Located in Pretoria’s central business district, this 8 floor, 251rooms, 3 star hotel with magnificent lush gardens makes a guest feel they have entered into an Oasis. Perfectly located across from the historic Burgers park and down the road from Melrose House, its home away from home.
What to expect
Room with a view
My spacious and clean room on the 8th floor came complete with a coffee machine, a kettle ,unlimited wifi , Tv with DSTV channels and en-suite bathroom that included a bath and shower and its own lounge area. With air con to help on those hot evenings I couldn’t have asked for more. Sitting at the table, sipping on my hot coffee and looking out at the Union buildings in the distant with storm clouds looming ominously over head, the purple Jacarandas standing proudly in all their glory was the ultimate happy moment for me. The skyline view will have you mesmerised.
Long corridors with royal style carpets
The journey to the room should be enjoyable and easy for guests to locate their rooms while at the same time giving them a glimpse as to what else is available in the hotel to do.Corridors only became common in the late 17th century. Prior to this people would simply flow from one room to the next. Corridors were driven to a certain extent by socio-economic factors and evolving moral attitudes. They were a means of separating the occupants of a building and created privacy. The robust corridors of the Sierra hotel are well lit and spacious, the wall to wall royal style carpet absorbs sounds so one doesn’t here the other occupants. The versatile shade is a statement peace and is worth stopping to admire.
Numerous conference facilities
With 12 well equipped venues to choose from, there is a room suitable for any occasion. Immaculately clean and well maintained . Not only is the space available but the hotel can assist with full service offerings from start to finish and everything in-between. Full day and half day packages can include a screen, flip charts, public address system and the extra touch for the tables like mints, water, pens and not pads. With stylish room names like the Ambassador or Africa house, its interesting to know that Serengeti and Etosha have been restored having been in existence since the late 1800’s.
Gigantic koi
Colourful, ornamental versions of the common carp, Japanese koi are believed to date back to early 19th century in Japan where wild, colourful carp were caught , kept and bred by rice farmers. The oldest koi in the world was Hanako, who lived to be 226 years in Japan. The hotel has some humongous, elegant koi that grace their indoor and out door ponds, with water sparkling above these swimming jewels I wondered how much bigger they would get. I soon realised my photos did not do justice for their size.
World class bar
Spacious and with superb fittings, the distinguished hotel bar has friendly , attentive staff. After a days work the vibe in such an establishment should be upbeat yet sophisticated. Laughing and chatting to people its easy to hear the person next to you as one engages in an unpretentious conversation on any topic ranging from sport, work, life to of course the much debated politics of the country. You can bring your entire family, so long as they are over 18 years of course and enjoy a good chin wag. Before you know it, its time to drag yourself upstairs into your comfortable bed
Shuttle bus
Free shuttle services to all Government buildings within Pretoria , as well as a free shuttle service to Bosman Gautrain Station. Other destinations like the airpot incur a surcharge. With comfort, reliability and aircon for the hot summer months in Pretoria, its fantastic to sit back and let someone else do the driving.
Business Centre
24 hour business centre perfectly located in the lobby area , is available to all hotel guests. It offers computers with complimentary internet access as well as printing facilities. Secretarial services are available.
Magnificent flower arrangements
Floral strategy is a deliberate marketing ploy that allows a hotel to shine. As a frequent traveller i always pay close attention to a hotel’s floral and decorative displays. Flowers put a smile on a persons face and extend a warm welcome, one of the reasons hotels place arrangements intended for guests to stop, smell and photograph so that they can remember their stay long after leaving. The spectacular arrangements scattered around the foyer brightened my day, the red roses are a favourite of mine so I lingered longer to get some extra shots.
Large and comfy lobby
Hotel lobbies have become a centrepiece of guests experiences, it is a space to socialise and where new friendships are made, jokes shared and experiences exchanged.The spacious lobby area has numerous places to sit and read the complimentary newspaper, order a cup of coffee or enjoy the free Wifi. Elevators are centrally located making it easy to gain access to ones room. The comfortable seating in the versatile lobby kept me seated for longer that I wanted but something i appreciated
Dining at its best
Buffet style dinner and breakfast is served at the Garden Grill Restaurant. With a wide selection of cuisine guests have the option of relaxing on the terrace , looking onto the pool or eating indoors. Dishes change daily and if you would prefer to order from the menu there is a good selection. The restaurant caters for Muslims and can also assist patrons who require Kosher meals. Thursday night is known for being the bar menu evening with a touch of African cuisine, so if its local you want then defiantly make your reservation for Thursday evening. I highly recommend ordering the malva pudding from the menu, a well sized portion , the hot custard compliments its perfectly.
A friendly Chef
Often at a hotel guests eat the delicious food but have no idea who is responsible for preparing it. At breakfast I was very pleased to be able to put a face to that person. The chef is friendly and full of smiles. While preparing an omelette for me with a “ sprinkle of salt “ as he put it we had a good chat. When serving the food he also made some suggestions to compliment it, I appreciated the extra input.
24/7 fitness room
Fitness fanatics will be pleased to know the hotel has a gym facility to burn some energy and lift some weights. With air con, filtered water and an TV all your needs are catered for.
Relaxing pool area
After a long day of work or sightseeing there’s nothing quite like a refreshing dip in the pool.Whether you are looking to relax on a lounging chair at the pool side or take a splash in the pool, set in a lush garden, surrounded by imitation grass and a wooden deck on one side this is a special hideaway from blistering hot days. Tranquillity surrounds you, not only do the birds sing in the trees but some have become rather tame, a hadeba bird stood a few feet from me drinking from the pool oblivious to the people around it. No hotel is complete without a good pool.
Burgers Park
Across the road from the hotel, lies Burgers Park founded in the 1870’s as a botanical garden it covers 4 acres and has been declared a South African National Monument. It is named after Thomas Francois Burgers, who was the fourth president of South Africa from 1872 until 1877. Ambling around the well kept gardens on curving paths I noticed the WW1 monument built to honour those among the South African Scottish Regiment who died in battle. Inside the florarium the cacti garden has some impressive plants including a small lily pond. Outside and not far from the fish pond is the Koningin Wilhelmina tree planted on 31 August 1898. Surrounded with a green fence , the stem of the tree seems to be hanging on for dear life. Gigantic trees are confirmation of the age of this park and ideal to sit under when shielding oneself from the mid day sun
Melrose House
Three storey, stately Victorian mansion complete with turrets and Dutch gables, this attraction is a “ must see “ when staying at the hotel. The grand house built in 1886 belonged to George Heys, it was named Melrose House after Melrose Abbey in Scotland where Heys and his wife had visited on a delayed Honeymoon. The house remained in the family until 1968 when the City of Tshwane bought it. Amongst other historical moments at the house one of the more notable was The Peace Treaty of Vereeniging that was signed here on 31 May 1902. Beautifully restored with many original pieces in the house it takes one back in time to a bygone era when electricity didn’t even exist.
With so little time and so much on offer not only inside the hotel but surrounding it also, one can see why this hotel has stood the test of time and continues to attract people whether they are attending a business meeting or church function or just dropping in for a night cap. The warmth and hospitality of the hotel says it all.
www.sierrahotels.co.za
