April 1, 2021

The In Residence by Pieter Brundyn Academy and Foundation

At In Residence by Pieter Brundyn, we have always been devoted to giving back to our local community and ensuring that as we grow, the community around us grows and prospers, too. Indeed, to us, the concept of hospitality is inextricably linked to ensuring not only the wellbeing and upliftment of our guests but also the entire ecosystem underpinning the services we offer. In this spirit, we are delighted to share the two latest exciting developments in our mission to improve ourselves and our local community: the creation of the In Residence by Pieter Brundyn Foundation and the In Residence by Pieter Brundyn Academy.

The In Residence by Pieter Brundyn Academy and Foundation

The In Residence by Pieter Brundyn Foundation is a not-for-profit organization with the vision of inspiring educational, entrepreneurial, and cultural excellence in our local South African communities. Our aim is to seek out and then sponsor under-funded projects in the region; as dedicated supporters and collectors of contemporary African art, we will in particular focus on endorsing the unique cultural and art-focused events in South Africa. We wish to unveil the boundlessly dynamic and creative elements within the South African cultural scene that, lacking the resources necessary to gain traction and visibility within both the local and global cultural milieu, would otherwise remain hidden. True to its philanthropic origins, the Foundation will as such focus on previously-unsupported projects attempting to address the contemporaneous challenges facing us and that, beyond demonstrating entrepreneurial nous and ambition, also interrogate our present attitudes and approaches.

Villa stay coordinator training

Beyond the Foundation’s inherent cultural bent, it will additionally strive to support alternative education platforms and the development of innovative pedagogical tools, given the great value—and ongoing necessity—of improving educational access and quality in a country whose biggest current obstacle to its development is arguably its continued lack of equal academic opportunities for all. Hence, in alignment with this broader educational mission, we have also separately established the In Residence by Pieter Brundyn Academy—a multi-disciplinary pedagogical collective focusing on upskilling local South Africans within the villa-rental industry whose administrative costs, like the Foundation, are to be fully covered by In Residence by Pieter Brundyn.

Fundamentally, the Academy aims to give back by imparting knowledge to ambitious South Africans aspiring to establish or further specialize themselves in the field of luxury villa-rental. Through personalized, focused training courses, resources, and modules—all taught by experts in their fields—the Academy will provide the best professional foundations for these individuals, ultimately empowering them to make themselves more marketable, earn a better living, and improve their contribution to the hospitality industry in their desired capacity as a housekeeper, chef, butler, or driver.

We're taking hospitality services and the luxury villa-rental scene in South Africa to another level

We are confident that this internal upliftment of individuals will not only improve the local community in pragmatic, tangible ways such as job creation but also will ultimately take hospitality services and the luxury villa-rental scene in South Africa to another level—by having empowered, educated specialists as employees make for a better overall customer experience. Moreover, with the luxury hospitality industry increasingly gravitating away from generic hotels toward tailor-made villa-rental experiences, we see this initiative as an investment in both our local resources on an individual human level as well as the high-end villa market as a whole.

This sense of duty, combined with our South African heritage, can be appositely tied to the well-known concept of Ubuntu—roughly definable as “humanity towards others”, and which entails achieving fulfilment and prosperity through altruism (namely, giving back) towards the people in one’s immediate community.

We have spoken before about what constitutes the foundations of the quintessential In Residence by Pieter Brundyn experience: a tireless commitment to delivering the highest standards of luxury, a personalized, human relationship with our clients, and a degree of refinement that pushes the boundaries of the contemporary villa-rental experience. We see these two new initiatives as integral to strengthening those foundations, because behind every In Residence by Pieter Brundyn experience is an infrastructure—social, cultural, logistical—that extends beyond us but which is fundamental to our success. As proud South Africans, we consider this ecosystem as an extension of the In Residence by Pieter Brundyn community, and hence, we feel an obligation to improve it.

The Academy aims to give back by imparting knowledge to ambitious South Africans aspiring to establish or further specialize themselves in the field of luxury villa-rental

This sense of duty, combined with our South African heritage, can be appositely tied to the well-known concept of Ubuntu—roughly definable as “humanity towards others”, and which entails achieving fulfilment and prosperity through altruism (namely, giving back) towards the people in one’s immediate community. We can think of no concept more fitting as an embodiment of the core values underpinning the In Residence by Pieter Brundyn Foundation, the In Residence by Pieter Brundyn Academy, and In Residence by Pieter Brundyn as a whole than Ubuntu. On that note, we would like to re-emphasize our excitement in introducing these two new institutions to our dear community—both our clientele and those around us who constitute the infrastructure that allows us to do what we do to our best. May these new ventures bring increased fulfilment and prosperity, in short, give back, to those on both sides of our wonderful community!


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The large deck with a rim-flow heated swimming pool provides uninterrupted panoramic views of sunsets.

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This villa can accommodate up to 20 guests per rental

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Photo: The Grand Pavilion
Stay at Mwanzoleo