More than just a hotel in Mozambique, this is an essential part of the Pestana’s family history. Here is how an office building constructed by the father in the 1970s became a great Maputo hotel in the 1990s, with the help of his son.
In 1995, two generations came together in Maputo to retrace the past. Back in the 1970s, Manuel Pestana had built the Prédio Funchal in the downtown area of Mozambique’s capital, however, his son Dionísio never got to see his father’s work because of independence and an ensuing civil war. They discovered that it had been renamed Edifício Rovuma – after the country’s largest river and its northern border – but were somewhat surprised to find that it now housed the meeting room of the United Nations peace mission, which had arrived in Mozambique in 1992 after hostilities ceased and the Rome agreements had been signed.
Everyone seemed to converge on Rua da Sé. There were flashy, bulletproof cars, blue helmets, politicians, donors and international investors. Despite the hubbub, Dionísio and Manuel Pestana remained fully focussed on their objective: the visit was functional, they wanted to transform the apartment and office building into the first example of the Group’s internationalisation. Despite crossing paths with those making history, this father and son duo were more interested in future construction, what to do with the majestic terrace, while marvelling at the cathedral views and Maputo Bay vistas.
The Pestana family eventually signed the building concession and the old Prédio Funchal had a full makeover in 1996, allowing the new Pestana Rovuma to open for business.
Pestana Rovuma
A hotel in Mozambique that is also an essential part of the history of the Pestana family.
