Lloyd Jansen: S.A's hottest local artist

Good Day all

After a long anticipated wait local Cape Town artist Llyod Jansen has released his debut self titled album "Llyod Jansen".

After his 2008/2009 hit single "call of the search" many people wanted to hear more of his music and finally now you can.

this is what stereo records had to say about Llyods debut album:

Lloyd Jansen, the third Cape Town artist signed to StereoType Records, is setting the local music scene ablaze with his soulful voice, charismatic performances and infectious stage charm.

Become a fan of LLoyd Jansen on Facebook

"A Cape Town native, Lloyd has been signing, performing and entertaining from a very young age. During his teen years Lloyd received vocal training from the acclaimed coach Karen Bradfield. Lloyd has put his training to good use , performing with one of Cape Town’s most well know musical trio’s – “Soul” and is now also a member of “The Black Ties”

So if you want to hear this awesome guys music you can purchase the tracks from:

http://stereotyperecords.co.za/artists/lloyd-jansen/

Or

Your local: Look and Listen out lets.

if you would also like you can add i comment to this post and i can organise the album for you at the price of R150.00

X.O.X.O
Hotel Guy

My Franschhoek Holiday experience

Good day all my readers

So I promised you a post about my holiday and in Fransshoek so here it is:
Last year November I decided I wanted to go away on holiday somewhere nice and far but not to far so couldn’t make up my mind were exactly I wanted to go , until I saw an add on Gumtree for a place in Fransshoek called: Otters Bend Lodge and it was running at a special. So I immediately phoned and made a booking and paid a deposit. This was really exciting for me for two reasons:
1. I achieved a goal for myself and it became reality.
2. It is my first holiday away since I have been in Cape Town and I paid for it myself.
So I left on the Saturday morning 16 April and first stopped off in Stellenbosch to have a walk about and land take some pictures like I was a tourist on a mission lol. After about and hour in Stellenbosch I drove through to fransshoek when I stopped at a place called Cafe Le Choclatere (which is a fancy small deli/restaurant in the beginning of the main road of Fransshoek – lol because Fransshoek is actually just one long main road). There I had some fine chocolate's and a mango smoothie (which wasn’t that great but it was okay). Once I was done I headed to Otters Bend lodge (which is located behind the main road of Fransshoek near the Monte Rochel hotel).
There I met Mark the owner of Otters Bend Lodge , a really layed back awesome guy who had no hesitation introducing me to the lodge and showing me the log cabin in which I would stay. I firstly got a small log cabin but he said it was just for the evening and tomorrow morning I can have the main cabin which was much bigger. That night I went to dinner to Calcatious Pizzeria and had one of the best pizzas ever just brilliant!! and exceptional service.

The next day I moved into the bigger cabin which was bigger and absolutely more fabulous. Then decided to go and speak to Mark with regards what all i could do while i was in Franshhoek so he took a map and went through everything with me.

Os the first place i had to go to was the Hugenote chocolates which is a small chocolate factory in Franshhoek which makes there own chocolates in many different shapes , sizes and flavours all pure BELGIUM chocolate so goooood!!!. After that i decided it would be great to go and a find a good place to go and have breakfast and that's were i discovered the most fabulous restaurant to have breakfast called: Cafe Benedict , they served the best sunrise breakfast and french toast with rocket and lemon curd yummy yum and it was super cheap so i decided to make Cafe Benedict the restaurant of chose for breakfast.

So once my day was up went back to the lodge to go and rest in my new big cabin (and then there it was above the roof something i expected seeing that i am staying a in a log cabin a massive Rain spider needless to say he was out there as fast as he came in. now it was time for some peace and quite as i had i hectic day ahead for me.

The following day i decided to go do some wine tasting so i started off at a place called: My Wynn which was at a women's house who made only 20 barrels of wine per year and she did all the work herself this was a fantastic experience as it was so personalised and an awesome experience i bought a bottle of dessert wine called: My amber (2010) only 1300 bottles made and half of that number is in Germany (as it is one of her suppliers). Once i was done i went to a place called" Cahmonix which was just down the road from My Wynn , there i had 3 wines and some grappa (omw never in my life have i ever tasted something that strong it was really bad worse than the afrikaans drink: Mampoer lol).

After Chamonix , i went to : Haute Cabriere (which sells all the Pierre Jourdaan products) there i had some bella rose champagne stunning!! and bought a bottle of dessert wine called: Rafilia (i think lol) stunning dessert wine. Well it was 3 wine farms down and 25 glasses of wine later , it was time i headed back to the lodge and sleep as i was slightly tipsy ehehhehehe.

For that evening i had some nice dinner pasta yayayay my favourite. I also stood around the camp fire and chilled and chatted to some of the owners friends who were all there and we all just bounded and had a great evening. Now it was definitely time for to go sleep (seeing i didn't actually sleep in the afternoon LOL) so i went to bed and had a great evening. i am also a little sad because tomorrow is my second last day in Francshhoek.

The following Day i had my last breakfast at Cafe Benedict all the staff recognised me as i walked into the restaurant , i started feeling like a local LOL. After breakfast i headed outside Franschhoek to go and do some tasting at the Graham Beck wine estate WOW! what a stunning estate the best one that i have seen out of all of them so far. After Graham beck i headed off to Boekenhoudskloof wine estate , also a really stunning estate , i even got the opportunity to walk through the vineyard which was really amazing (seeing at all the other wine farms i wasn't allowed to).
After the two farms i was already feeling "sloshed" so i got some food an headed back to the lodge just to relax an enjoy the last day in this amazing place.

The next morning i packed all my things with a very sad emotion as i did not want to leave , i thanked Marc for the amazing stay and jumped into my car and headed back home.

My holiday in Franschhoek was the most amazing time of my life. I would really recommend it to anyone to go toake a holiday there (ecspicially if you just want to escape the city life , its the prefect setting for that). Thank you to everyone who made it special for me and i will be back next year because i decided to make it an annual thing.

Here is the details for Otters bend lodge if you need accommodation in Franschhoek:

http://www.ottersbendlodge.co.za

Reservations July 2011

Hey readers

Wow what a month in the reservations department.
Let’s first start off by saying I was actually meant to be in the kitchen this month yet the new Rooms Division Manager Efi Ella stole me to come work in the reservations , due to the fact they needed help because two staff members were going on leave.

I actually learned so much during my month here (didn’t think I would actually because it my 3rd time in the department and I just thought it would be the same). Clearly I was wrong there are a few things that still are the same, but there is so much new stuff I have learned like the following:


- Using Synxis (CRS – system) to double check the bookings as well as how to build a synxis booking that has not intergraded into the PMS system.

- Building bookings for : ecco tours , bookings.com and expedia

- Adjusting Rates to suit bookings

- Using the wild key to pick up profiles.

- Laser fiche (document manager)

- Building a COMP booking

So there is quite a lot. This is really one department I see myself in once I have done studying. There’s so much work, there’s pressure, there’s challenges all the things I love about hospitality can be found in a reservations department.

Thank you to all in the office for training me on all the new changes and being there for me when I needed help and of course the chats and laughs. It is greatly appreciated.

Then on a small separate note:
Well done to Mariska Rademeyer on her promotion from group reservationists to the new Reservations manager congratulations Mariska I know you will do well and good luck!


X.O.X.O
Hotel Guy

Destination X : Hotel of the month? YOU choose!

Hey all

i have decided to extend this for the month of august/September untill i receive more comments.


Please remember to enter the annual round of Hotel of the month? you choose!!

* just a tip when you post a comment it will ask to select a profile select: annoymous if you dont not have a google or gmail account

ENTER ENTER ENTER if you want to see your hotel feature on the one and only hotel guys page

How to enter:

1. You need to post a comment on this post for which hotel you would like to see be featured next.
2. Once the 2 weeks is up of which i require at LEAST 5 different hotels.
3. A voting poll of the top 5 or how ever many hotels there are will then go up , where you will then vote on which one you would like to see featured on my blog.

Conditions:

1. The hotel must be a minimum of a 3* deluxe and up , i will NOT take into account hotels under a 3* deluxe brand
2. The hotel does not have to be in Cape town it can be any were in the world.

3. PLEASE THIS IS IMPORTANT - By featuring different hotels on my blog is not a form of promotional or advertising work , it is simply an information feature to let people know what variety is out there

So get those comments rolling
(and take note comments will only be excepted on this post and this post only , not on any other postings)

Good Luck and cant wait to hear from you

X.O.X.O

Hotel Guy

Destination X : Remember to enter the hotel of the month? you choose!!

Hey all

Please remember to enter the annual round of Hotel of the month? you choose!!

* just a tip when you post a comment it will ask to select a profile select: annoymous if you dont not have a google or gmail account

ENTER ENTER ENTER if you want to see your hotel feature on the one and only hotel guys page

How to enter:

1. You need to post a comment on this post for which hotel you would like to see be featured next.
2. Once the 2 weeks is up of which i require at LEAST 5 different hotels.
3. A voting poll of the top 5 or how ever many hotels there are will then go up , where you will then vote on which one you would like to see featured on my blog.

Conditions:

1. The hotel must be a minimum of a 3* deluxe and up , i will NOT take into account hotels under a 3* deluxe brand
2. The hotel does not have to be in Cape town it can be any were in the world.

3. PLEASE THIS IS IMPORTANT - By featuring different hotels on my blog is not a form of promotional or advertising work , it is simply an information feature to let people know what variety is out there

So get those comments rolling
(and take note comments will only be excepted on this post and this post only , not on any other postings)

Good Luck and cant wait to hear from you

X.O.X.O

Hotel Guy

Second Annual: Destination X: Hotel of the month? You choose!!

Good Day all my fellow readers


yes the time has come where the month is slowly drawing to an end and i need your help. I am running my second annual Hotel of the month you choose!

The rules are still the same so go ahead comment and see your most favourite hotel published on http://hotelguyexperience.blogspot.com


How to enter:

1. You need to post a comment on this post for which hotel you would like to see be featured next.
2. Once the 2 weeks is up of which i require at LEAST 5 different hotels.
3. A voting poll of the top 5 or how ever many hotels there are will then go up , where you will then vote on which one you would like to see featured on my blog.

Conditions:

1. The hotel must be a minimum of a 3* deluxe and up , i will NOT take into account hotels under a 3* deluxe brand
2. The hotel does not have to be in Cape town it can be any were in the world.

3. PLEASE THIS IS IMPORTANT - By featuring different hotels on my blog is not a form of promotional or advertising work , it is simply an information feature to let people know what variety is out there

So get those comments rolling
(and take note comments will only be excepted on this post and this post only , not on any other postings)

Good Luck and cant wait to hear from you

X.O.X.O

Hotel Guy

Farewell Johanita Jacobs i will miss you.....

Good Day my fellow readers

Well even though I have had a very first good month back at the hotel it has been a very sad one to.
This month we all had to say good bye to the Rooms Division Manager: Johanita Jacobs
Johanita simply put was a Crown Diamond for The Vineyard Hotel and Spa. She not only has been an amazing manager but she was a mother for some, listener for others and for me she was all of that but especially my MENTOR.

When I first applied for my trainee ship back in November / December 2009 I had to come for two interviews in my second interview it was in front of Johanita and I could immediately tell this was a lady that has a passion for this industry.

Needless to say thanks to her vote I got this position. Lol I can still remember when I had to come hand in my signed contract she took it from me and said “Dean, don’t make me regret my decision “with that big white smile and a *wink*.
During my time at the hotel I went through many different things with regards to my position at the hotel and trying to explore many opportunities but before I did anything I would go and speak to Johanita to ask for her advice because I knew she was always the one that would tell me the truth and be straight forward enough with me (which Is one of her super qualities I have always appreciated).


Johanita has left to pursue her long term dream to go and work on celebrity cruise ships aboard Royal Caribbean cruise liners.
She knows that she will be greatly missed and especially by me because I had to lose my mentor (but at least not forever LOl  ) she will be back in the next 4 months.


So Ms.J.Jacobs good luck you will be missed by all of us and good luck with everything you know you will be a success and don’t forget about us here in Cape Town and I will see you very soon!!!!

X.O.X.O
Hotel Guy