The steady decline of South Africa’s premier luxury resort

The Palace at Sun City used to be a world-class resort with top-class service levels. However, strikes and union involvement saw a sad decline in this proud institution.

Hotel magnate Sol Kerzner developed Sun City in the former Bophuthatswana homeland as part of his Sun International Group.

At the time, gambling was illegal in South Africa. However, because Bophuthatswana was an independent state, it allowed gambling and adult entertainment.

Sun City opened its doors on 7 December 1979, and it was an instant hit. People flocked from Johannesburg and Pretoria to gamble and attend topless shows.

Despite the United Nations’ cultural boycott on South Africa, Kerzner attracted top artists to the resort through big financial incentives.

These artists who performed at Sun City included Queen, The Beach Boys, Liza Minnelli, Cher, Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Elton John, and Boney M.

As the money rolled in from gambling, entertainment, and hotel accommodation, Kerzner expanded Sun City’s offerings.

The Sun City Hotel was complemented by the Cascades Hotel, The Cabanas, and two globally renowned golf courses, the Gary Player Country Club and the Lost City Golf Course.

In 1992, Kerzner unveiled the crown of his Sun City resort, The Palace of the Lost City. It was opulence and luxury personified.

The architecture resembles the legendary royal residence of a mythical African civilisation, imagined by its designers to evoke the ruins of a vanished lost kingdom.

It was built in 28 months and used over 30 million bricks and 245,600 printed plans during construction. The development cost in 1992 was approximately R830 million.

The Palace’s gardens are a standout feature. Landscape architect Patrick Watson was the man tasked with realising Kerzner’s vision.

The 25-hectare gardens were produced for R25 million by a dedicated team of 440 gardeners and featured over 1.6 million plants, including 6,000 fully-grown trees.

Over the years, The Palace of the Lost City hosted numerous celebrities and world leaders, including Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Nelson Mandela.

Simply put, The Palace at Sun City was the premier resort in South Africa, offering guests the best in luxury accommodation, restaurants, and entertainment.

The steady decline of The Palace of the Lost City

The Palace of the Lost City maintained its exceptional service levels for the first two decades after it was opened.

Guests were treated like royalty. On arrival, a friendly hostess would accompany you through every step of the arrival process and escort you to your room.

If you wanted to go anywhere in Sun City, there was a fleet of Mercedes E-class cars to take you to the venue. There was no waiting.

The restaurants were world-class. The main restaurant, Crystal Court, was a brilliant à la carte restaurant, and guests could also dine at the fine-dining restaurant Plume.

The staff were all friendly and accommodating. They were happy to make your stay memorable and ensure you return.

However, over the last 13 years, things have deteriorated significantly. The Palace at Sun City is a shadow of its former self.

Although the building is a reminder of the splendour in years gone by, the service levels plummeted, the Mercedes E-class cars disappeared, and restaurants changed or closed.

Many of the changes happened following aggressive strike action and labour unrest at Sun City a decade ago.

It included members from the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (SACCAWU) and the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (SATAWU).

These strikes by affiliates of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) resulted in big changes at Sun City, which severely affected The Palace.

Over the years, Crystal Court changed from an à la carte restaurant to a buffet, which in turn deteriorated over time. The fine-dining restaurant Plume closed down.

The Palace guests have to wait for buses to be transported to where they want to go, which can take a long time. There are often long queues.

Although most staff members remain friendly, it is not uncommon for guests to wait for long periods to be served and for some staff to be argumentative.

The Palace of the Lost City is still a good 5-star resort. However, frequent luxury travellers will not be wowed by the service levels or restaurants.

What used to be a brilliant luxury experience, on par with anything available globally, turned into an average 5-star hotel.

The hotel, gardens, and location remain brilliant and it is well worth a visit. There is simply nothing else like it in South Africa.

However, the standout treatment of guests, which made The Palace of the Lost City particularly special, has disappeared.

This is an opinion piece, which do not necessarily reflect the views of Newsday.

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Inside The Palace of the Lost City

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