Sandy Place Newsletter June 2025

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As the year reaches its halfway mark, there’s a special kind of calm that settles over St Lucia. The salty breeze carries stories from the ocean, the streets hum with the easy rhythm of coastal life, and the sandy paths around Sandy Place welcome both new footsteps and familiar ones.

It’s been a few months since the last newsletter and we thought it was the perfect time to catch up — so grab a cup of something warm (or cool, if you’re reading this under the sun) and let’s fill you in on what’s been happening at your home-away-from-home.

Let’s dive into our Resort highlights since the last edition of ‘Sandy Stories’.

Sightings | Resort Upgrades | Holiday Memories | Notices

Our local town hippos are well-known for frequenting the road right in front of our main gate. One of their favourite grazing parks happens to be just near our Resort, offering guests a rare and exciting opportunity to witness these incredible animals up close — but always at a safe distance. Hippos, the third largest land mammal on earth, may love the water but enjoy evening strolls from the estuary to their favourite grassy spots in town. Fascinatingly, a hippo can reach speeds of up to 30km/h over short distances, making them surprisingly fast for their size! This evening activity has become one of the most memorable and educational highlights for our guests.

Adding to the local charm, a lively crew of warthogs — affectionately dubbed the “Lion King” gang, distant cousins of the famous ‘Pumba’ — roam around town, having a grand old time. You’ll spot them rolling in the grass, munching on lawns, and playfully chasing one another. These warthogs are highly protected by the local community and have become a beloved source of entertainment and perfect photo opportunities for visitors. Although wild, the St. Lucia warthogs are fairly accustomed to people, having grown up in town, but we do remind guests to treat them with respect and caution, as warthogs can reach speeds of up to 48km/h when startled.

New Property
Management System

We’re thrilled to let you in on some exciting news — Sandy Place has a brand-new property management system, HotelTime! This system is designed to simplify our day-to-day operations and, most importantly, make your stays even more enjoyable. From reservations and check-ins to billing and reporting, HotelTime helps us run things smoothly behind the scenes. It’s a big step toward modernising our Resort and ensuring every visit is as seamless and memorable as possible.

Along with this, we have a new rental booking agent MyResorts. MyResorts is a hospitality brand offering a wide range of resorts and holiday escapes. They’re known for their handpicked collection of memorable getaways, making it simple for guests to discover and book unforgettable experiences. Alongside this, MyResorts uses smart technology to manage bookings — including those for private owners — with the goal of boosting occupancy and optimising revenue.

New Booking Agent – MyResorts

We are pleased to introduce our new rental booking agent, MyResorts. This hospitality brand offers a carefully selected collection of resorts and holiday escapes, making it easy for guests to find and book memorable getaways. In addition, MyResorts uses smart technology to manage bookings, including those for private owners, with a focus on boosting occupancy and maximising revenue.

Holiday Options

Managing Your Ownership Just Got Easier!

We’re excited to introduce new self-service features now available on Holiday Options:

View your ownership and occupation dates
Access financial info and statements
Make secure levy payments online
Deposit your ownership with ease
Place your ownership on rental

New Rental Flexibility:
You can now place your ownership on rental per night, on the resort’s website.

Get Started:
Register online today and take control of your ownership, anytime, anywhere.

www.holidayoptions.co.za

Website Coming Soon!

It’s been a while in the making, but we’re excited to share that a brand-new website for your favourite home-away-from-home is on the way! Soon, you’ll be able to explore the Resort digitally and not via a club and also make direct bookings with just a click of a button. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for the big launch announcement!

Every now and then, it’s important to sprinkle a little extra fairy dust around the Resort to keep things fresh and ready for your enjoyment. Since our last catch-up, we’ve been quite busy behind the scenes, getting everything in tip-top shape for your next visit. Here’s a look at what’s been happening.

Pest Control

We have treated all our units for bats due to recent visits.

Refrigerator

We have replaced fridges in some units.

Surveillance Cameras

We have installed 9 additional surveillance cameras around the Resort to ensure high level security and access control.

Garden Areas

The heavy rains we received in March contributed to the blooming of our roses and rosemary trees around the garden area.

Mattresses

New mattresses and tops we purchased and added to all the units to replace the old ones.

Christmas

If there’s one season, we truly enjoy celebrating it’s the festive season! We made sure to light up the reception with colourful fairy lights and made sure guests could feel the Christmas spirit. During check-in guests also received tasty cupcakes and a note just to add a bit of sweetness to their stay. This season was one to remember.

Valentine’s Day

This Valentine’s Day, we pampered our guests. Upon arrival the Reception Area was decorated with fun and lovely decorations. We offered each guest chocolates and had some on the “chocolate tree”. Awaiting in their units was beautifully decorated towels symbolising the LOVE theme, along with a surprise gift of “sweet chocolate straws” along with a heartfelt message for each guest we welcomed.

Easter Weekend

With a fully booked Resort, the excitement was through the roof! The Team prepared colourful bunny packs for each unit, with a “you have been egged” Easter egg hunt for each family in their unit. Children aged 1 – 12 were encouraged to participate in a colouring in competition with PRIZES which were given to the respective participants. It truly was a memorable celebration.

St Lucia Festival

St Lucia came alive on 25 April with a lively music concert and market day, featuring well-known artists Steve Hofmeyr and Dozi. The town was bustling as local vendors set up their stalls, offering everything from homemade treats and handcrafted goodies to tasty food, drinks, and fun activities. It was a vibrant day out, with visitors and locals coming together to soak up the sunshine and festive atmosphere.

A Sad Farewell to Lyn

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Lyn Boltz-Ahlers in January 2025. Lyn was part of the Sandy Place team for 9 years and will be missed by the team and guests alike. The team attended her memorial and performed a heart-felt song and a speech from the entire group and guests, passing our condolences.

Welcome to the Team Kim

Kim Nixon joined as our Receptionist in January 2025, she has experience within the media industry, non-profit organisations such as the American Red Cross, Door of Hope children’s mission and hospice care. She worked in the California, USA. Her career then ventured towards Hospitality – Game Lodge/Restaurants, where she gained experience in the hospitality environment. We welcome her experience and her friendly demeanor with our guests and within our Team.

We're filled with gratitude knowing we're delivering unforgettable holidays — and we couldn't wait to share the latest feedback from our happy guests with you, our valued Shareholders.

“Your staff is very well trained and friendly should keep this good attitude, the house cleaning is very impressive.”

- Mpho Tlaka

“A very pleasant stay, pristine resort well cared for and attention to detail outstanding. Thank you for making our holiday so relaxed and enjoyable.”

– Hoare Family

“We were happy about everything. Our stay was very comfortable and the staff are very friendly and hardworking. Keep it up!!!”

- Lunga Monnakgotla Family

“Outstanding management, very professional and welcoming approach.”

- Farouk Ismail

St Lucia has a new restaurant located at 62 McKenzie Street called The Gourmet & Grub Restaurant. They offer group buffets, cater for special functions and offer a delicious varied menu, we recommend that you give it a try should you feel like taking the evening off from cooking & dishes, and simply treat yourselves to a delicious meal and mellow vibes.

TENDER WEEKS AVAILABLE
Contact the RHS Property Admin team for more information.
propertyadmin@rhservices.co.za

BOOK YOUR STAY THROUGH MYRESORTS
There’s never been a better time to plan your getaway. With a simple and seamless way to secure your stay, you can focus on what really matters - soaking up the bushveld bliss. Pick a place, pack a bag, and let’s get you sidetracked!
www.myresorts.co.za

Be part of the change. Join African Blessings on their journey to empower and uplift children in need.

Read more about African Blessings and all their projects.

Expand your Holiday Horizons.
Buy or sell holidays on Uni-Vate Properties. Visit the Uni-Vate Properties website to browse a wide range of holiday weeks available at a variety of destinations.
www.univateproperties.co.za

With 7Across, it is easy to go to more places, see more faces and cover more bases. All with lower fees and less fine print. If that isn't a win-win-win, we don't know what is. Join for free!
www.7across.com/join-for-free

Important Notices

Resort Calendar
2025

Shareholder Documentation
Download

RHS Website
Visit here

Keep In Touch With Us

In Closing…

As we move into the second half of the year, we’re reminded once again of how special this little corner of the world is — and how lucky we are to share it with wonderful Shareholders or guests like you. Every visit, every memory made, and every story told under the St Lucia sun adds to the essence of Sandy Place. Whether you’re a familiar face we’ve come to know and love, or you’re planning your very first getaway with us, know that there’s always a spot waiting for you here. The waves will be crashing, the sunsets will be glowing, and the team will be ready with warm smiles and welcoming hearts.

Best Regards,

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