Bretteee

You are lucky they found your bag in 2 days.

Air Canada lost mine and never found it again. I waited 2 months for a confirmation. Their luggage agents are in India.

worldtraveller73

Apologies there dieuwer2 - Lost your comment in the mix.

We usually practice the carry on only rule for week long trips or short trips to one destination / region.

On this trip, we decided against carry on as we were headed to 3 different climate zones - Coastal (Cape Town), tropical (Le Morne) and alpine savannah (Maasai Mara). We also wanted long sleeves to mitigate malaria risk in Kenya. It was a challenge packing to suit all these areas as it was. We were also overseas for 23 days. MrsWT73 brought enough clothes for the whole trip without washing. I was not so fortunate, planning for a laundry trip in Mauritius but was not able to find anything close to the resort.

We also decided to pack our snorkel gear since we were headed to Mauritius. We generally prefer our own stuff as opposed to dealing with resort property rental. This way we get masks that are cleaned and always seal to your face.

Thanks mkjr!

Nelson Mandela was still alive during our trip and we've been glued to the newscasts watching, along with the rest of the world, at the recent passing of Madiba. His passing occurred 2 weeks after we had left South Africa.

Based on conversations we had on the trip, it was evident amongst all South African's that Nelson Mandela was the father of the nation and an important respectful figurehead. Even the St George's Church in Cape Town had candles lit and prayers for his recovery.

It will be an interesting period for South Africa over the next 5 years as they try to apply lessons from Mandela's legacy.

Sorry to hear that Bretteee! I'll accept my recovery of the bag as a good omen.

Madone59 - I totally recommend it. It's a five star holiday at three star prices.

A little longer to get there than everywhere else but you'll save on the other end in the savings in entertainment costs, local transportation and wine.

For what it's worth, on our visit you could get really close to the penguins.

worldtraveller73

The Test Kitchen Restaurant
The Old Biscuit Mill
375 Albert Road,
Woodstock, Cape Town
South Africa.

Cape Town has recently developed a reputation as being a “foodie” destination. Indeed, it boasts some of the best restaurants in Africa. The international community has started to take notice. Checking the San Pellingrino Top 50 Restaurant List for options in South Africa, we decided to pay The Test Kitchen a visit. In 2013, The Test Kitchen was ranked at #61 out of 100 and has been awarded The San Pelligrino 2013 “One to Watch” award.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to booking the reservation until two months in advance. Even then, I was too late to secure a dinner seat. We opted for a lunch instead on the day after our arrival. The restaurant only seats 65, making it a small volume affair.

The restaurant is located in the Old Biscuit Mill area, which is a refurbished warehouse area. Our taxi driver had no idea where The Test Kitchen was, but immediately recognized “the Old Biscuit Mill”. We were also easily able to catch a private metered taxi outside the Old Biscuit Mill after our meal, without having to have the restaurant call one for us after lunch.













As some of you may know, MrsWT73 is not a self described foodie, whereas WT73 can't get enough of exotic international food. Food on Lufthansa First Class is heaven for me, whereas it's H-E- Double Hockey sticks for MrsWT73. Fortunately, the food at The Test Kitchen were approachable and innovative. The food concept is self described as “eclectic international”, making it an enjoyable meal for both of us.

As with many other restaurants in South Africa, The Test Kitchen was fantastic value. We enjoyed a 5 course lunch, with 5 wine pairings for $69 USD per person. If you are abstaining on the wine, the 5 course lunch is approximately $47 USD (470 Rand). They also do a la carte for those with lighter appetites.

In my humble opinion, this restaurant gets it right when compared to our other fine dining experience at The Tasting Room in Franschoek. It targets the more moderate and modern crowd at a lower price point and in a more accessible location. This was by far the best value and highest quality meal that we had on our trip.



We started off with an assortment of fresh baked breads.



Home dried tomato, black sesame and aubergine puree, burnt aubergine jelly and goat cheese mouse, paired with the fantastic Sequillo White 2011.



Pickled fish - ceviche, lightly curried dressing, bbq carrots, ras el hanout honeycomb, paired with Silverthorn Green Man 2010.



MrsWT73, not being a fish fan, opted for an off menu dish. She was offered this wonderful lamb shoulder with mixed greens that included snap peas, shaved cucumber and foam. This dish easily wins a most beautifully presented dish award.



Pork Belly - pressed parsley apples, wild rosemary infused honey, blue cheese cream and crackling, paired with Paul Cluver Riesling Dry Encounter 2012.



An off menu mint infused palette cleanser... The leaves added a sensory touch to the fish and we were encouraged to feel the texture of the plant.



Slow cooked duck leg, mushroom and liver stuffing, assorted onions and duck liver jus, paired with Rainbow's End Merlot 2011.



MrsWT73 couldn't pass up the beautifully presented cheese dessert plate...

Selection of South African Cheese with fruit preserve, gorgonzola, mature cheddar, camembert, goats milk, paired with Bosman Dolce Primativo 2012.



while I opted for the more contemporary chocolate...

Assisette of chocolate, grilled white chocolate and cinnamon sponge, carmela cremeux and guanja parfait, paired with lovely Paul Cluver Reisling NLH 2012.



All of the platings were fabulous and even MrsWT73 who does not normally enjoy such exotic dining experiences throughly enjoyed the whole experience.

If you happen to be through Cape Town, I’d recommend making time for this restaurant in your travels. You’ll find it well worthwhile. Make sure you book well in advance - our reservations were handled via email with minimal difficulty.

opushomes

It seems that we missed you by a few short hours since we departed on 11/5 at about 10 a.m. to Hermanus.

I concur with your comments in respect to the hotel. They may not be polished, but some of the staff are really superb. We had a five day stay on points and were offered an executive floor upgrade for $30/day which we took. There was a discussion about breakfast which allegedly was not included on points stay but was actually included in the end. We never ran into the $4 additional for hot dishes issue. Sometimes we got a form to review breakfast which had a space for gratuity. Other times we got nothing.

Our evening nibbles were in the lounge-no one said anything about a lobby meeting place.

The lobby concierge staff ranged from outstanding to disinterested. Air France ripped the zipper off our bag and during the four days of searching for the repaired bag, the staff worked diligently to get it back and finally it showed up the day prior to our departure. The lounge concierge seemed basically there to open the door and collect room numbers. Still overall service was excellent.

Thanks for the report. Interested in you view of Franshoek which we visited only for a couple of hours (stayed 2 nights in Stellenbosch).

My car rental experience with Avis was much better than yours, although I chose to pick the car up just off Strand in heavy weekday traffic. It did take a while to get the car even though they had a number of people working. Returning was a long wait because I wanted a receipt which seemed not to be something normal. Eventually, I got it and therefore did not get dinged for gas. Whether, charges will be forthcoming for traffic cameras is yet to be determined.

worldtraveller73

Le Quartier Français.
Comfortable Twin Auberge Room
A Relais and Chateaux Property
Franschhoek, South Africa.

A visit to Cape Town isn’t complete without a visit to the fabulous wineries that start less than an hour from the City Center. On my last visit, I lightly sampled the wine tourism industry by making day trips from Cape Town. Unfortunately, this led to a less than enjoyable experience thanks to the driving needed and I committed to myself that when I returned, I would have a longer, more immersed experience.

Le Quartier Français was the answer. It’s advertised as an “exclusive boutique hotel situated in the heart of the Franschhoek” that is affiliated with Relais and Chateaux and Virtuoso / American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts. The term “exclusive boutique hotel” can have many interpretations so I thought I’d comment about the property in this report.

We left Cape Town in our Chevrolet Aveo rental (driving on the left) and made the two hour drive to Franschhoek. En route, we passed by the large “informal settlement” south of the airport across the M2 motorway on the Cape Flats. The poverty in near proximity of some of the financial wealth of the Cape Town made a stark statement of the poverty conditions of some of the poorest South Africans.

Arriving to the property in Franschhoek, the location was a bit hard to find. Marked with only a small pink sign on the main street, we drove around back and were buzzed into the main reception and gated parking area using the intercom. A porter immediately arrived to us parking the car. Receiving a bit of a cool reception, we were immediately led to the room. Our passports were not reviewed or scanned on check in.





We had booked a “Comfortable Twin Auberge Room”, no king / queen beds today as they had sold out. The twins were pushed together to make a king size with individual bedding. There are limited rooms on the property.

The Auberge offers nine en-suite Auberge Rooms, three Grande Rooms, three Petite Garden Suites and two deluxe Auberge Suites (with splash pools). There are also “four state-of-the-art suites”, overlooking a private pool and sun-splashed deck

The Comfortable Twin Auberge Room offered a colorful décor a small living space with an attached patio space and a stocked wood burning fireplace.











The bathroom offered a heated floor and heated towel rack.





Coffee was offered with Le Creuset cups.



A mini bar was offered with alcoholic apple cider and a bottle of South African wine. All mini bar items were complimentary, re-stocked on a daily basis.





At the price point, I was surprised to find a few maintenance issues in a country where security was of an elevated concern. Our front door, with a lock falling off its hinges.

worldtraveller73

Le Quartier Français
continued...

A fabulous feature of Le Quartier Français is the wonderful outdoor landscaping. Of course, the gorgeous scenery certainly helped. It was very easy waking up to these views every day.









The pool area was hardly used by any guests during our visit. I couldn't resist myself, taking a dip after a day of wine tasting. The pool was not heated.







Breakfast was included in our rate in easily the nicest breakfast room I've ever experienced in a commercial hotel. During our visit, an entire wall of windows were opened, allowing fresh air into the room. A water feature fountain offered a peaceful soundtrack. I can’t think of many hotel breakfast rooms that are as attractive to enjoy breakfast in as this one.







Service was much more attentive in the dining room than it was in the hotel. Hot items were also available at no charge off a menu, in addition to the fresh continental items on the buffet.





Overall, Le Quartier Français was a comfortable place to stay while visiting the Western Cape wineries. I enjoyed the property much more than MrsWT73 who found the property a bit expensive for the value received (nights started at approximately $400 USD per day). The property offered more hands off than hands on service, and we spent our down time lounging around the pool and enjoying the sights of this lovely corner of the world.

worldtraveller73

Western Cape Winelands.
Stellenbosch / Franschhoek.

We spent two days touring around the area enjoying some wine tastings at various wineries.

Wine tourism in South African has developed into a model that's somewhere in between the commercial Napa Valley and the traditional French vineyards. Most of the tastings in South Africa involved being seated at a table and enjoying a seated tasting of 5-7 wines. The formal nature was a nice change of standing at the bar next to a motor coach or van full of people on tour. The disadvantage is that you can't fit in many wineries in the day as it takes 30-50 minutes to get through a tasting.

Most of the South African wineries have beautiful Cape Dutch Architecture, which make for an interesting setting than the usual barrel rooms to taste wine.

Meerlust home of the "first growth" Rubicon:



Boschendal Manor House:



Haute Caribiere:

We found this to be one of our favourite with a particularly good Chardonnay / Pinot Noir. They also have a restaurant on site, which we did not try.



A beautiful view across the Franschhoek valley.



We stopped in at Spier, which is a large scale operation. Unfortunately, this meant a large tasting room without much history or personality.





Some wineries are of course, large scale operations, whereas some others, such as Thelema are more family run operations. We were treated quite well by Thelema with surprisingly nice wines.







Surprisingly, for a large scale operation, we had wonderful private treatment from Nederburg when we turned up 1 hour before closing. We were treated to a quiet tasting on the outside deck with their premium wines:





View from the patio deck at sunset:





We also visited the bizarre, but entertaining goat tower at Fairview- home of the mass produced "Goat's do Roam" wine.





We also arranged (reservation made in person a day prior) for a very filling picnic at Boscehndal. Not all picnics are served at the long table, but if you happen to be with 20 friends, it's a pleasant way to go.



Lastly, by chance, we happened by the Victor Verster Prison where Nelson Mandela was released in 1992. The prison is still a functioning prison but we stopped for this photograph of the statue at the front gates. We were able to relive this bit of history recently through the footage of Nelson Mandela's life after his passing.



Our two days went by way too quickly. In the warmth of late November, we were often the only ones in the tasting room. It was a bit surprising at the level of attention we were able to get. I'd highly recommend a visit if your travels bring you to the Western Cape.

worldtraveller73

The Tasting Room at
Le Quartier Français
Eight Course Surprise Tasting Menu

In the restaurant research for the area, I focused in on The Tasting Room. The Tasting Room is marketed as Africa’s most decorated restaurant, having won several awards and a spot on again the San Pelligrino Top 50 Restaurants in the World for 8 years.



The write up from the website:

The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français is South Africa's most lauded fine-dining restaurant. It is the stage to award-winning Relais & Châteaux Grande Chef, Margot Janse, and her unique African Inspired Surprise Tasting Menu.

Here, in this intimate setting, serious diners have the opportunity to experience a true journey of taste. With a menu that continues to evolve and astonish The Tasting Room, and its African Inspired cuisine, creates a dining experience unlike any other. One where surprise and nostalgia take centre stage.

In The Tasting Room every African Inspired dish is exceptional and engaging. Truly refined with a distinct feminine touch and, at the same time, unexpectedly exciting ... exhilarating in fact. It is this contradiction that results in The Tasting Room menu's outstanding balance and ensures that the cuisine is nothing short of a theatrical masterpiece.

In The Tasting Room the journey extends further than just phenomenal cuisine; it moves fearlessly into the captivating realm of stories and magic. A place where each plate, and its African inspired elements, have the ability to captivate the hearts and minds of diners.

Given the description, we were eager to enjoy a nicely wine paired menu, featuring the best of what South Africa had to offer. We’ve been fortunate enough to experience food at many top rated restaurants across the globe. Each one offered a different vision on what fine contemporary dining was to them. Needless to say, the Tasting Room was an interesting contrast to our previous experiences.

We arrived to an 8 PM reservation. We were among the last tables to be seated for the evening. With me being forty, we were also appeared to be the youngest ones in the restaurant. The décor was dark but modern contemporary along with the lines of the rest of the Le Quartier Français resort.

We were presented with a glass of Cape Classique (local sparkling) wine to start along with 3 amuse bouches in a rapid fire delivery similar to what you’d get when your order is placed on a tray at a McDonald’s restaurant counter. Three servers dropped off a wine list, amuse bouches and a server stopped by to explain the dinner process. The first impression was one of flurry and of a rushed delivery.



I should note that no menu is presented at this time, or at any time at all during the evening. We had to ask for ours after the cheque was paid. The idea is the meals are supposed to be a surprise. This makes choosing a bottle of wine from the wine list a little difficult, as you don't know whether it will pair with whatever you are ordering. In practical terms, the concept of the surprise tasting menu is a great idea. The goal of the restaurant is to feature local ingredients, presented in unique ways. Unfortunately, we felt a bit dissuaded by the whole dining experience.

The meals are each presented verbally as they are delivered, along with the paired wine. As you’ll see at the end of the post, the ingredients are hard enough to say in clear English without any accent at all. Having the menu items explained through thick accents by a different server ever time made it a bit challenging to decipher what it was exactly that you were eating. The plating was also different, in that it was sometimes hard to interpret what was being served. Perhaps you’ll be the judge when you look at the photos.

Our first starter was a black snow with an onion crisp, accompanied with Foie Gras Chocolate and another dish that I can’t recall, nor reference of what it was (off menu).





A bread serving was presented in a Tasty Fish can. I might have the spelling or type wrong of the Tasty Fish. We were given the “international” explanation (“I can tell you this as you are not South African”) that the presentation of the bread was meant to remind patrons of how fortunate we were to be dining here as the Tasty Fish can was a product purchased by many poor people in South Africa as it was the cheapest canned fish available. Mrs WT73 found this to be a bit “off putting” when this was explained to us by the staff. I had a different take and actually found it to be an innovative and neat presentation of the bread course. One the can was removed, a delicious baked corn bread was found inside the can.



The first item on the menu arrived, which was Beetroot, buttermilk labne, dill and cucumber granita, presented with Graham Beck the game reserve chenin blanc 2013



Followed by a salad described as: A spring walk through franschhoek poured with Altydgedacht gewurztraminer 2013. It was probably the freshest salad I'd ever tasted.



A small fish plate was presented. Tonight's serving was Eastern cape marron, cape gooseberry, lemon verbena with Terra Del Capo pinot grigio 2012



The menu continued to be a total surprise. However despite dining for two, the meals were not the same and actually two versions of the menu were presented with different wines poured as well.

Also, not knowing the menu in advance made it a bit challenging to know where you were in the meal process. Two starters? Two fish courses - is one of them supposed to be a main? Two desserts? One cheese plate? Migrandeses? It is all a surprise until it’s placed in front of you.

I had no idea what this was when it was presented, but it was called: Saldanha Bay oyster, vichyssoise, sour fig, roasted baby gem with Excelsior viognier 2013



Another dish which I had no idea what it was... it was described after the fact as Swartland guineafowl, waterblommetjies, porcini mushroom, liquorice root paired with My Wyn cabernet franc 2011. It looked like a car accident in space if I speak truthfully.



Followed by Paradyskloof quail, amasi, sweetcorn, granola and a glass of Haut Espoir rose 2010



Followed by Baleni salt and kapokbos roasted guava, confit suckling pig, broad beans, fynbos caramel and Haute Cabriere unwooded pinot noir 2011



My wife enjoyed the nicely presented cheese plate, described as: Dalewood huguenot cheddar, rusks, mebos custard, currants and Allesverloren fine old vintage port 2009



Whereas I finished with a chocolate dish of Madagascan chocolate, cape lemon, holy basil. This was a two stage dessert which collapsed when sauce was added. It was served with a glass of bubbles: Morena brut savage.





Finishing off with Cake and sweets...



A copy of the menu here. Of note was that a few items were swapped between my wife and I. As a result the photos do not match the sequence of the menu.





A brief comment on the wines. The wines paired were general wines and not speciality or limited release or first growth wines. I suppose you could argue that all the wines in South Africa are special as they are unique to the region but for the top restaurant in South Africa, and possibily the continent, it was a different .. I was perhaps expecting nicer wines than ones that sold at the nearby Cellar Doors of the winery for R80 ($8) a bottle. Perhaps First Growth wines or similar...

At this level, we felt a little underwhelmed about the whole experience.

The dinner has value. It's only $130 per person with wine. However, adding a spot for a gratuity at the end is strange when you have 8 servers bringing the plates out along with a head server and assistant server. How does one divide a tip 10 ways? I think an all in pricing would have been more appropriate at this level.

Overall, it was an interesting experience, although I don't think either of us will be in a rush to return.

worldtraveller73

South African Airways
Cyobab Domestic Business CPT Lounge

After the food extravaganza, the next morning we drove the two hours to the Cape Town airport and returned the Europcar to CPT Returns. No roving return attendant with a printer here today although a very through check of car including mileage, fuel level and spare and equipment.

I asked about the GPS that were were promised on the reservation. “Go talk to Bradley inside”. Bradley inside says we have a GPS on reservation. Can I have it removed? I’ll have to email you back later today. “I can’t remove it from here”. I never heard from him again.

“We will email you a bill”. A little strange to leave the counter without a final tally but it seems that the business travelers were doing this so we went with the flow.

As we mentioned earlier, four days later we received a bill as promised with a 10$ charge on it for refueling. Car was returned full and filled up for $35 less than 30 minutes ago. Emailed National at the email provided. Never answered.

Based on this treatment, lengthy initial process, unclear policies, failure to guarantee GPS when reserved and gas mix ups, lack of customer service response, I’d recommend renting some where other than Europcar while you visit CPT.

We entered the airport building and checked in at the Star Gold counter at far left end of terminal.





Our two bags were accepted without issues. We had elected not to wrap bags in plastic film. We had a few bottles of wine that we had purchased at wineries hidden in our bags for Mauritius.

We located a not well marked passage way to the upstairs domestic lounges and an elevator that smelled like stale smoke and sticky floors reminiscent of a pub that has been open for too long.



The South African Airways Lounge was at the end of a long corridor. Left side marked for Business, right side marked for Platinum First Class.





The lounge itself was much along the lines of a Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. Snacks with an attended bar. Self pour South African wines 2 reds / 2 whites.





Large seating area with lots of natural light and dark colors. In its efforts to be contemporary, similar to the Johannesburg lounge, the area lost a lot of space thanks to curvy design. A general computer work area with separate tables and chairs for eating.

















Media room which was empty.



Prepared food available in plastic wrap.



Nice view of aircraft and airside operations.







Wifi free with code at front desk. No electric plug in’s near seats regretfully Saved only for work stations. Certainly, a comfortable place before departure. The super high ceilings made it better.

worldtraveller73

South African Airways
Economy Class
CPT-JNB (Cape Town International – O.R Tambo Johannesburg International)
SA 223 – Economy Class (V)
2:10 PM – 4:10 PM
November 13, 2013
Booked: Boeing 340-300
Flown: Boeing 340-300

At about 45 minutes prior to our flight, we headed down to the gate area. Today’s flight was being boarded via the bus gate area. As usual, we experienced the African boarding process and all it's usual chaos. This is how a domestic Airbus 340-300 is loaded. Priority boarding line? Not today... Not even an announcement for Voyager Platinums or Star Alliance Gold’s.





On board, we settled into a 2-4-2 economy configuration on today’s A340. The seats had a video entertainment system, but for some reason it was not turned on for the duration of the flight. Those attempting to game the system by choosing a better aircraft for entertainment purposes on the Johannesburg to Cape Town route will be disappointed if this is any indication of the usual experience.





Again, reminiscent of flying 15 years ago, we were served a full lunch consisting of an aubergine pepper sandwich, complimentary wine service, moist toilettes and a toothpick.





Pretty smooth transit up to Johannesburg…



On arrival a O.R Tambo International Airport, we taxied to an international gate. Of course, in the organization of all things South African, there seems to be no interior corridor to take us to domestic arrivals. We were off loaded from the plane and immediately out the exit doors on the jetway onto the apron immediately below the plane. No buses available for some reason so we waited on the apron for 15 minutes for buses to arrive. A bit unusual to have 250 passengers standing around on an apron but guess it’s business as usual here.







We collected our bags and headed for the Gautrain. Unusually, the Gautrain is an elevated train and the platform is on the top level of the O.R Tambo Airport (instead of the usual train locations of being in the basement. The charge was about $15 a person one way. The Gautrain is the “safe” subway connection into Johannesburg from the airport. Indeed, there was a security guard physically posted to every single platform at all times and roving guards throughout the train during its journey.







Arriving at the Rosebank Station (with one train change) we walked the short 100 meter distance to the Hyatt Regency Rosebank. The transfer time was approximately 1 hour.

A photo of the reverse view from the hotel. The station is the area surrounded by the green scaffolding.



The Gautrain was a convenient way to get to the hotel, but it shuts down at around 8:30 PM. If you're travelling with a lot of bags, a car service or taxi is probably better. The roadway between the station and the hotel is also a bit bumpy with curbs - some with ramps.

ma91pmh

SPECTACULAR report sir, I am loving it. I am really looking forward to your safari reporting. I'm hoping you found some ways of doing this at a more reasonable cost point. Loved SFO777's report but will never be able to spend $2.5k a night per person with a family of four

DanielW

Great TR, looks you had pretty good time, despite a few hiccups.

The Gautrain is pretty amazing for Southern Africa.

A bit of a 'white elephant' though, given that it only has a handful of stops and carriages, and cost ~$US3 billion.

I did a 'budget' 2 week safari in Southern Africa this year for $2.5k for 15 days.

worldtraveller73

Sorry to have missed you opushomes. . .

The executive floor upgrade for $30 I think is good value. With it, you'd get the wonderful breakfast and lounge access. I'd partake in that offer if we were staying again.

We were told of the manager's reception by way of a letter under the door the day before. There were only 3 groups taking advantage of it during our visit, so it obviously wasn't well promoted.

The no receipt thing at the rental car does seem to be the par for the course. Not a great way of doing business but it seems to be the "South African Way" which has a whole bunch of connotations on it's own!

Thanks ma91pmh!

Some interesting comparisons coming up with the St Regis Mauritius and the Park Hyatt Maldives which I am sure that you can relate too. ^

Thanks for your support DanielW -

We went mid range with a shorter but moderate safari on this go around. I went budget last time - although I was in my twenties when it did it.

I doubt MrsWT73 would have enjoyed the camping experience after a week at the St Regis. . . But then again, I probably wouldn't have either if it was five star first, camping later...

worldtraveller73

Hyatt Regency
Rosebank, Johannesburg
Club King Room.

We ended up staying at the Hyatt Regency because it was a brand affiliated hotel that was located within walking distance of the Gautrain; two requirements, nothing more and nothing less. We had considered the Intercontinental at the O.R. Tambo Airport. However, I prefer to stay as far away from airport hotels as possible, given the price premium that they usually command, coupled with the fact that there is usually nothing to keep you entertained once you’re there.

After the one hour Gautrain transfer, the Hyatt Regency was located 100 m from Rosebank Gautrain North Entrance on a broken and uneven sidewalk (without ramps) just one building past the Holiday Inn Hotel. Totally walk-able but I don’t know if your wife / significant other would approve unless they had a traveling spirit to them. Mrs WTS73 was okay with it. I would not attempt if it’s thundershowering or if showers are imminent. The walkway is not in any way covered and you’d get drenched.



We were offered bag assistance as soon as we stepped on the hotel property. We were led over to reception by the doorman and the start of another very “cold” check in experience. At first, the front desk attendant glanced at my wife and asked “Ohh- there are two of you?” with a puzzled look. After some tapping on the computer, the answer was “We only have twins available.” She made a joke out loud about bumping someone else from a king but then ended up standing firm and gave us a twin at room 826, claiming “It was what you had booked.” I asked if there was really nothing else available? “No, sorry.” I initially chalked this up to jokes sometimes not transferring well across international cultures and thought at the time that we would make the best of it.

We went to the room with the porter. We had twins in Le Quartier Francais in Franshoek (and admittedly not by choice). When we got to the Hyatt room, the twins were very tiny (must worse than I thought) and were unable to be pushed together without major room modifications (i.e. removal of a coffee table and clock and phones in between them). I then made the mistake of re-checking the paper reservation and discovered that I had actually booked a Club King, contrary to the “It was what you had booked” that the reception had told me.

I was pretty much out of patience with all the hiccups on this trip at this point and I went back downstairs, paper reservation in hand. I politely asked for a King or complimentary upgrade to the next category of room up. I had made the reservation well over 6 months ago so I felt well within rights to at least ask for the reserved room configuration Furthermore the reservation specifically stated 2 adults, 0 children and we were arriving at 5 PM so not like we were the last guests in for the night. I think it was the fact that she tried to tell me that I had booked something else that was the irritating part of it that prompted me to act.

As a compromise, we were offered a on lower fourth floor and offered to grant us with the Regency Executive Club access. I accepted this compromise at which point the clerk entered into a long discussion with another manager.

A few more clicks and a “manager over ride” and we ended up not back on the fourth floor as discussed, but back on the eight floor immediately next door to our twin room. Not really clear whether this was some one else’s room or whether it was too much of a problem to grant executive floor access with a guest checked into fourth floor room. A bluff or not but magically a room opened up. Obviously, the check in desk at the Hyatt Rosebank isn’t monitoring the inventory of what is available, who has checked in, or what has been reserved.

The room itself was nice and lightly upgraded although it was obviously an older property and showing some signs of wear under the surface.







Shower door doesn’t close due to sag. Gold motif seems a bit dated these days.







They must have a few power cuts here – given the flashlight. We were okay throughout our stay.



I booked a club / executive floor since hotel stays in Johannesburg are pretty much compound living after dark. We spent some time in the lovely executive Regency Lounge. (Breakfast Hours 6-11, Evening Snacks 5-8 pm) The impression certainly improved. Double height windows offered a great view of J’Berg and it’s Jacaranda trees. Thundershowers tonight so it was a pleasant watching place. Overstuffed couches made for excellent relaxing. My wife in blue has me on ignore as usual. (laughing)







The Regency Club offered Complimentary bar service and self pour wines.



Complimentary hot / cold appies at 6 PM with free Wifi in the lounge only.





Very pleasant staff in lounge. Willing to get everything at drop of a hat. We returned to the room prior to dinner. We noted another “lock up your valuables” sign, similar to Cape Town. Wow – many people must have gotten taken by this that they have to install signs everywhere.



Keeping our security in mind, we attempted to use the safe. Except that the safe doesn’t fit a standard 13” Mac laptop inside. It’s too small. Furthermore the safe is broken and not working as it doesn’t appear to have any power. On our way to dinner, we stopped by the front desk to address the safe issue. We requested someone to stop by to fix it. This time, a different staff member “I’ll send someone right up”. Sure enough, after dinner, 90 minutes later, safe remains broken, unfixed and unusable.

Our first impression of the lobby was a large contemporary space. It had obviously recently been renovated with newer oranges and purples giving the impression of a very sleek space. This hotel was previously branded as a Park Hyatt but after closer examination, the property was clearly showing it’s age in both soft and hard product. After some time, it was apparent that only parts of the property had received the full refurbishment whereas a partial update had taken place on some other parts of the property.



We decided to stay on the property and have dinner in the lobby lounge. It was thunder showering outside and the lobby has large glass windows that look outside. It appeared that the roof had a problem with water containment as the rain was leaking through the roof and onto the floor next to the table. Overall, dinner was a slow affair taking 45 minutes to get food ordered and on the table. The staff didn’t seem to happy either. . .







I’m no interior decorator, but the look and feel of the elevator looks nothing like the lobby. =)



Immediately next door to the hotel is an outdoor mall called Rosebank Station. The area shows much better than the map on the website. There are quite a few reasonably priced restauraunts, including a Spur Steakhouse. It’s safe to walk from the hotel as access is via a security guarded walkway on the mall property. Despite the amenities and the upscale nature of Rosebank, Johannesburg had an overall dreary feel of desparation to it.

Overall, the hotel looks great on the surface. The rooms are nice and clean and generally functional. I had a great time laughing at all the issues with my wife. However, admittedly, if I was traveling here on a business trip on my own, it would be a pretty meager experience. There was little effort to resolve problems aside form the usual “I’ll look into it” with minimal follow through. However, I would stay again with some slightly adjusted expectations.

worldtraveller73

Soweto & Apartheid Museum Tour.
…and visit to the Klipton informal settlement (slum)

Johannesburg has a reputation of being a “get in and get out” city, with few tourists stopping over on the way to Cape Town or their safari’s in Kruger National Park. The real reason that we wanted to visit Johannesburg this trip was that I had heard that tours were being offered of Soweto and the opportunity to see how some of the people have to live in Johannesburg.

We booked our tour through Themba Day Tours, specifically the full day Soweto and Apartheid Museum Tour. We received excellent service through Themba and we’d highly recommend them to anyone.

Our tour took us to the Apartheid Museum. Segregation starts as soon as you get your ticket – you’re assigned a race right away and have to use different entrances.









The museum was well documented given that the end of Apartheid was not too long ago. The museum (which doesn't allow photos) was rich in multi media and contained interesting facts on apartheid. It complimented the Robben Island Tour that we took earlier in the trip. It’s a must see if you happen to find yourself in Johannesburg. I'd recommend allowing at least 3 hours for a visit.

The majority of our tour was of Soweto. It’s worth noting that Soweto is a very large area of many different demographics and levels of wealth. There is a rising middle class here and a sense of prestige now with calling Soweto home.









You can see the government row housing in the background of this photograph in this upscale neighbourhood.



Our comprehensive tour took us to visit a “shebeen” in Soweto. A Shebeen was the underground drinking establishments used during Apartheid by the blacks. They are usually found in the backs of houses, with secret passage ways out in the event they were raided by the police. They now are local drinking hang outs.









I tried the local beer- sold in milk cartons for 10R ($1) you can have a 2 litre container of beer that, similar to UHT milk, requires no refrigeration. It is mixed to mix the chemicals to make the beer frothy. It is normally shared in a communal bowl (as pictured).



The public warning sign on the side of the beer carton says it all about the realities of South Africa…



We also drove past the Orlando Towers and spent some time near the Hector Peiterson museum.









The majority of local transport in Johannesburg and South Africa is by mini bus (shared vans). The locals use an intricate finger pointing system in order to tell the driver where they want to go.