[10 Things I Love About...] Emperors Palace

By Nigel Atherton, Complex General Manager of Emperors Palace

Nigel started with Emperors Palace as their Chief Financial Officer in 2005 before taking on the exciting opportunity of managing the resort two years ago. Don't let his cool and calm demeanour fool you - he knows every nook and cranny of the East Rand entertainment resort and tells us about the top 10 things he loves best about his home away from home - some of which may surprise you.

1. The CODESA Walk: Emperors Palace proudly hosts The Codesa Walkway Heritage Museum (Convention for a Democratic South Africa), which is a visual and literary walk through our past as a country. The Walk uses boards with remarkable images, facts and speeches to document our history, from the time of the San and Khoekhoe through to the arrival of white settlers. The Codesa Walk is one of our most important pieces of heritage and has the ability to evoke a range of emotions, from anger and shock to hope and pride.

2. The Gautrain Expansion Project: The Gautrain's Rhodesfield station is already extremely convenient for those visiting Emperors Palace. However, the proposal to further the line from Rhodesfield to Boksburg, as well as adding three extensions to Randburg, Mamelodi and Westgate , will make accessing the Palace of Dreams that much easier.

3. The Aerotropolis Project: This multi-million rand public-private partnership has resulted in the establishment of a one-stop business facilitation network, which comprises four strategic business units, to support local entrepreneurs and enable them to take advantage of the O.R. Tambo International Airport Aerotropolis project planned by the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG). The project was established as a business super-hub to assist small businesses in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipal area to boost their entrepreneurial endeavours.

4. Entertainment: You can't beat Emperors Palace when it comes to entertainment. From the Theatre of Marcellus to the Odeon Showbar and Marc Antony's Cigar Lounge, there's always something spectacular on the go. Emperors Palace is also the home of South African boxing, hosting many world title fights and quality tournaments featuring local and international boxers.

5. Rest and relaxation: Octavia's Spa has something for everyone when it comes to enjoying some world-class pampering. From Himalayan Salt Stone Massages to Milk Bath Wraps and Flotation Baths, Octavia's is guaranteed to leave even the most stressed bodies and minds looking and feeling rejuvenated!

6. Wining and dining: Emperors Palace really does cater for everyone, with a vast array of restaurants to choose from. The choice ranges from international buffets and fine dining, to contemporary Asian, classic Mediterranean, chic cocktail bars, relaxed family eateries, and even convenient fast-food franchises.

7. Hotels: You can play and then stay at any one of Emperors Palace's four hotels, which include the award-winning five-star Peermont D'oreale Grande, the stunning Peermont Mondior hotel, the Peermont Metcourt Suites hotel and the new contemporary-styled and extremely convenient Peermont Metcourt hotel.

8. Awards: Emperors Palace has won numerous awards, including Best Executive Hotel, World Luxury Hotel, Africa's Leading Casino Resort and Best Airport Hotel.

9. Themes: We love to celebrate at Emperors Palace so you can expect to find fabulous décor and entertainment for the whole family when it comes to special days. Mother's Day and Easter are my personal favourites, but we have fun with everything from Valentine's Day to Christmas!

10. Giving: Our local community really supports us in all our endeavours, which is why it is so important for us to give back to them. We achieve this through the continual provision of financial and leadership support, as well as skills training, through the various Peermont Trusts and other CSIR initiatives.

www.emperorspalace.co.za