Dreaming of a truly royal getaway, you should definitely think about Pezula Private Castle – Buccara, this year’s winner of Luxury Lifestyle Awards in the category of Luxury Boutique Hotel in Knysna, South Africa. Kashif Arif, Managing Director of this heavenly destination, will tell us about their unparalleled location, aspirations, and setbacks in business life, and the impact they are feeling from winning such a prestigious international award as LLA.

Kashif, it’s so great to get to know you through this interview. We know that the location of your castle is one of your biggest treasures. Will you tell us a bit more about that?

Pezula Private Castle really emphasizes our brand name – BUCCARA – which in Swahili translates to – a secret place -. Pezula Private Castle enjoys a prime, secluded location on the world-famous Garden Route called Noetzie Beach. Forbes ranked this beach #16 worldwide with 277 sunshine days per year. In terms of guest profile, the castle attracts travelers looking for bespoke & unique experiences, world-class service, and luxurious amenities, from a wide geographical base.

How popular is Knysna with tourists these days? Do you have to sort of fight over clients with your competitors, or are you comfortable with the “natural flow” of visitors?

Knysna is the beating heart of the Garden Route. Wherever you have come from in the world, Knysna is sure to steal a piece of your heart. Knysna is not only a small and unique town, but it also offers up-to-date and convenient services. Pezula Private Castle that is nestled in the Noetzie Conservancy offers a unique experience for any guest and for this, it puts us In a “natural flow” of guests and visitors to this unique area.

Pezula Private Castle – BUCCARA is offering the guests an exquisite and lavish way to experience South Africa. Do you feel like you are in a way creating a new definition of luxury?

At Pezula Private Castle we have created a blend of luxury and old charm nostalgic feel. Each space throughout the Castle has a unique experience and history to tell. This blend suits your environment and offers you a luxurious stay perfectly reflecting our core philosophy of creating lasting memories and moments, that strengthen our guests’ bonds.

Speaking of the downside for a change: what are the main setbacks or challenges a new owner of a luxury boutique hotel should expect to encounter?

Since BUCCARA Private Collection consists of private homes in Spain, Austria, Italy, and South Africa, based on our global experiences we can conclude, that newcomers in this segment should make sure, they have a unique location, a very special property fitting well in the environment with a lot of beautiful stories and then create the service levels, that the clients will love.

This year your company was proudly recognized by Luxury Lifestyle Awards. How do such events impact your business, if they do?

We are certainly very thankful for the award and humbled by this incredibly prestigious honor and I can ensure you, this is the result of outstanding teamwork. Specifically, this award is a result of the very hard work and dedication of our South Africa team headed by Chris Nortje and Jeanne Stander, who takes care of our castles and our guests in Knysna. Our experience is that winning awards motivates our team members and of course also grows visibility.

Great! And to finish up on the motivational side: what are the things you are striving for at the moment with your business? Are you setting realistic or ambitious goals for your business and yourself?

We are trying to set ourselves realistic AND ambitious goals. We are adding new regions, for example, Bahamas and also investing in increasing capacities + services at our existing locations. The binding bracket, however, will always remain the same: Exceptional locations, unique houses and outstanding services aimed at creating very special and memorable moments for our guests strengthening their bonds.