Only stopped for 4 days and it's a lovely clean and we'll run hotel .
Breakfast was a very good variety. Cigar bar very chilled . Staff very helpful .
Rooms all nice and clean .
The hotel organised a trip to Soweto and transfer to train station for our next journey to Cape Town .
Dear "Alan B"
Thank you very much for your candid review on ‘TripAdvisor’, of your recent stay at our hotel. Your feedback is extremely valuable to our team.
How wonderful that you got to enjoy our breakfast and Lords bar our “Cigar bar”. Thank you for the compliments on our helpful STAFF and the cleanliness of our rooms.
I, along with all other hotel associates, are passionate about offering the best possible experience to all of our guests.
In taking great care in our colonial hotel our aim is to offer a comfortable atmosphere with a touch of the past.
We look forward to welcoming you back again soon.
Kind regards,
Jörg Zwinscher
General Manager & TEAM
The hotel is well located and the rooms are decent, though I am not fond of their narrow corridors and confusing layout.
I’ve stayed here before, but this time I was really disappointed. For the two nights I stayed here, there was absolutely no water in the shower/taps during the evening hours. I made umpteen calls to have it checked, but NO one showed up! Even the Duty manager assured me that someone will be there in a few minutes, and yet no one showed up!!
On both evenings I couldn’t wait endlessly for it to be resolved as I had to go out for dinner. The Duty manager on the second day informed me that they were facing a ‘water issue’ with two of their wings and ‘some’ rooms were affected. It was only on the second night that they offered to change my room, but I couldn’t as I was heading out that night.
What’s disappointing is that they knew about this issue and should not have given me this room to begin with!
Also, they overall response to resolve this issue was really found lacking!
Dear ‘TheFlyingSailor”.
Thank you for taking the time to write your feedback on ’tripadvisor’. How sad to read that your experience with us was such a disappointing one. Please be assured that your concerns have been taken to heart and have been addressed with the relevant departments, as this truly does not reflect the high standard of service we are usually proud to offer. Your comments in particular about service levels, have been taken very serious and we will be ensuring that this problem is rectified going forward.
We encourage our GUESTS to talk to us personally in order to cultivate customer relations and ensure a positive experience every single time.
Kindly contact our Guest Relations, Tessa Hovell on tessa@balalaika.co,za should you like to discuss this further.
In taking great care in our colonial hotel our aim is to offer a comfortable atmosphere with a touch of the past.
Your interest and concern are much appreciated, and we hope to have the privilege of welcoming you to Protea Hotel by Marriott Johannesburg Balalaika Sandton again in the near future.
Yours sincerely
Jörg Zwinscher
General Manager & TEAM
I went to Joes’burg to see Mandela Square, Soweto, Bishop Tutu House, Table Top and Victor Vessey. The service was nice at the hotel and very clean. Time is not exactly a priority in South Africa in fact there is time and then there’s ‘SA’ time. Lol
The traffic movement and crowds remind me of New York City; busy busy busy. The weather / seasons is opposite to ours in the States. So the best times to travel to South Africa is between September through February.
Dear “Paulette F”
Your feedback on ‘TripAdvisor’ is much appreciated. We are delighted about your compliments on our service and clean rooms and will certainly congratulate all our STAFF on a job well done.
As mentioned we are located in the “heart of Sandton", close to Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square and the Gautrian Station. We are situated on the “golden mile” in Sandton, and yes what a nice reference that Sandton reminders you of New York. With saying that our Maude street could be “like to Wall street in New York”, because on our door step is the Johannesburg Stock Exchanges.
Once again, thank you for your valued feedback and we hope to serve you again whenever your travels bring you back to Johannesburg.
We look forward in welcoming you back.
Kind regards,
Jörg Zwinscher
General Manager & TEAM
I love this hotel as its like stepping back in time and is very cosy, the pool area is like a fairy glen with bird feeding stations and beautiful flowers. I cant stop taking photos here! The food in the bull run restaurant is great, good value and very fresh. only minus point is the room is a 1980s throwback and both times I stayed here this month (different rooms on different floors) the rooms both smelt musty and damp. I still got a good nights sleep though so all in all a great experience!
Dear “VindalooQueen11”
Thank you very much for your candid review on ‘TripAdvisor’, of your recent stay at our hotel. Your feedback is extremely valuable to our team.
How wonderful that you enjoyed our “old-world charm”, and beautiful gardens. Thank you for mentioning The Bull Run Restaurant and the excellent food that we serve.
In taking great care in our colonial hotel our aim is to offer a comfortable atmosphere with a touch of the past and to offer a little oasis amongst the “high rises” in Sandton.
We look forward to welcoming you back again soon.
Kind regards,
Jὄrg Zwinscher
General Manager & TEAM
We stayed here for one night prior to beginning joining a tour group for a tour in South Africa.
Centrally located in Sandton C.B.D. it is near to Nelson Mandela Square and the Mall.
There is no doubt the rooms are dated but adequate for what was a one night stay. The hotel does have a certain character. front of house staff dealt with check in a professional way and informed us of their services and answered our questions.
I did find it strange that the bar was a cigar lounge and very smokey when we ventured in there. Took our drinks outside into the lobby area. These days it is surely unusual to find smoking in bar areas. Maybe this is different in S.A.
We chose to eat in the Bull Run Restaurant located within the hotel but under separate management. See separate review.
Breakfast was good but we were amongst the first people in there due to our very early departure to start our travels.
AuroraUK
Dear “AuroraUKl”
Your feedback on ‘TripAdvisor’ is much appreciated. We are delighted about your compliments and we will certainly congratulate our Front Desk STAFF that you commended for their exemplary service.
As mentioned we are located in the “heart of Sandton", with Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square and the Gautrian Station, just down the road and we offer a complimentary shuttle to and from.
In taking great care in our colonial hotel our aim is to offer a comfortable atmosphere with a touch of the past.
We look forward in welcoming you back.
Kind regards,
Jörg Zwinscher
General Manager & TEAM
