African Pride Melrose Arch, Autograph Collection® — Hotel in Gauteng

I stayed in a Deluxe Room on the third floor which was pretty impressive - overlooking the pool area with floor to ceiling windows helped the expansive feel. There was plenty of space around the bed and the desk was large. Lots of art work in the room made it feel welcoming and homely. The length of one wall was clad in wood, revealing large wardrobes (complete with gowns and slippers), a number of shelves, mini bar, as well as a ‘secret’ safe. Also built into the wall was a decent sized TV, complete with DVD player and surround sound system. The speakers around the TV were, like everything else, flush to the wall, and those at the rear sunk into the ceiling behind the bed. This was a nice touch and helped give the room a high end feel.

The bed was large and very comfortable, with a number of wonderful pillows. Unfortunately there were no electric sockets accessible next to the bed, instead with just two at the desk. These were both of an international format, meaning many countries (but not the UK) could get away without an adaptor. Controls for the room lighting (of which there were a number of different settings) were also only available from one side of the bed, and not easily accessible. A unit next to the bed housed both a coffee machine and traditional kettle, plus pods and standard instant coffee sachets, as well as two large glass bottles of water. A hairdryer was present below and there was a good guide provided outlining the hotel’s facilities and services.

There was a curtain which could separate the bathroom but otherwise it was open to the room. The sink area was spacious with all the expected amenities. The toilet and shower area could be separated with a sliding door and the shower was a large wet room area with decent rainforest head. Power and heat was great, the only let down was the lack of a sizeable shelf; the one by the frosted window into the main bathroom area was sloped. My only other criticism of the bathroom would be the small toiletries - the bottles were small and housekeeping never supplied more than one at a time. Air-conditioning was effective (although a little noisy) but it was possible to open the windows if needed). Wifi worked well, there was minimal noise during sleeping hours and the ‘do not disturb’ sign was always observed. Just a shame that housekeeping didn’t refill the water bottles!

The pool area of the hotel is on the first floor and is a great escape from the city. As well as a swimming area there’s a shallow section, taken up by tables which are great for dining at (with feet in the water) with a canopy extending the full length. The rest of the area has sun loungers and tables on either decking or grass, plus some cabanas suitable for a couple of people. Whether you’re looking to relax in the sun or shade, there’s something to suit. Chilled music pipes through the whole area. A full food and drink menu is available outside and the staff are pretty good at taking orders and getting more drinks if needed. There are toilets next to the bar and these were smart and kept very clean at all times.

The pool area closes at 6pm which is a shame, since it’s not possible to enjoy the area lit up in darkness. However the lobby bar is open until late and it’s a wonderful area to spend some time. There’s plenty of seating both indoors and on the open air veranda and all of it is really comfortable. The decor is really smart and with views out over the square it’s a great place to watch the world go by. Neither the pool bar or the lounge accept Amex as payment, instead having to complete the process at reception.

Checking out was easy enough although their 11am time is a little earlier than most hotels. Overall I had a really good stay here. It’s a vibrant area, the hotel is stylish and there’s plenty to admire in both the room and communal areas. All the staff are great and you’re made to feel really welcome. On any future visit to the city I’d definitely want to...

Dingaan was the shining star of the hotel. He was personable, professional, and really knowledgeable. We thoroughly appreciated everything he did for us. Further, it was the first time in 2000 nights at a Marriott that the chef came out to see how our meal was. Breakfast is delicious and in a lovely setting. The lobby is also lovely, which makes you think the rooms will be similar. They are not This is in no way a five-star hotel. And, sadly, even though it is in the most secure area we have seen, and Johannesburg, we would not advise a single woman to stay here since the elevators do not have key card security to access the floors with the sleeping rooms. The switch for the lights in the room should be next to the bedside are about 3 feet away. It’s ridiculous. There’s no place to put your things other than the desk which you might want to use for work. While there is a luggage rack, most people bring more than one bag when traveling. Surfaces in a hotel are required for our other items. The bathroom is ridiculous. The curtain provides no privacy. There’s barely any surface next to the sink to put your toiletries on. The whole set up is incredibly awkward. I don’t understand the placement of the television. The television should be centered on the bed. The television edge starts at the edge of the bed. It’s incredibly stupid. One must be taller than the average height of a woman to close the curtains properly or you must, as I did, stand on a chair. This is dangerous. The rod to close the curtain is so high. It is nearly impossible to use. And then if you want privacy you have to be in the dark, as normally a sheer curtain is instead a very dark curtain While the design of the electrical outlets and light switch feature on the desk being placed inside, several books is novel, it eats up a lot of surface area of the desk, especially since there’s almost no place to put your things. This is incredibly irritating. Lastly, my husband and I were both injured while staying here. I was bitten by mosquitos while sleeping (the housekeeper opens the window while she cleans. We do not open windows); he was cut by the hook on the exterior of the door for the housekeeping/dnd tag. He bled a great deal. Overall, the room is awkward, the light switches are difficult to use, and the room is an inviting and not warm as you would expect from a hotel that is supposed to...

The one star is simply to write a review but I would rate ZERO if I could. Incompetent staff from reception to restaurant and guest relation. It started with a check in that took more than 30 minutes. The rooms had been booked the night before for an early arrival and emails were sent to notify our arrival time. Receptionists told us rooms weren’t ready (but paid for the previous night?!) and couldn’t understand simple instructions regarding payment and invoice details. The first bad impression continued when at 5:30pm I place an order at the restaurant for some breakfast items and lunch items to be delivered at 5:30am the following morning for our early departure on a private flight. I am given the restaurant menu to choose from. All is confirmed. At 6pm I get a call in my room saying the lunch items are an issue because of food safety. The guest manager eventually gets involved and suggests a non liability form to be signed which I accept. Almost 2 hours later, she phones me again saying unfortunately the non liability form isn’t an option and the lunch can’t be prepared and kept refrigerated for the following morning but she wants to know if I would like to confirm the breakfast order to which I reply I will think about it and get back to you. When I go back to the restaurant to confirm the breakfast order, I am being told by the restaurant manager that the Chef refuses to prepare half of it without any reason and refers me to the reception manager. Long story short at 10pm, preparing eggs for the following morning is too much of an issue - or is it too much work maybe…? I have never seen a 5 star hotel where staff will argue that the restaurant can’t cook eggs for staying guests at any given time. Really pathetic when you think about it. Nowhere else in the world has this situation ever been a problem. This hotel clearly has no understanding of the concept of customer satisfaction and is stuck...