City Lodge renovates hotel in Gqeberha — Daily Maverick
In Gqeberha, South Africa, City Lodge Hotels has completed the renovation of the four-star Courtyard Hotel Gqeberha in the Summerstrand area. The work covered 91 rooms, the restaurant, conference areas, the lobby and public spaces. The renovation lasted from July 2025 to April 2026 and helped create around seven permanent jobs, Daily Maverick reports.
Courtyard Hotel general manager Erich Oberhauser said the investment reflects the company’s confidence in the prospects of the local tourism and hospitality market. According to him, cooperation between hotels and other tourism industry representatives could enhance the city’s appeal to travellers and contribute to job creation.
Investment amid unemployment
The renovation was carried out amid rising unemployment in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan area. According to Statistics South Africa, the rate reached 33.1% in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 29.8% in the previous quarter and 26.4% a year earlier. The number of unemployed people in the metropolitan area stood at about 183,000, while employment was 49,000 people lower than a year earlier.
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In the Eastern Cape province, the unemployment rate rose to 47.5% in the second quarter, from 44.6% in the first quarter and 39.5% a year earlier. The province had 1.219 million people without work who were actively seeking it. The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber said in August that new investment, business development and job creation were needed.
Further plans for the chain
City Lodge Hotels also plans to renovate the Road Lodge and Town Lodge hotels in Gqeberha. The work is expected to take place in the 2027 financial year. The company is also investing in the operation of its properties during disruptions to municipal services: boreholes and water filtration systems have been installed at several hotels, additional tanks were installed at the airport hotel, and all hotels in the chain have generators and solar panels.
Following the renovation, the Courtyard Hotel restaurant was renamed 25° East. The chain aims to give the restaurant a separate identity and attract visitors who are not staying at the hotel.
