Harare — PAN African hotel group, African Sun Limited has acquired Royal Chundu Zambezi River Lodge, a five-star lodge in Zambia for an undisclosed amount.

The lodge, situated on the Livingstone side of the Falls, at the junction of Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, offers both mainland and private island accommodation.

African Sun has since begun some refurbishments which are expected to be completed early next month.

It will open on November 15 this year, African Sun corporate affairs manager, Ms Farayi Mpofu said.

"The opening of Royal Chundu is proof yet again of the group's ambition to grow current room index from 3 000 to 8 500 by 2012," she said.

Royal Chundu comprises of a total of 14 rooms, structured to take advantage of year-round reservations in one of Southern Africa's most booming tourism regions.

Activities at the lodge include bird watching of 450 species. Other activities include canoe trips, game viewing, and fishing, as well as tours of nearby Katambora Tribal Village.

Ms Mpofu said Africa Sun would remain committed to managing a portfolio of the finest hotels, lodges and resorts in Africa's prime destinations.

African Sun in August this year announced that it had secured a US$36 million loan that was used to acquire the hotel and refurbishment ahead of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup to be hosted by South Africa.

The soccer showcase is expected to create huge demand for accommodation both is South Africa and beyond the borders of the host country.

The additional hotel comes at a time when ASL sealed big World Cup contracts for its two South African hotels, which may take up all the available rooms.

The hotels -- Lakes Hotel and Conference Centre and The Grace in Johannesburg have got a combined room capacity of 228 and an average room rate of R650-R1 600.

ASL has got operations in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and they are planning five new hotels by January 2009.