Salt & Cedar
Experience Built From the Ground Up.
Salt & Cedar Hospitality was founded by Donovan van Staden, bringing more than 30 years of international hospitality experience to independent hotel owners.
01 — Meet the founder
Meet the founder.
Donovan van Staden
Founder | Salt & Cedar Hospitality
Over 30 years of international hospitality experience.
Donovan began his hospitality career in 1995, progressing from frontline service through professional kitchens and hotel management studies in South Africa. Early roles included culinary work at MalaMala in the Sabi Sands and food and beverage management in Zambia with Sussi & Chuma and Robin Pope Safaris.
He then joined Abercrombie & Kent's Sanctuary Retreats as General Manager of Chichele Presidential Lodge, later overseeing Chichele and Puku Ridge Camp. Based in Botswana, he held group-level responsibilities spanning executive culinary leadership, food and beverage and wider operational support.
He is the author of Gourmet Safari: A Gastronomic Journey Through the Wonders of Africa (2014).
In 2016 Donovan relocated to the UK as General Manager of Gara Rock in Devon, where he led its development, pre-opening and relaunch as a luxury boutique hotel. He subsequently turned around an established independent UK hotel before progressing into multi-property operational leadership.
His experience spans luxury hospitality, pre-opening development, financial turnaround and group operational leadership.
02 — Our philosophy
Our philosophy.
We believe effective hotel management requires a combination of practical experience, financial understanding and strong leadership.
Every hotel is different. Our role is to understand the property, work with its people and establish an operating approach that delivers sustainable commercial performance.
03 — Selected experience
Selected experience.
- Gara Rock, Devon
- Led the development and relaunch of Gara Rock from a property losing over £300,000 annually into a luxury boutique hotel that subsequently achieved over £1 million in annual EBITDA.
- Independent UK Hotel
- Operational and financial turnaround from a loss-making position to over £1 million in actual annual EBITDA, achieved with limited capital expenditure.