annehamnitz

Looks like the Protea hotels are now full Marriott participants.
Anyone know what Elite benefits they offer? Certainly points, nights but can't find anything solid re upgrades, breakfast.

sdsearch

At least some Protea hotels offer free breakfast to all guests. It's on the Dining page of the hotel website if so. (I noticed it when checking the Protea Livingstone hotel website.)

I don't know if it's a brand-wide standard (like at Fairfield, SpringHill Suites, etc) or if it's up to the individual hotel.

SanDiego1K

I called Marriott two weeks ago on this very topic. I was told it is not a brand standard. For the specific hotels I was querying, complimentary breakfast was not offered.

ellie_nz

Wrapping up a South Africa road trip at the moment and opted for a Protea whenever possible. Stayed in 7 in total as we drove from Johannesburg to Cape Town and was mostly very impressed by the brand.

Hotel/room quality was consistently good from the 50 USD room to the 250 USD room. Most of the hotels also had decent buffet dinner option priced at 10 to 15 USD per person which was a lifesaver on a few occasions when we arrived in a remote hotel after a long day of driving. Only 1 hotel mentioned our Marriott status and upgraded us to the top floor but no other benefits of note.

We stayed in the following:
1. African Pride Mount Grace
2. Hazyview
3. Hluhluwe
4. Port Elizabeth
5. Willow Lake Bloemfontein
6. Outeniqua George
7. Cape Town Breakwater Lodge

For anyone considering the Breakwater Lodge in Cape Town it might be worth sharing that the family rooms were our least favourite of the trip (we were travelling as 3 adults). It's housed in an old prison and the family rooms are in the old prison block. The 2 rooms (2 double with a bathroom connecting the two) were uncomfortably small and the room was more like a college dorm room rather than a hotel. We 'downgraded' to a business suite (room was 50 usd a night cheaper) and the room was so much better and more spacious. The hotel has 3 blocks and we much preferred block A as the other 2 blocks are above a graduate college and lecture halls and didn't feel like a hotel at all.

Overall we were big fans and having a brand to focus our hotel search on made finding rooms much easier. Marriott have a 2k points promotion per stay in Protea at the moment which was a nice bonus. We stayed in various other non Protea hotels and the standard of accommodation was excellent throughout the country.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

Roger

I was hoping for more info/reviews on Protea hotels. Then I realised I had stayed at the Protea Sea Point (Arthur's Road) without posting at FT. It was a 5-night vacation stay using Marriott points.

I did post on Trip Advisor - https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_...e.html#REVIEWS

I hope that works. If not, I'll quote and repost.

In summary:

• we had a pleasant vacation stay
• the room we were initially allocated was the tiniest I'd experienced with IMO serious mobility problems
• housekeeping issues
• insecure wifi (but that's pretty standard in SA)
• great breakfasts
• excellent staff

I'd certainly rebook but would request a decent size room.

BTW, the Fawlty Towers reference (not allowed by Trip Advisor) is at

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

Shareholder

Just completed two weeks in South Africa and stayed at five Protea properties:

Capital Pretoria
Balalaika Sandton J'burg
Fire & Ice Cape Town
North Wharf Cape Town
OJ Tambo J'burg

I have been a Prokard Gold member for several years and used this program on previous trips to South Africa. The program earns a 10% rebate as Prokard Rands which can be used against future stays to reduce one's final bill. However, with the introduction of the Marriott Rewards program, this version will end next month, but the stay benefits and other incentives (in-hotel dining discounts, BOGOs, Free Night, special Prokard rate) will remain under the new Explorer name...cost is ZAR1,500 a year. Anyone still holding the old Prokard must select either Prokard Rands or Marriott Rewards points at check-in until the end of October, no double dipping (which is fine with me).

The big problem after the takeover by Marriott and the transition to the MR program from its own Prokard program is getting credits in the MR program instead of earning more Prokard Rands. Despite presenting my MRGold card at check-in each time and requesting MR points and not Prokard Rands, two of my stays have registered and earned Prokard Rands (the new Rand postings which I cannot use before the end of October when they expire). None of the other stays have yet posted to my Marriott account.

I particularly wanted to earn MR points given the 2K summer promotion, as well as my inability to use Prokard Rands after this trip. And of course, to have the stay/nights credit towards next year's status.) So I have just spent 15-minutes filing missing stay requests on the Marriott website.

As to MR stay benefits, none of the properties I stayed at would honour them. No free breakfasts or lounge access (where there was a lounge). Not sure if the only upgrade I received (a suite in Pretoria) was from my MRGold status or my ProkardGold benefit.

For the most part, while I find the properties of a reasonable standard (edging 4 star but tending to the upper end of 3 star), front desk staff leave a lot to be desired. This is likely more cultural, but I doubt they have much understanding of either their old Prokard program, let alone the new Marriott Rewards one. So I suspect my posting problems have more to do with belonging to both programs than others who are must MR members will experience.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update & heads up re: the hiccups on the transition.

Cheers.

Shareholder

Through a customer service rep at Protea (not using the Marriott online claim service) I have had all but one of my stays credited to Marriott Rewards as I had wanted. I also received an additional credit of 2K points to off-set the one stay not credited, and each of my other stays received points and the 2K bonus.

Seems there's a blitz on to get me to "renew" with the new Explorer card. Got an email and phone call (albeit at 4a...seems they didn't realize I reside in North America, not South Africa!).

Adam1222

I'm guessing this will sort out post 10/31/16, but has anyone figured out a way to get their MR number on a reservation booked on the Prokard site (Explorer vouchers)?
If I'm reading everything correctly, I should be able to get my MR Elite benefits on those stays, since there will be no more Prokard program but the Explorer Card.

Safti

I have a one night stay in Johannesburg coming up. I can either stay at Protea Fire and Ice Melrose Arch or African Pride Melrose Arch. They both seem to get equal rating. I am a Plat Premier and I don't know if either of these hotels give upgrades, lounge access or breakfast. Can someone enlighten me as to which hotel is the better choice.

Safti

Anybody have information on this?

Adam1222

If they did and were going to respond within 12 hours, they would have. Bumping your own post later the same day is discouraged.

Tripadvisor has plenty of reviews of both properties.

Safti

Thanks for the advice.