International Women’s Day: 4 Women-Led Hotels and Lodges Shaking Up the Industry
While our team at Craft Travel is fully female owned and operated, issues of gender representation in the workplace are nothing new but the problem is particularly pertinent within the travel industry.
Research from PhocusWire reveals that women account for as much as 54% of travel personnel yet represent under 20% of general management and less than 8% of board positions.
To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, we’ve rounded up four of our favorite women-driven hospitality partners to celebrate those shaking up the status quo of this male-dominated industry.
Zambezi Sands
Located in Zimbabwe, the Zambezi Sands River Lodge is a brand new five-star luxury lodge and one of the very few of its kind fully locally owned in rural Africa. It also happens to be the world’s first Black female-owned safari lodge in Africa.
Zimbabwe-born entrepreneur Vimbai Masiyiwa is the proud owner of the establishment.
Vimbai hires locally to empower those in nearby communities by giving them the chance to earn sustainable livelihoods and, in turn, support economic growth in their area.
On top of this, Masiyiwa has recruited professionally-trained coaches to offer employees formal training on how to provide guests with top-level service and teach them lifelong skills that will benefit their careers.
Along with refining soft skills, this training also includes improving computer literacy.
Masiyiwa has plans to set up the Tesse Fund, through which 10% of revenue made at the safari lodge is invested into a fund that will be injected into projects that staff members propose to benefit their local community.
The luxury Bedouin tents of Zambezi Sands were designed by South African interior designer, Yvonne O’Brien, using natural materials and are kitted out with private plunge pools and exceptional vistas over the Zambezi River.
To make the most of being in this extraordinary corner of the world, combine your stay at Zambezi Sands with a Luxury Zimbabwe and Zambia itinerary.
Aguas Claras
Aguas Claras is a five-star boutique hotel in Costa Rica, owned and designed by the mother-daughter team Elizabeth and Elena Steinvorth. Both art collectors, the pair put their creativity to use by decorating the entire property together themselves.
Paintings, curios and up-cycled furniture can run throughout in a combination of handcrafted and reclaimed furnishings. It is these unique statement pieces that provide Aguas Claras with its distinctive, chic charm.
The playful design of the bohemian hideaway blends seamlessly together with its tropical surroundings, where luxury bungalows, suites and a two-story Caribbean House rub shoulders with the shores of Playa Chiquita and the wild Costa Rican jungle.
Elizabeth and Elena have put a number of sustainable policies in place to protect the stunning landscape on which the hotel rests. There is also a plastic-free policy and staff members clean the beachfront of the hotel every day and maintain the principal nature trail at Cahuita National Park.
And Elena and Elizabeth’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Aguas Claras earned the Earth Changers at National Geographic’s World Legacy Awards in 2017 and the World Travel & Tourism Council’s 2018 Tourism for Tomorrow Award in the “People” category.
A stay at Aguas Claras is the perfect addition to any luxury itinerary in Costa Rica to fully explore all that the country has to offer.
Palacio Principe Real
Palacio Principe Real is a decadent palace located in the heart of Lisbon's trendy Príncipe Real neighborhood, co-owned by Gail Curley, and her husband, Miles and run by a team of female managers and staff members.
A decorator by trade, Gail meticulously restored the 19th-century property to an extraordinary finish.
Along with preserving the building’s ancient old stone walls, she lovingly restored its original windows, wooden shutters and ornate ceiling moldings.
Gail kept as close to the property’s original design as possible throughout the remodeling, while also remaining mindful of the environment. She even went as far as to rescue marble off-cuts from the rubbish skip, recycle scrap metal into garden features, make the barbecue from an old compression tank and use old water pipes to make the garden lighting.
The couple also invests in sustainable olive farming to further offset their carbon footprint.
The grounds of Palacio Principe Real offer a peaceful oasis of greenery amidst the hustle and bustle of Lisbon, in which you will find an enchanting herb garden with over 500 pesticide-free trees, plants and shrubs, some of which trace back hundreds of years.
The rooms at this boutique hotel are no less impressive. Enchanting and airy, guests can enjoy neutral color schemes with bright accents along with unique features such as SMEG fridges and double sinks in the bedroom.
Royal Portfolio
The Royal Portfolio is design guru, Liz Biden’s renowned hospitality collection. Her extraordinary accommodation portfolio includes boutique hotels, luxury lodges and private residents dotted around South Africa’s most iconic destinations.
From Kruger National Park to the whale-watching paradise of Walker Bay, Liz’s distinctive style of design stretches across each of the country’s most sought-after locations.
One of her most exceptional establishments is The Silo.
The extraordinary hotel towers over the iconic V&A Waterfront and offers views of Table Mountain and Table Bay from its elevated position of six floors above the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa.
Its extraordinary location can be felt throughout the walls of the hotel, which are adorned with local, modern artwork. The Silo’s collection of over 300 artworks has been curated by its on-site pioneer art concierge, Irene Boaventura.
The wonderful array of pieces bring the hotel's walls to life by submerging guests in the vibrant creative scene and diverse cultural heritage of Cape Town.
When it comes to the bedrooms, each was carefully designed by Liz to have its own unique look and all feature items from her travels along with sourced and repurposed pieces.
The finished result is an extraordinary design that nails the perfect balance between natural muted tones, statement pieces and vibrant colors, patterns and textures.
A highly experienced female-led team is to thank for making The Royal Portfolio what it is today. Liz has placed women in many of the senior positions at her properties that are often occupied by men.
Nicola Bargiacchi is the female ranger at Royal Malewane, a luxury Royal Portfolio accommodation located in the African bush. She is one of the most highly qualified female guides in the industry and offers unrivaled safari experiences while balancing her role as a mother.
Group Beverage Manager and Sommelier at The Royal Portfolio, Wayve Kolevsohn is one of the first African females to be certified through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She has an unmatched ability to pair wine with customers and create the most magnificent guest experience.
Every day at The Royal Portfolio’s 30-acre estate in the Cape Winelands, La Residence, full-time florist, Madaline Jefthas, maintains 300 pots of flowers. She decorates the hotel with fresh bouquets using on-site flower beds and local suppliers.
Her stunning colorful creations set an enchanting tone and ambience for guests at La Residence.
Not one to shy away from community projects, The Royal Portfolio supports charities such as the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds and Atlantic Hope (a non-profit organization and safe house for vulnerable babies).
I personally feel passionate about celebrating the success of women-driven businesses within the male-dominated travel sector.
The lack of gender diversity within senior positions in the travel industry can be incredibly stark and obvious. As my father had experience in the sector, I was lucky enough to have his guidance which gave me the confidence to go out and establish myself in the field. It’s so inspiring to see other women doing the same. The empowerment of women should never be seen as an act of charity: go to any safari lodge that is female-managed and you will instantly notice how women ensure that even the smallest touches are taken care of. This was my own recent experience staying at Mombo Camp, Vumbura Plains and Cheetah Plains, and it is most certainly my experience with my own staff. The very concept of Craft Travel is built upon the idea of championing not just women, but mothers in the workplace. Every full-time employee is a woman and a mother.
