Background
The City Lodge ‘Family of Hotels’ caters to all markets with their offerings of Road Lodges, Town Lodges, City Lodges and Courtyard Hotels, with ratings from 1-star up to 4-star, respectively. The group covers 52 hotels and 6,440 rooms across South Africa. City Lodge is their 3-star offering and the property in Bryanston is built on the site of an old nursery.
Where is it?
On the corner of Main Road and Peter Place, the hotel is situated across the road from Sandton Medi-Clinic, so it’s ideal for travelling medical practitioners. The hotel is also walking distance from a host of restaurants and fast-food outlets. The drive to the closest highway (N1 Western Bypass) is approximately 10 minutes, as is the trip to the Sandton CBD. O.R.Tambo International Airport is 35 kilometres away.
What’s it like?
The hotel does pretty well in offering a simple escape from what is a busy surrounding area. There are some nice touches, such as welcome drinks and a fruit platter in the rooms, whilst I found the staff friendly and helpful. The hotel also has free, secure parking.
Room Facilities
The hotel has 122 rooms, with either a double bed or twin beds. My room had a view of the inviting pool and a well-tended garden. All rooms come standard with air-conditioning and heating , a flat-screen TV with selected satellite (DSTV) radio and television channels, tea and coffee-making facilities, an electronic safe large enough to accommodate a laptop, and a large work station desk with extra lighting and plug points. I enjoyed the fact that the bathroom had a bath and separate shower, and it was spacious enough to move around freely. The hotel also offers a same-day laundry and dry cleaning service during the week. Wireless Internet is available in the restaurant and most rooms.
Restaurant and Bar
The hotel has a coffee shop, bar and restaurant. The coffee shop is open from 12h00 to 22h00 daily, while the bar is open from 16h00 to 23h00. The hotel dining room is open for breakfast between 06h30 and 09h00 on weekdays, and 07h00 and 10h00 on weekends and public holidays. You can choose between a Full English and a Continental breakfast. Menus from local restaurants are also available in the rooms. A nice touch on checking out is the complimentary muffin ‘for the road’.
Meeting and Business Facilities
The hotel offers a boardroom that can seat up to 10 delegates, as well as a fax and copy service. The room is a simple one, but boasts all the equipment needed to facilitate a successful meeting, including flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi access, telephonic-communication devices and an overhead projector. Delegates are provided with notepads, pens, juice and water. Snacks from the coffee shop can be arranged.
Leisure Facilities
There is a modest but effective fitness centre, with three machines, including a treadmill and a cycling machine. There are also a couple of weights you can lift while watching television. A nice feature of the hotel is the swimming pool area, which has deck chairs and tables suitable for outdoor meetings, if required.
Verdict
As with most of the City Lodge properties, this hotel covers all the basics required for a comfortable and efficient stay, particularly if you’re on business. It’s well turned out, centrally located (particularly if you’re doing business in Sandton), quite spacious, clean, and the service I enjoyed was excellent.
Contact
Address: Crn Main Road & Peter Place, Bryanston West, Sandton, +27 11 706 7800, citylodge.co.za
Siphilile Shelembe