Protea Hotel by Marriott Midrand

Redemption Stay is a solid choice for an emergency family stay. The reception area was spotless, which made a great first impression. However, the carpets and couches could use a thorough deep clean to match the overall cleanliness. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to try the breakfast. Still, it’s a comfortable place that I’d recommend—just a little extra attention to the soft furnishings would make it even better.

Mixed Experience – Great Food but Disappointing Rooms and Service Our stay at this hotel was unfortunately a mixed experience. The biggest issue was the lack of soundproofing in the rooms — it's extremely disruptive at night when you're trying to sleep, as you can clearly hear people walking and socializing in the hallways. You can also hear noise from your neighbours’ bathrooms, which really takes away from the comfort of your stay. The bathroom was another frustration: the bath tap requires what feels like an engineering degree to operate. It’s incredibly confusing and difficult to figure out, and once you do manage to get it working, the water never gets properly hot. The restaurant service also left much to be desired. The waiters struggled with communication, seemed flustered and unconfident, and were rarely available when we needed help — which was frustrating. On a positive note, the chef was absolutely fantastic. He personally came to our table to ask if we were enjoying the meal and showed genuine interest in our experience. The food itself was excellent. We ordered from the à la carte menu (not the buffet), and every dish was delicious and well-prepared. In short: the hotel’s food and chef deserve praise, but the room design, bathroom functionality, and restaurant service urgently need improvement.

If I could rate this a zero, I would! I had a deeply frustrating and disappointing check-in experience at this Protea Hotel. I had booked my stay through my Discovery Bank profile, which should have been a seamless process. Instead, I was met with confusion and incompetence at the reception. The staff claimed they couldn’t assist me because they "don’t have a Discovery Bank account," which shows a shocking lack of understanding of how their own booking partnerships work. Despite my repeated attempts to explain the process, they refused to listen and even asked me who they should call to resolve the issue. How is it my responsibility to train your staff on how to do their job? I eventually gave them the Vitality Travel emergency number, but instead of calling, they stood by and made me call from my own phone. I spent over 40 minutes at the reception, standing the entire time, trying to resolve something that should have been handled swiftly and professionally. Not once during this ordeal did anyone apologise or acknowledge the inconvenience caused. Once the issue was finally resolved, all I got was a cold “all sorted, here is your room key.” This experience was not only disappointing—it was disrespectful. I felt like an inconvenience rather than a valued guest. This was my first and definitely my last time staying at any Protea Hotel. I expected better from a brand affiliated with Marriott.