The Grand Palace: Mzuzu’s newest hotel inside out

When they hatched plans to build the Grand Palace Hotel, Arief Anwerbeig and his fellow directors knew Mzuzu was an undeveloped tourism spot with great potential.

The investor may have entered the city via M1, the country’s longest road transport corridor, which is partly plagued by potholes that continue to deprive Mzuzu of some of the executive coaches plying between Blantyre and Lilongwe.

They might have used M6, the narrow alternative route, the lakeshore corridor which is marred by a highly battered finish and jagged edges that vehicles scramble for the prized space in the middle of the road.

Maybe they used air transport, making their plane one of the sporadic and small flights that land at Mzuzu Airport—an antiquated affair whose runway welcomes more dogs in heat and scavenging birds than jets from the rest of the world.

Whatever mode of transport they might have opted for, the brains behind Mzuzu’s newest hotel envisaged a 102-room hospitality complex giving both residents and tourists in the chilly city an experience like no other.

In Anwerbeig’s words, they wanted to put up something extraordinary, something up to international standards.

“Mzuzu is one of the most beautiful spots in the country, but not developed. As directors, we saw this as an opportunity. In our thinking, we wanted to introduce a special attraction for tourists, an extraordinary place where travelers and locals would meet,” he says.

But the thoughts that once looked easier said than done have resulted in the hotel Mzuzu City mayor William Mkandawire terms “probably the best hotel in the city”.

–Grand expectations–

The mayor expects the hotel not only to enhance the city’s skyline, but also to increase competition in the city’s tourism sector, a necessity for customers to get diverse options, affordable prices and improved services.

“When new players venture into an industry, services improve,” says Mkandawire, who graduated from Chancellor College with a Bachelor of Social Science degree in 2010.

Entering or leaving Mzuzu through M1? The city’s latest hotel flashes past in a fast-rising stretch that is home to the newly-constructed Toyota Malawi Complex, National Bank of Malawi, Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) and Total Filling Station.

Within two kilometres from the city centre, the locality testifies to Mzuzu’s standing as the country’s fastest-growing city. Its annual growth rate is estimated at 4.6 percent, far ahead of the capital Lilongwe and its commercial cousin Blantyre.

But more needs to change to make the emerging city a viable destination for tourists and investors, says Anwerbeig.

When he and company started investing in the Grand Palace in 2010, the poor roads and air travel were not the only challenge they had to overcome. They also had to construct a multimillion kwacha hotel of international standing amid searing shortages of fuel and forex in the country. Engineers say the construction industry was one of the worst hit facets by the lack forex and fuel which ravaged the country from 2010 to 2012.

“At that time, prices of construction materials and furnishings were spiraling out of hand,” Anwerbeig recalls. “But we took the risk and we have delivered.”

–Grand Interiors–

Last week, The Nation toured the hotel to get a glimpse of its interiors.

Of course, most locals wish the Grand Palace was a storey or two higher, preferably a skyscraper, because land is becoming scarce.

This mirrors ambitious aspirations seeping through the city where most buildings are low-lying to avoid plane crashes since the airport, opened on January 1 1951, is situated adjacent to the central business district.

But the hotel’s stunning interiors partly compensates for the decried height.

From the balcony, visitors are welcomed into a vast lounge with an elevated roof, a ceaseless fountain and polished walls bearing a portrait of South Africa’s former president Nelson Mandela (1918 -20130).

In the picture of the fallen anti-apartheid icon Mandela are his quotable quotes that tell students of entrepreneurship everything they need to know about risk-taking.

“It only seems impossible until it is done,” reads the uppermost of the quotes, with the bottommost warning: “There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”

From the lounge, a visibly disability-friendly corridor leads to five conference halls with wings for breakaway sessions.

–Grand views–

Also in sight is Amor Restaurant—roomy, with comfortable seats, polished tables, great ambience, jazz in the background and a diversity of meals comprising both local and imported cuisines.

Those who love more air have the luxury of enjoying their meals on the balcony, an outdoor treat which offers clients scenic views of a fish pond and swimming pools as well as fresh air seeping from Viphya Plantation, the country’s largest man-made forest alternatively known as Chikangawa.

The water bodies can also be seen from the windows of the deluxe rooms and presidential suites overlooking a stretch of undeveloped land Mzuzu City Council has set aside for shopping malls.

“For lovers of firsts, we are the first hotel with a swimming pool for adults and children in the city,” says hotel manager Francis Salia.

He might as well have said as much about the entire north. For years, tourists paying homage to the region’s tourist potential have been putting up at Sunbird Mzuzu and a boom of privately owned lodges. Only Mphiri Lodge has a swimming pool, albeit not in use.

In this setting, the idea of having a hotel with a fish pond might be peculiar, but the hotel manager explains: “At the Grand Palace, we are not only targeting the business traveller but also the leisure tourist.

“When people come here, we want them to choose whether they want to spend their free time swimming or fishing.”

Also adding value to the tourists’ stay is an emerging garden in the quiet atmosphere and a fitness room. The gym has state-of-the-art equipment.

“As a product, we feel the Grand Palace has all it takes to be a proper hotel. It has the facilities every traveller requires,” he says.

He explains: “Take the rooms for example, they are spacious, with king-size beds, comfortable linen, fridges, foolproof safes, ultramodern bathrooms and flat screens with full DStv.

–Grand rooms–

Out of the envisaged 102 rooms, only 30 are complete and open for business. According to the official, introductory prices range from $115 (K49 800) to $125 (K54 000).

He reckons the product is being complemented by a workforce which has been trained to offer effective and attractive service.

The hotel has also created jobs for 140 Malawians, he says.

“Thanks to the hotel, I have finally found my first job three years after graduating from Malawi Institute of Tourism (MIE),” stated one of the waiters, saying her pay is better than what her colleagues get elsewhere.

For the past two months, the local staff has been undergoing training in hotel management to assimilate the standards the directors envision.

“A new and elegant touch is nothing if the quality of goods and services is compromised,” says Salia.

The facility sits on a 5.5-hectare spot in the city, a gateway to picturesque tourism attractions: Lake Malawi and Likoma Islands to the east, the historic Khondowe Mission Station atop Livingstonia Plateau in the north as well as Lake Kazuni, Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve and Nyika National Park to the west.

Since its partial opening, the new hotel, which most onlookers find immaculate, has been receiving dribs and drabs of customers. Three or four, according to Anwerbeig.

The Grand Palace director refuses to attribute this to the fact that they are a new business.

He reckons government needs to do much more than just encouraging locals to embrace a culture of tourism, the gist of the “Tiziyamba Ndife” or “It Begins With Us’ campaigns being run by the Department of Tourism.

Anwerbeig reckons improving road and air transport would make Mzuzu a favourable destination for both tourists and investors.

In an interview, the city’s mayor concurred that roads, especially the one connecting Mzuzu with the shoreline districts of Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota and Salima, deters tourists because it is in a bad shape.

“Our roads are poor and the Lakeshore Corridor needs maintenance as a matter of urgency if we are serious about making tourism our major source of income.

“Besides, I am surprised that government does not seem to consider the relocation of Mzuzu Airport as important. Building a new airport would increase the number of people flying in with forex,” said Mkandawire.

–Grand Promises–

Since independence in 1964, government has been talking about plans of making the airport bigger and better.

From 1994, all presidents—Bakili Muluzi, Bingu wa Mutharika, Joyce Banda and Pater Mutharika—have been saying plans are underway to shift the airstrip from the city centre to T/A Mwalo area in the outskirts. The unfulfilled plans were reaffirmed by former Minister of Trade Ibrahim Matola in April and President Mutharika in July.

But the promise remains a wish.

Six months ago, Mzuzu City Council director of administration Victor Masina told The Nation there is need for a new social and environmental impacts assessment to relocate the airport.

“A place was found, studies were done and nothing happened. As things are, government will have to pump in more money for a new assessment because about 10 years have passed, people have changed and the situation is no longer the same as it was when the studies were done.”

It is amazing that Mzuzu’s skyline is getting better and bigger amid this time-wasting, a laissez-faire approach that leads to wastage of millions the country needs to develop the city’s infrastructure.

But the brains behind the Grand Palace believe they will overcome the challenges.

“Great ideas and a positive personality are always a formidable combination,” says Anwerbeig.