Gardiner’s new horizon
First-ever boutique hotel opens on remote and historic island of St Helena
AT 74, veteran international hotelier Adrian Gardiner is still growing places. And not one to say much about himself, there was no talk of personal achievement or success last week when Gardiner, who founded and heads the Mantis Collection, set about describing one of his company’s latest and arguably most extraordinary feats to date.
Instead, a quiet confidence and warm smiles were the only hints of satisfaction from the Port Elizabeth man credited with establishing the first boutique hotel on St Helena – an Atlantic Ocean island which until just a few months ago was considered one of the world’s most remote and inaccessible.
When South African firm Basil Read first completed construction of a new breakwater and shipping quay and then the British island’s first runway and airport in September, finally opening the historic island up to the rest of the world, Gardiner’s hospitality company the Mantis Collection was already there and poised to deliver on the group’s motto – unearthing the exceptional.
And having overcome about 2 000km of open ocean, a global recession, only periodical access to the island through the last Royal Mail Ship (RMS) in service there and a multitude of challenges that included having to ship all building materials in – the completion of the 30-bedroom Mantis St Helena was undoubtedly an achievement.
The boutique hotel has been established in three historic, restored Georgian buildings on the island capital of Jamestown.
And along with attractive dining and bar facilities, the hotel has been appointed to meet international luxury standards.
“It has been 10 years in the making, and a long journey. But we have been fortunate to have a fantastic team working on the project,” Gardiner said from his luxurious No 5 Boutique Art Hotel in Port Elizabeth.
This itself has accommodated government leaders and other high-profile guests from around the world.
“There were certainly a number of challenges along the way. The island has seen three new governors since the project first came up.
“Of course the new quay had to be built so that all the materials and equipment for the airport could be brought in.
“Then there was the 2007-08 global financial crisis which impacted on the projects on the island and then when the runway was completed, it was discovered that only smaller aircraft, due to significant wind shear, would be able to access the island.
“This was all on top of the 18-day round trip it took to reach the island by ship before the runway was constructed,” Gardiner said.
He revealed that the project had also been subjected to an approval vote by the island’s 4 000 residents.
But Gardiner – founder and former owner of the Shamwari Game Reserve and head of the only hospitality group with an offering on all seven continents – believes the hotel will have a very positive effect on the island’s people and its economy.
To save scores of jobs, Mantis St Helena is employing the roughly 40 crew members from the RMS St Helena, which is expected to be decommissioned in the near future.
Residents will also be employed and as far as possible the hotel will source supplies and necessities locally.
And while sheer cliffs and a volcanic rock base had traditionally made access to the island exceptionally difficult, it was these attributes that contributed to the island’s rich history – Napoleon was exiled there, along with Zulu royal King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo and more than 6 000 Boer prisoners-of-war.
“The island has an amazing history, a cornerstone of the offering for visitors.
“Based on this, we will be targeting primarily British and French tourists. The third main market will be South Africans.
“The island has a fantastic ecosystem to explore and there are also activities such as excellent diving and sportfishing options. So we will certainly also be targeting adventure tourists.”
With regular flights now being undertaken via Windhoek in Namibia, intrepid tourism adventurers such as Gardiner can now wing their way to what is widely considered one of the world’s last undiscovered island attractions.