About Stephen Maritz
I run a mountain lodge. I help other owners run theirs.
I'm Stephen Maritz, founder of Maritz & Co. Since 2019 I've owned and run Qambathi Mountain Lodge in the Kamberg, in the KZN Drakensberg. With my wife Nadia I also co-own Fresco, a restaurant and deli in Nottingham Road. Before hospitality, I spent more than 20 years in consulting and systems implementation, including as a Director at Deloitte UK.
Maritz & Co brings those two halves together: the day-to-day reality of running a hospitality business, and the discipline of a consultant who scopes the work, fixes the price and delivers a report you can act on.
Running Qambathi
When I bought Qambathi in 2019 it was struggling. I've run it hands-on ever since, leading every department myself: front office, housekeeping, the kitchen, maintenance, staff, finance and bookings, with a local team of about 15 staff.
Some of the decisions I've made along the way:
- Taking the lodge 100% off-grid. In 2023 I planned and installed a R3.5 million solar system. It replaced an Eskom bill of about R30,000 a month.
- Water from the mountain. The lodge runs on a gravity-fed spring water supply.
- Local sourcing at the heart of the kitchen, so guest spend stays in the valley.
- Changing the booking system. In October 2026 I moved our PMS from InnStyle to RoomRaccoon.
In October 2026 Qambathi won the Sustainability award at the Gastronomy Tourism Awards 2026.
Fresco
Nadia and I co-own Fresco in Nottingham Road. It keeps me close to the realities of a restaurant: food cost, staff, busy weekends and quiet Tuesdays.
Before hospitality
More than 20 years in consulting and systems implementation in the UK, Europe, North America and South Africa, including as a Director at Deloitte UK. That's where the habits come from: a written scope, clear milestones and honest reporting.