Protea Hotel Cape Town Tyger Valley — Hotel in Loevenstein

I had a January 2024 conference at Stellenbosch Business School, and our Association gave a great rate at this hotel (only 1230 ZAR, including all taxes). At the current USD exchange rate, that was only $65. Because I didn't want to spend a lot of time commuting back and forth for those conference days, and because our conference also paid for the shuttle bus between the conference hotels and the conference venue, I decided to book this hotel for two nights.||There are only a handful of written/detailed reviews in the past 4 years here on TA, and so I want to add mine here.||(A note to Bonvoy members: Do note that you only get one ENC per 2 nights stayed. If in doubt, feel free to google "Protea and ENC"...)||Here are the pros: (1) The price is indeed cheap. (2) The staff is very kind. (3) The breakfast is good enough, with a few different kinds of sausages, a few different kinds of cereal, a few different kinds of bread/pastry, a few different kinds of fruit; and a couple different kinds of juice. (Bonvoy members: Platinum and above gets you free breakfast buffet.) (4) The on-site restaurant's 'a la carte' is OK enough if you're hungry, but I wouldn't have two dinners in a row there. The menu is not extensive, and also my pasta was a bit overcooked. (5) The room does have a small safe.||Here are the cons: (1) Half of the hotel's rooms are just 15m from the highway. On a Sunday night, you're gonna hear a lot of road noise. It was the kind of noise that my earplugs couldn't block very well. If you scroll through the pictures here on TA, you'll see some pictures of that traffic. Those pictures are basically taken from the room's window. The cars are really that close! So if you are a light sleeper, and you care about sleep, this hotel is basically not for you. (2) Exactly half of the rooms are on the ground floor... meaning that just about any hoodlum could readily break the glass window of your room and enter if they wanted to. If that thought gives you anxiety, then I'd think twice before booking this hotel. (3) In the evening and late night (after ~9pm), I couldn't reach any front desk staff via the room's phone. (4) In the pictures, it looks like the room is carpeted. I don't think most of the room's are carpeted; my room #145 had a wood laminate floor, and it was pretty filthy. I mean, housekeeping doesn't appear to mop the floors very well, if at all. There are no slippers provided, so on Night #2, I put one of the bathroom towels on the floor and waddled/shimmied around on top of the towel to keep my feet clean. (5) I have Titanium Marriott status, and on Tuesday morning, they wouldn't grant me any kind of late check-out. I had to check out by 11am. They told me that there would be a 300 ZAR penalty per hour, if I checked out after that. (6) There's really nothing within walking distance; go ahead and take a look at the neighborhood in Google Maps, there's nothing to do or see if you have no car. (7) There are some pictures here on Tripadvisor, uploaded by the 'Management', that show a mini-fridge and/or microwave. My room did not have either a mini-fridge or microwave. It only had a kettle with some instant coffee/tea and sugar.||If you click on my profile, you'll see that I have dozens of hotel reviews here on Tripadvisor, the vast majority I've rated 4-5 bubbles. After my first night at this hotel, I was going to rate this hotel a 3.5 and round up to 4. But then I got hit with that 11am Titanium checkout, so I'm dropping my rating down to 3.25 bubbles, and so I'll round down to 3 bubbles. I totally understand now why this place averages 3.5 bubbles, out of 5.||It is indeed a very short Uber from this hotel to Stellenbosch Business School, so if you really don't want to waste a ton of time commuting back and forth, then this hotel is maybe your best bet. But me personally, now that I know what I know, I wouldn't stay here more than 2 nights maximum regardless.||I do want to end this review by saying that almost all the staff (that I encountered) are helpful (when they are at the desk!) and very kind. They do try their best. Just, at the very least, the hotel itself needs better...

I had a January 2024 conference at Stellenbosch Business School, and our Association gave a great rate at this hotel (only 1230 ZAR, including all taxes). At the current USD exchange rate, that was only $65. Because I didn't want to spend a lot of time commuting back and forth for those conference days, and because our conference also paid for the shuttle bus between the conference hotels and the conference venue, I decided to book this hotel for two nights.||There are only a handful of written/detailed reviews in the past 4 years here on TA, and so I want to add mine here.||(A note to Bonvoy members: Do note that you only get one ENC per 2 nights stayed. If in doubt, feel free to google "Protea and ENC"...)||Here are the pros: (1) The price is indeed cheap. (2) The staff is very kind. (3) The breakfast is good enough, with a few different kinds of sausages, a few different kinds of cereal, a few different kinds of bread/pastry, a few different kinds of fruit; and a couple different kinds of juice. (Bonvoy members: Platinum and above gets you free breakfast buffet.) (4) The on-site restaurant's 'a la carte' is OK enough if you're hungry, but I wouldn't have two dinners in a row there. The menu is not extensive, and also my pasta was a bit overcooked. (5) The room does have a small safe.||Here are the cons: (1) Half of the hotel's rooms are just 15m from the highway. On a Sunday night, you're gonna hear a lot of road noise. It was the kind of noise that my earplugs couldn't block very well. If you scroll through the pictures here on TA, you'll see some pictures of that traffic. Those pictures are basically taken from the room's window. The cars are really that close! So if you are a light sleeper, and you care about sleep, this hotel is basically not for you. (2) Exactly half of the rooms are on the ground floor... meaning that just about any hoodlum could readily break the glass window of your room and enter if they wanted to. If that thought gives you anxiety, then I'd think twice before booking this hotel. (3) In the evening and late night (after ~9pm), I couldn't reach any front desk staff via the room's phone. (4) In the pictures, it looks like the room is carpeted. I don't think most of the room's are carpeted; my room #145 had a wood laminate floor, and it was pretty filthy. I mean, housekeeping doesn't appear to mop the floors very well, if at all. There are no slippers provided, so on Night #2, I put one of the bathroom towels on the floor and waddled/shimmied around on top of the towel to keep my feet clean. (5) I have Titanium Marriott status, and on Tuesday morning, they wouldn't grant me any kind of late check-out. I had to check out by 11am. They told me that there would be a 300 ZAR penalty per hour, if I checked out after that. (6) There's really nothing within walking distance; go ahead and take a look at the neighborhood in Google Maps, there's nothing to do or see if you have no car. (7) There are some pictures here on Tripadvisor, uploaded by the 'Management', that show a mini-fridge and/or microwave. My room did not have either a mini-fridge or microwave. It only had a kettle with some instant coffee/tea and sugar.||If you click on my profile, you'll see that I have dozens of hotel reviews here on Tripadvisor, the vast majority I've rated 4-5 bubbles. After my first night at this hotel, I was going to rate this hotel a 3.5 and round up to 4. But then I got hit with that 11am Titanium checkout, so I'm dropping my rating down to 3.25 bubbles, and so I'll round down to 3 bubbles. I totally understand now why this place averages 3.5 bubbles, out of 5.||It is indeed a very short Uber from this hotel to Stellenbosch Business School, so if you really don't want to waste a ton of time commuting back and forth, then this hotel is maybe your best bet. But me personally, now that I know what I know, I wouldn't stay here more than 2 nights maximum regardless.||I do want to end this review by saying that almost all the staff (that I encountered) are helpful (when they are at the desk!) and very kind. They do try their best. Just, at the very least, the hotel itself needs better...

Our room and bathroom were spacious, immaculately clean and the bed very comfortable. All the expected amenities were available: coffee, tea, water, a fridge, TV and very good wifi. Although the room is very close to the N1 it is almost 100% sound proof.

The breakfast was good and you can enjoy a cuppacino.

Why is my rating low. All sounds very positive.

Rainy days Because, the rooms are in separate blocks and not part of one big building, on rainy days it is challenging walking to the breakfast room. The pathways are slightly steep and slippery with uneven steps. Older people might find is challenging. There is no parking at the breakfast room.

Staff Llewellyn and his colleague at the reception have a chip on their shoulders. It was with great effort they could muster a smile and eye contact. I found the same with the staff at the breakfast room. Except, for the training chef and the lady cleaning the tables, the staff is evasive and unhelpful. The security people at the gate leaning against the wall, definitely not sharp and alert.

Llewellyn gave me detailed instruction on how I should go about repeating the information on my invoice, after the information got lost which I wrote down at the reception for the on duty staff member on arrival. My phone, with the information, was in the room. Instead of offering to walk with me, down the slippery pathway, I was instructed to fetch the information and bring it to him. Him being half my age.

I honestly feel the management should pay attention to the overall attitude of the staff and the way they represent the hotel.

Will I stay there again? Most likely not. Not because of the hotel or location, but the never mind attitude...