BON Hotels, a South African hospitality group that manages, operates and markets hotels and lodges across Southern and West Africa, has partnered with the privately owned Vida Nova Collection to add three properties to its network: Vida Nova Retreat in Hout Bay, Cape Town; Vida Nova Kruger in Marloth Park; and Monarch Villas in Mozambique’s Machangulo Private Nature Reserve.
The partnership brings BON Hotels together with American entrepreneur Bob Koski, a former Atlanta lawyer and founder of Vida Nova Collection. BON Hotels will support the independently owned properties through its established travel trade relationships, sales and distribution network.
The first property to be relaunched under the partnership is the 19-room boutique Vida Nova Retreat in Hout Bay, which will trade as Vida Nova Retreat by BON Hotels. Refurbishment is underway ahead of a planned relaunch in early 2027. The property adds to BON Hotels’ Cape Town presence, which includes Majorca Apartments by BON Hotels in Century City and Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Durbanville, owned by BON Hotels CEO Guy Stehlik.
“Hout Bay has surprisingly few hotels for somewhere so close to the city,” says Stehlik. “You’re less than half an hour from the centre, yet it feels like a coastal village, with the harbour, beaches and mountains on your doorstep. Vida Nova gives us something different in our Cape Town portfolio, with real potential in international leisure travel, executive retreats, wellness and smaller corporate groups.”
Set among landscaped gardens in the Hout Bay valley, Vida Nova Retreat is being refurbished with interiors inspired by its natural surroundings. Liza Ray Designs is updating the entrance lobby and 12 rooms in Block A, introducing sage green tones, natural timber and botanical details, alongside new furnishings, improved lighting and refreshed bathrooms.
The retreat is also suited to small corporate gatherings, leadership workshops and residential retreats. Its meeting facilities, garden spaces and private dining offering provide opportunities for programmes combining business sessions with wellness, team-building and outdoor activities.
The property is also home to KIRŪ, its signature Pan-Asian restaurant led by chef Rikū O’Donnchu. Inspired by Japanese culinary philosophy and flavours from around the world, the menu offers a contemporary take on comfort food. The restaurant also offers a Chef’s Table experience and caters for private dining and special events.
The retreat already offers daily wellness sessions, and Koski plans to expand the spa and introduce programmes combining exercise, nutrition and guided outdoor activities. He is exploring partnerships with local operators to give guests access to Hout Bay’s hiking and cycling trails, as well as activities along the coastline.
In Mpumalanga, Vida Nova Kruger is an eight-suite safari lodge in Marloth Park, overlooking the Crocodile River and Kruger National Park beyond. Elephants can be seen crossing the river from the lodge, while Crocodile Bridge Gate, approximately 14km away, provides easy access to southern Kruger. Accommodating up to 16 guests, the lodge is also suited to small incentive groups and executive retreats, with opportunities to combine business gatherings with guided safaris and private dining.
In southern Mozambique, Monarch Villas is located within the Machangulo Private Nature Reserve, across the bay from Maputo. The property offers private beachfront accommodation on a secluded stretch of Indian Ocean coastline, where humpback whales can be seen during their annual migration.
For Koski, the partnership provides access to the hospitality experience and industry relationships needed to develop the three properties.
“Each of these places is somewhere I fell in love with, and each one is unlike anywhere else,” says Koski. “But I learned I couldn’t get where I wanted to go on my own. I needed the right partners. BON took the time to understand what we’re trying to build across all three properties, and I believe they have the experience and relationships to help us get there.”
About BON Hotels
Founded in 2012 by hotelier Guy Stehlik, BON Hotels is a South African hospitality group that owns, manages and markets hotels, lodges and resorts across Southern and West Africa. With more than 30 years of hospitality experience, Stehlik has built BON Hotels around an approach that combines professional hotel management with an understanding of each property’s individual character and commercial potential.
An Approved Hotel Operator for Marriott International in Southern and West Africa, BON Hotels also works with independent property owners, providing hotel management, sales, marketing, revenue management and operational support. Its established systems and industry relationships help independently owned hotels compete in regional and international markets while retaining their own identity.
For more information, visit www.bonhotels.com.
About Vida Nova Collection
Vida Nova Collection takes its name from the words for ‘new life’. Founded by American entrepreneur Bob Koski, the privately owned collection grew from his lifelong love of wild places and his desire to share the pleasure of being somewhere beautiful, far from the demands of everyday life. Each property is a place Bob came to love and wanted others to experience.
Vida Nova Retreat is a 19-room garden hotel in Hout Bay, Cape Town, close to Table Mountain’s hiking trails and home to KIRŪ, a Pan-Asian restaurant led by chef Rikū O’Donnchu. Vida Nova Kruger is an eight-suite lodge in Marloth Park, overlooking the Crocodile River and Kruger National Park. In Mozambique’s Machangulo Private Nature Reserve, Monarch Villas will offer private beachfront accommodation along a secluded stretch of Indian Ocean coastline, where humpback whales pass during their annual migration.
