Four star boutique hotel in Maniini village provides comfort and class
Thavhani Boutique Hotel opened its doors in 2019 and provides unique and distinctive rooms in the remote township of Maniini village in Thohoyandou.
LIMPOPO -Starting your own business seems to be the key to make ends meet for many, and this became apparent to Muravha Nelwamondo from Thohoyandou Block G who opened her own boutique hotel.
Nelwamondo is the owner and founder of the Thavhani Boutique Hotel in Maniini village.
She said Thavhani Boutique Hotel was launched in 2019 with the aim to provide guests with the ultimate experience and comfort.
“The hotel has nine permanent employees. Our accommodation is something unique and very distinctive with 11 rooms. Six of them are standard rooms while five are executive rooms. Each is individually decorated and has an open plan and en suite bathroom hence we called it a boutique. Maniini village is a remote township and people didn’t have an understanding of the hotel, but when I introduced it, people embraced it. I am proud that I provide employment to young people around Vhembe. People get shocked when they see the quality of service they receive from the boutique hotel,” she said.
She told CV that Thavhani Boutique Hotel has already won three awards including the Top Boutique Hotel in Thohoyandou, Top 20 Hotel in Limpopo, Best Value 2020, and a Doctor without Borders certificate in recognition of Thavhani Boutique Hotel’s generosity.
“Even though we are a small entity with small rooms it definitely shows that we are giving the best service to our people,” she said.
She cited the challenges that she came across in running a boutique hotel in a rural area as water shortages, sewage problems and poorly maintained roads.
“Sometimes we are without water for three to four days and we had to install water tanks. When the tanks are empty we have to buy water so that our customers have water readily available and laundry has to be done every day. Sewage systems are not connected to that of the municipality and I had to come up with a plan for a septic tank which needs to be drained twice a week. The access road becomes slippery during the rainy season, which also affects business.”
