld has opened up a gap for private operators to provide student housing at reasonable rates. Saasveld campus manager of marketing and corporate relations Alet van Tonder says at the moment only one out of three student applications for housing can be accommodated.
"Of the 750 applications received only 250 can stay on campus. Preference is given to first years." The satellite campus is waiting for the go-ahead from the ministry of higher education to build accommodation that would house an additional 75 beds.
The university is also in negotiations with the municipality and province to include a route between town and campus as part of the planned George Mobility Strategy. Van Tonder says at the moment a free shuttle service is provided three to four times a day.
"The seniors registered yesterday and today and we expect about 1300 students to enrol for the 2011 academic year."
She says students are referred to several accommodation establishments including the Far Hills Country Hotel.
"We are still finalising all the small details of our agreement, but in the meantime we are happy that the service provider is up to scratch and adhering to NMMU’s high standards."
.JPG)
The former four-star hotel has now been turned into student ‘digs’.
.JPG)
Raring to go. From the left are Far Hills Hotel general manager Ferdi Nortje, student liaison manager, Ulla Taute and food and beverage manager, Prieur du Plessis.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: ILSE SCHOONRAAD
