Three of the best for All Africa House

All Africa House – the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) hospitality bed-and-breakfast offering – is once again celebrating; this time, a three-star tourism grading as a small hotel and shared self-catering facility.

The latest achievement is in line with the university’s service excellence commitment. Last year, the 48-bedroom establishment was hailed by guests with favourable reviews, which earned them a service excellence award from international travel agency Agoda. In 2023, All Africa House, located on UCT’s middle campus, completed a raft of renovations which have come with a new way of doing things.

“This is a huge milestone for the property,” said Thobile Dlamini, UCT’s director of hospitality. “We are absolutely thrilled that All Africa House has been awarded a three-star grading in both the small hotel and self-catering shared apartment categories. This recognition is the result of a deliberate and sustained effort over the last few years to reposition All Africa House as more than just campus accommodation, but as a professionally run hospitality facility that can hold its own within the broader tourism and conferencing market in Cape Town.”

“We’ve worked hard to strike a balance between maintaining the cultural and academic spirit of All Africa House.”

“The grading came about as part of our wider strategy to benchmark ourselves against industry standards. While we always hoped to be formally graded, we didn’t take the outcome for granted. The three-star rating affirms our service delivery, facilities, and operating systems. It gives us a strong foundation to build towards even more ambitious goals in the future.”

Dlamini paid tribute to the tireless work done by staff at All Africa House in their success over the years. “This achievement also reflects the commitment and dedication of our staff – from front desk to housekeeping whose day-to-day efforts make our guest experience what it is. I want to thank them sincerely; this is a win for all of us.”

Travellers, staff, students and even UCT’s vice-chancellor, Professor Mosa Moshabela, are guests who have been hosted at the establishment, which opened its doors in 1996. What’s more, they also take their social responsibility seriously as evidenced by their donation of office equipment to Leliebloem House in Woodstock, Cape Town, last year.

“Over the years, we’ve focused on refurbishments, refining our guest services, strengthening operational controls, and training our team to consistently deliver on both university values and hospitality excellence. We’ve worked hard to strike a balance between maintaining the cultural and academic spirit of All Africa House and offering the comfort and professionalism expected by today’s guests,” Dlamini reflected.

Consistency

She concluded: “We invite everyone to come and experience it for themselves. Whether you’re a visitor to UCT, an academic in residence, or simply looking for a unique stay in the heart of Cape Town, All Africa House is open to the public and ready to welcome you. And right now, there’s even more reason to visit; we’re running a Winter Warmer Special with 20% off our best available rate.”

Book your stay.