Background: Sun International is one of Africa’s largest tourism, leisure and gaming groups and operates or has an interest in a total of 18 resorts, luxury hotels and casinos. 2014 saw the group sell the majority of its African assets to Minor International, following Sun International’s 2008 entry into Latin America in Chile – a continent where most of its growth appears to now be focused. Sun International has retained its interests in The Maslow, which is the group’s four-star business-focused property.
Where is it? The Maslow is on the corner of Grayston Drive and Rivonia Road, in the heart of Sandton’s business district. A host of corporate offices are within walking distance of the hotel, as are Sandton City and the local Gautrain station, which are approximately 15 minutes’ walk away. O.R. Tambo International Airport is about half an hour’s drive away.
Rooms: The Maslow has a selection of standard, twin and queen rooms, along with junior, luxury and executive suites. A few of the rooms and suites have balconies and those provide nice views of the attractive gardens. I was accommodated in a junior suite, which was more than I needed, but very comfortable. These suites are 42m2 in size and consist of a lounge/work area and a bedroom with king-size bed, safe, ample cupboard space and en-suite bathroom. Both rooms had large, mounted flat-screen TVs with selected satellite channels, whilst the bathroom was also considerable in size, consisting of a bath, double vanity, toilet and walk-in shower, which I have to confess had too many different settings for me to work out! I opted for the deep bath, as a simple rain shower is usually enough for me! The lounge had a dedicated work desk, stocked mini-bar fridge, coffee machine, kettle etc, along with a lounge suite and accompanying coffee table. I gave the complimentary wi-fi a run and my email downloaded in seconds, so a big tick there. I also liked the blackout curtains, which, along with the comfortable bed, made for a good night’s sleep. Additional and useful services include 24-hour room service, a pillow menu, and newspapers on request.
Restaurants & Bars: The Lacuna Bistro is open for breakfast between 06h30 and 11h00, has an all-day menu between 12h00 and 22h30 (Mon-Sat), and also offers a set lunch menu between 12h00 and 17h00 on Sundays. I was only around for dinner, but that was enough for me to get a sense of the offering. The service was smart and I opted for a starter of Chalmar beef tartare with quail eggs, truffle mayonnaise and sourdough, followed by a main course of roast saddle of rabbit stuffed with Swiss chard and parmesan, confit leg coq au vin, roast baby vegetables, smoked raison puree and spiced pumpkin jus. That was all rounded off with a cold beer and a dessert consisting of a salted caramel and chocolate tart with clotted cream ice-cream, caramel sauce and caramelised macadamia. All of it was delicious and tough to find fault with, and I rolled back to my room well sated! The Maslow also its Lacuna Bar, which has become a popular after-work drinks venue for both hotel and non-hotel patrons, whilst an extension of the bar in the hotel lobby area is a Sandton business meeting location of choice that serves a nice cappuccino!
Business & Meeting Facilities: The Maslow has 22 different meeting/conference/event venues, ranging in size from the Stanford and Duke rooms (20 – U-shaped) to the Ballroom, which is 486m2 and can accommodate 450 (cinema and cocktail-style). There’s also the Wayfarer business lounge just off the lobby area, whilst the hotel has a large parking lot in close proximity to the conferencing area.
Leisure Facilities: There’s an Africology spa, fitness centre and outdoor pool. Otherwise, if retail therapy is your thing, take the short walk to Sandton City.
Verdict: I had a small incident with the timeous ironing of a shirt I needed the next morning, but that was resolved quickly. Otherwise, the overall service was excellent, the food delicious, and the suite so comfortable that I was loathe to pack up and leave.
Dylan Rogers
Contact
Address: Corner Grayston Drive & Rivonia Road
T: +27 10 226 4600
E: maslow@suninternational.com
W: suninternational.com