Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Hotel Review: Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg

Strengths: Located 500 meters from the O.R. Tambo International Airport
Weakness: Not much to do around the hotel, only good if you are staying here as a stopover before taking an onward flight

The Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg is located barely 500 meters from the O.R. Tambo Airport and is very convenient as a stopover when you are taking a connecting flight the next day. The rates start from ZAR 1000 per night non-inclusive of breakfast and are more economical as compared to other hotels in the vicinity such as the Intercontinental or the Protea Hotel O. R. Tambo.

The best part of staying at the Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg is that they run a complimentary Airport Shuttle to and from the Airport for 24 hours every 15 minutes. The pick-up point for the Shuttle is outside the International Arrivals area immediately behind the Intercontinental Hotel. If you have any difficulty finding this pickup point, then walk over to the Intercontinental Hotel and ask the guard there and he will be able to direct you. This shuttle bus service will save you ZAR 100 which a Taxi will charge to get you to the hotel even though it is located only 500 meters away from O.R. Tambo Airport.

The staff at the hotel is very friendly and the check in process is very quick and easy. The room is good and well equipped, the only missing thing is a mini bar / fridge. However the décor of the room at the Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg is very dull as compared to the other Southern Sun Group Hotels which I have stayed in. The internet rates on offer at this hotel are much cheaper than most hotels in South Africa and they charge ZAR 50 per hour as opposed to ZAR 100 per hour charged by most hotels.

If you have time to kill, I would recommend the spa. The time, at which I went the therapists were very good, however some of the treatments are expensive however highly recommended as I found them much more relaxing and effective as compared to some others that I have experienced. The room service menu is limited and a bit of the expensive side as well.

Do note that this is a very formal business hotel with no recreational activities what so ever, very different from the airport hotels we have in Mumbai. So I would recommend the Southern Sun O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel, Johannesburg as it is very economical compared to the other hotels in the area and very convenient for a stop-over before you catch your next flight.

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