Scheduled for completion in May 2017, the Hilton Hotel Durban is undergoing a refurbishment project undertaken by professional services company Turner & Townsend as project managers.

The major refurbishment of the Hilton Hotel Durban is being undertaken in five phases. Turner & Townsend possess extensive global experience in the hospitality industry, having managed previous projects for the Hilton Hotel group in Abu Dhabi, Europe and the US, and the company is midway through Phase 2.

Well positioned adjacent to the Durban International Convention Centre (DICC), the Hilton Hotel Durban attracts international travellers and delegates attending events at the DICC, with a strong national business following during the week and a predominantly leisure market on weekends.

First opened in 1997, the hotel has hosted numerous national and international corporate executives, heads of State and celebrities. It has also received several accolades, including recognition at the World Travel Awards as South Africa’s Leading Business Hotel, for four consecutive years (2013 to 2016). At the 2015 Luxury Travel Guide Awards Hilton Hotel Durban was declared the Luxury Contemporary Hotel of the Year, while at the Lilizela Toursim Awards 2016 it was named Provincial Winner for Five-star Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events.

Hilton Hotel Durban GM Markus Fritz says the refurbishment was initiated to align the hotel with the Hilton brand values and the evolution of its architecture.

In turn, in managing the project, Turner & Townsend introduced a benchmarking schedule and policy to align the contractor with the client and its quality expectations and standards. This includes a rigorous snagging and de-snagging programme and a policy that alleviates delays in phased room handovers to equipment, fixtures and furnishers teams to meet the hotel’s deadlines, occupancy requirements and stringent quality standards.

Turner & Townsend project manager Marc Binns says the Hilton Hotel Durban project is not without its challenges. “This is a working hotel with a high occupancy, which means that noise levels must be controlled and limited to certain hours, while contractors can only be on site from Mondays to Saturdays.”

Phase 1 of the refurbishment project included the lobby and Big Easy restaurant, conversion of what was formerly a hotel bar to a business lounge, replacing fixtures and fittings and restyling suites with a fresh, new aesthetic feel – including the Presidential Suite, and refurbishment of the executive lounge.

Still to be completed are floors 1 to 3, including refurbishment of the ballroom and meeting and business room levels in 2018.