Cullinan opens team room to welcome Boks

Ravi Nadasen, GM of Tsogo Sun’s Southern Sun The Cullinan hotel in Cape Town, opened new facilities at the hotel yesterday that are designed to make it the number-one destination for sports teams.

And the first team to use the dedicated facilities is the Springbok rugby team, who are in Cape Town to prepare for the August 18 rugby test against Argentina.

Nadasen, who is known as a passionate fan of all sports, welcomed the team and also explained the need to provide modern-day sports stars with more than just a place to stay.

The hotel has become home-away-from-home for top local and overseas sports teams and has now converted a restaurant area into the Cullinan Team Room.

Located next to the new Cullinan Fitness Centre, the Team Room is a single venue that encompasses all sports team requirements including meeting, dining, physio, leisure areas, storage and security.

Coaching staff and players alike will appreciate the state-of-the-art computers with high-speed internet access for fast video streaming and analysis, whilst overseas teams will welcome the high-tech teleconferencing facilities. 46-inch HD televisions make for a dynamic viewing experience and the room also features ceiling-mounted, high-resolution data projectors to aid in pre-match preparation and post-match analysis.

With diet an increasingly important part of the modern athlete’s preparation, the Team Room’s dining area is equipped with temperature-controlled hot and cold serving facilities, as well as high-speed blenders, toaster and sandwich press to cater for in-between-meal snacks, special protein shakes and smoothies.

Down time can be spent in the relaxation and leisure area boasting a pool and foosball table, Nintendo Wii and board games. There is also a dedicated physio area, including a massage plinth, whilst a balcony provides for outside access with braai facilities.  Finally, secure access control and a dedicated storage area ensure the safety and security of both the athletes and their equipment.

It was clear last night that the Springbok squad were delighted with the Team Room as they settled down to dinner after a practice session.

Nadasen also pointed out that guest rooms at the hotel all had beds long enough for any two-metre tall lock.