Beacon Isle

"The Beacon Isle was the first of its kind in the world of tourism – and, due to its unique placement on a rock against one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world, it could never be copied. The size and shape of the building contrasted spectacularly with the natural setting that it bisected. Whether from the Robberg Peninsula to the west or the mountain road to the east, the Beacon Isle stood out, a gleaming piece of modern art in an exquisite seascape setting. The striking design was not confined to the exterior. Inside, the floor-to-ceiling atrium was replete with live palm trees that waved gently in the breeze. The floor glistened with aqua-blue glass tiles. The slightly uneven beach-coloured walls of the balcony walkways to the hotel rooms curved around the lobby like an elegant, multitiered cake. As much as people were impressed by the striking building from the outside, the interior took their breath away when they entered through the sliding glass doors for the first time. South Africans were proud to say that this unique building had been created by one of their own, and everybody wanted to see it. Not only were December and January fully booked, but full occupancy soon extended to the rest of the year. The success of the Beacon Isle was secured."

"In South Africa, the construction industry practically shuts down from mid-December to mid-January. If the building was not finished in time, there would be a delay of up to two months. The only guaranteed customers would arrive over this period, and missing the proposed opening date would be a disaster. If Sol and Gordon did not have the hotel ready by 5 December, Sol’s reputation would take a severe hit – as would his pockets and the confidence of his investors. Not completing the Beacon Isle on time was simply not an option."

"Although they had been taught the differences between Burgundy and Claret, Champagne and Prosecco and so on during their training, by the end of service they were resorting to “red”, “pink” or “white” in their descriptions of the copious wine list. As things started to go wrong, Sol’s anger rose. He’d had no time during construction to concern himself with service; now his attention was clearly required. His scowling face told me everything. But then two strange things happened. Shirley, sensing that her fiancé was about to blow a fuse, got him to laugh. She was the only person in the world who could do that when tensions were running high. Second, the seasoned travellers who were our guests found the restaurant experience charming. They knew that they were in Africa, that the hotel had just opened its doors and that the staff were doing their best. In fact, the people who had arrived that day were so impressed by the achievement of building and opening such a unique place that Sol could have served them baked beans on toast and gotten away with it. They were in awe of him, and as they drifted out of the restaurant to the bar or to bed, many told him so. As chaotic as it had been, the first day in the life of the Beacon Isle was over. Somehow we had managed to pull it off."