Booking

Even with a last-minute booking, I was able to book the hotel via www.marriott.com, together with the cashback. The price was already very attractive regardless.

Location

About 28 kilometers from the airport, you can either take an Uber/taxi or the airport shuttle R690. At the entrance gate, as usual, the guest’s name is checked, and then you can step out right in front of the hotel.

Protea Hotel at Wanderers Stadium with well-maintained entrance area

Check In

I was helped very quickly at check in, though the reserved room was not yet available. Since I didn’t need an upgrade here either, I was handed a room key without an upgrade. As a Titanium member, I also had the choice between breakfast (which wasn’t an option for me this time) or bonus points. This time I went with the “lesser” value — the points. For anyone else with an elite status, breakfast makes much more sense though. With the room key in hand, I made my way to the room.

Hotel corridor with mirrors along the walls

Room

It worked for me. The room was clean; you could tell the bathroom was showing its age, but it was still perfectly adequate.

On the left side of the room there’s the bathroom with a shower and bathtub, and there were also enough shampoos etc. available. Definitely sufficient for me.

In the small hallway there was a wardrobe with a safe, though there could have been a bit more storage space.

The comfortable bed took up most of the room. Next to it there was a small seating area and an (empty) mini fridge.

Overall the room felt quite bright and modern. The internet worked flawlessly as well. After a short while, two beers were delivered to the room as a welcome gift. A very nice gesture. There’s also the option to make tea/coffee, as well as a bottle of water that’s replaced every day.

Moderate-sized hotel bathroom with sink, mirror, and towel holder

Hotel corner with toiletries on marble surface

Shower area with tiled wall and showerhead

Hotel room with double bed and wooden paneling on the wall

Table with bottles and glasses on a marble top in front of a chair

Hotel mini-fridge with open door and empty shelves

Hotel room with coffee machine and drinks on shelf

Hotel room with telephone and power outlet

Hotel room with double bed and wooden wall in background

Double bed in hotel room with wooden headboard and wall art

Amenities

For breakfast (which I unfortunately didn’t try) you could go to the restaurant next to the lobby. Here are some photos of it:

You can also have lunch or dinner here. There’s a bar as well, and the prices are very fair in my opinion.

If you want to eat outside on the terrace, you get an overview of the hotel grounds, which include a pool.

There’s also a fitness area — you need to follow the signs and not let yourself get sidetracked from the right path.

Hotel dining area with wooden tables and grey chairs

Outdoor terrace with wooden flooring and seating furniture

Outdoor area with pool and plants in the foreground

Outdoor area with pool and lounge chairs

Hotel lobby with grey-toned chairs and couch

Fitness room with various exercise machines and mirrors

Fitness room with treadmills, rowing machines, and ellipticals

Fitness room with wooden floor and exercise equipment

Check Out

Unfortunately I couldn’t test this properly, as I had to leave the hotel quite quickly. Online check out isn’t available, but a quick phone call brought the completely correct invoice to my email address.

Verdict

You do need to be aware of the rather secluded location. From here you always need a car/Uber. For my purposes the hotel was perfectly adequate, and the staff really made an effort, which I very much appreciated.