Swinging the magic wand behind the scenes, is local hospitality management company Zabulan, whose handle on service excellence and keen sense of detail ensured that the final touch be a Midas touch – pure gold.

With many other more established hospitality companies also vying for top honours for their hotels, the team from Zabulan whisked away the top spot with grace and integrity. “It is never a goal to beat the opposition, because then you lose focus on what your priorities are. After any project, you need to be able to look at what you have achieved with a sense of joy and accomplishment, knowing that a piece of you will inevitably always remain there,” Executive Director, Anton Perold explains.

Now as legendary as Mount Meru, the summit against which the hotel was built, Zabulan is ensuring that Mount Meru Hotel becomes a legend in its own right. Through the concept of bringing in Indian Ocean Island staff from Mauritius to add in the service and flair and combining this with the cuisines from East Africa, the Hotel offers visitors a resort feel mixed with legendary African hospitality. This has proven to be a roaring success. It has built its reputation on the belief that exclusivity and individuality are key elements of true luxury. A true citadel of lavishness and serenity for the business man, the weary traveller or the passionate adventurer, guests are ensured of the best accommodation, the finest cuisine and the service excellence you’d expect from a real class act.

When asked about their triumph, CEO Rowald Kresfelder mentioned that they were ecstatic that the hotel had, in such a short time, managed to capture the imagination and admiration of the public, guests and adjudicators alike. He added, “an award is a mere piece of paper adorned on a wall – the real challenge is an ongoing one; to make every guest feel at home, to ensure that the restaurants provide innovative and exquisite tastes and that the promise of African hospitality is more than mere legend, but the heart and soul of the hotel. I would like to believe that, if there was an award for that, the Mount Meru Hotel and its amazing staff would win hands down, every time.”

They have already made a name for themselves by taking mere myths and creating bastions of comfort and luxury, building and equipping a strong, passionate and dedicated team to carry a new torch in Africa; one of style, service and sheer opulence. Africa is a treasure-trove of opportunity and the Zabulan team is already negotiating with important players in the African Hospitality Industry to work their magic across the continent. Exciting times, but as level-headed and grounded as ever, the team, already focused on their next summit is set on making Africa’s fifth highest peak a stepping stone to the stars.

And the magic, they say, is just beginning...