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The only warm thing about Durban on Tuesday was the weather. And I only got to experience this relative comfort after eventually making it to the Protea Hotel, following a four-hour check-in delay. My mood worsened after finally sorting out my travels, when I discovered that I would be paying for my own lunch.
So, why was I here? I had come for the launch of the new Protea Fire & Ice! by Marriott Durban.
Situated in Umhlanga Ridge, the hotel is flanked by a boutique store that sells what looks like fake Gucci items and by Gateway Mall, about two minutes away.
The point of the launch was to give context to this Protea Fire & Ice! – the first one in KwaZulu-Natal – and to give an overview of its refurbishment. Unfortunately no hotel tour was conducted even after I requested it, and my hotel room was as basic as they come.
But Durban’s new Protea Fire and Ice! is well situated, given the city’s appeal to holiday-makers and its proximity to one of the city’s most popular malls. The bedrooms are spacious, as are the bathrooms, and can accommodate up to four people.
In an attempt to make the best of a bad situation, I started my work by making conversation with the hotel staff. I eventually got to sit down with the general manager Thuthukile Moloto, who, after discovering that I had waited for four hours, offered me a time machine in the form of a cappuccino.
The food served up was well decorated and abundant. I sampled dishes which were unfamiliar to me. Upon asking the waiter what they were, all he could tell me was: “These are the healthy ones, my sister. I really am not sure.”
My Protea hotel experience was a solid 0/10. To check whether I was being a diva about this, I questioned random guests and journalists about their experiences of the place. They shared my sentiments.
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