Background: Southern Sun hotels and resorts are owned and managed by Tsogo Sun Hotels and include 24 properties.
Where Is It? Just 20km from Cape Town International Airport, the hotel is located within easy reach of the V&A Waterfront, the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Long Street and other popular landmarks.
Room Facilities: There are 394 rooms, including suites, with views of Table Mountain, the Table Bay Harbour and Waterfront, or the Cape Town city centre. My corner suite on the 5th floor consisted of a living room, guest toilet and large bedroom with en-suite bathroom. There wasn’t a work desk, but the dining table was versatile, and once I swapped out the dining chair for the dressing table stool, I was all set. The shower was a little tricky to get working, but I figured it out quickly enough. The marble-topped bar held a Nespresso coffee machine and a fully-stocked mini fridge. There were two flat screen TVs – a large one in the living room and a smaller one in the bedroom – with the standard DsTV hotel bouquet. Suites include a butler (I didn’t make use of this), a bath menu and a pillow menu – I think this was my favourite offering. I was able to get a memory foam pillow in addition to the standard feather pillows, which never offer enough support, no matter how I mould and stack them. Plug points were plentiful, but I found just one USB port, in the sitting room, along with a host of ports for complicated technology. However, since I forgot my charging cables at home, this wasn’t really an issue. I was just glad that I was able to charge my phone and tablet at the concierge desk – you have to give your room number to make sure that you don’t accidentally take someone else’s devices.
Restaurants & Bars: The Peach Tree restaurant is located on the mezzanine and serves a full daily breakfast buffet and an interactive dinner buffet that serves tantalising Cape Malay fusion dishes. The choices were seemingly endless – cold meat, cheese, cereal, pastries, fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomato and more. I opted for my regular hotel breakfast of muesli, yoghurt and fresh fruit and followed that with a freshly baked waffle. Stella Café & Bar serves tapas-style dishes and heartier meals around the pool.
Business & Meeting Facilities: There are nine flexible spaces on site. Meeting rooms offer private, fully serviced facilities for smaller groups of 12 or less, while reception areas are able to host up to 155 guests with ease.
Leisure Facilities: The V&A Waterfront will doubtless satisfy all your shopping and entertainment needs with its wide array of shops, bars, restaurants and activities. However, if this fails to beckon, there is a sparkling outdoor pool, a fully equipped fitness centre and an on-site spa at the hotel.
Verdict: A really stunning mid-market hotel that punches above its weight. The combination of classical architecture and modern furnishings creates a distinctive product and the friendly and helpful staff round out the offering for a memorable experience.
Contact
Address: 1 Cullinan Street, Cape Town City Centre
W: tsogosun.com