Celebrating 21 Years Of Service At Spier Hotel
Long-term sustainability matters to Spier – whether that’s nurturing our Stellenbosch soil to produce excellent wines, consistently delivering the best experiences to guests, or supporting our staff to grow professionally. This year, Spier Hotel celebrates its 21st birthday. To mark the occasion, we’re sharing the stories of some of our longest-serving staff members who have dedicated 21 years – and even longer – to Spier Hotel.
Nomtose Sonka: Better-known as Tossie, our Chef de Partie joined Spier Hotel 21 years ago as a 3rd Commis Chef. Since then, she has prepared countless culinary delights for hotel guests. Her favourite dishes include healthy and traditional flavours such as roasted chicken, vegetable lasagne and a tasty malva pudding for dessert. Tossie enjoys Spier because she is always growing. “Everyday there is something new to be learnt.” Tossie is sociable and loves meeting new people. “I always enjoy interacting with all the guests that come here,” she says. “I have a strong commitment to satisfy and exceed our guests’ expectations.”
Crystal Engelbrecht: Starting as an administrator in our accounts department 21 years ago, Crystal is now our Hotel Bookkeeper. She remembers the excitement of the hotel being built and takes pride in having seen the service offering improve with every year. “I’ve learnt from so many different people at Spier who really made a significant impact in the workplace by supporting and guiding me.” she says.
Joyce Malefane: 21 years ago, Joyce joined the Spier family as a waitron and worked her way up to Hotel Restaurant Floor Manager. What motivates Joyce? “I enjoy seeing our guests happy and coming back to Spier because we offer the best service.” One of Joyce’s highlights over the past 21 years was when Spier sent her to stay at a 5-star hotel in Cape Town to experience firsthand what excellent service looked like. “I felt honored and appreciated, and it opened my eyes and made me realise what 5-star service really is. I took all the positive things I saw and implemented them in my team.”
We are fortunate to have close to 30 team members with more than 21 years of experience at Spier. It’s a testament to the culture we’ve created and we’re proud of their deep sense of loyalty and commitment.
Hotel Maintenance Manager Piet Van Niekerk and Accountant Yolyn September were also part of the original team when the hotel opened in 2000. They love working on the beautiful farm and being surrounded by motivated colleagues. They value the respect that the Spier family shows to each other, our cultural heritage and the natural environment.
Richard Newton-King, now the HR Director for Wines and Farming, was also part of the opening of the hotel and recalls the early days: “It was an exciting and chaotic time as we set out to hire and resource the hotel with the very best talent in our communities. The heart of our hotel and the legendary service we are known for today, started with a special Spier team that was committed to serving others. Happily, that spirit still lives on.”
CELEBRATE 21 YEARS WITH SPIER HOTEL
Visit Spier Hotel between now and 26 December and receive a 21% birthday discount on our best available rate. Read more here.