WeeklySA_AdminPAMPERING: Out and about visiting Johannesburg’s prestigious hotel during September the Travel Month…
By Priscilla Malinga
Getting a hotel that is most welcoming, especially when making an unplanned or sudden booking, but I found The Capital One Hotels more accommodating and refreshingly candid while receiving me for a no-strings-attached check-in.
Founded by Marc Wachsberger, a business mogul who changed the whole administration of the hotel business, the hotel operates on a different business model. His business model involves selling rooms to individuals and allowing them to invest in the hotel industry. He then enters into an agreement with the buyers to rent the room to him and he pays them a fixed monthly amount, and the hotel will then rent out the room to the daily lodgers.
His story of how he started is inspirational, choosing one of his hotels for a lifestyle hotel rather than utilising the conventional business model, is a tad curious. Checking in at The Capital Hotel on the Park in Sandton and arriving on a Friday, it was not difficult to find it.
A super-friendly Bonginkosi Mthembu, the usher, welcomed us at the reception desk, instantly making us feel relaxed and welcome, amid a busy reception, juggling servicing new guests arriving to attend different conferences. The Hotel has amazing conference rooms with various options to choose from. Pandora has three rooms combined, measuring 495 square meters each and can accommodate up to 550 people sitting cinema-style, and another 330 banquet style seating.
Each room separately can accommodate about 50 to 160 guests, depending on the seating arrangement. There’s Aurora, Vega, Nova, Luna and Comet which can all be designed according to the client’s requirements.
Checking in is nice and easy and effortless. We had to wait for some time as our room was not ready. Understandable since we noticed how packed the hotel was that day. There is enough sitting area in the reception foyer, absolutely accommodating if you would like to wait or take a break amid the grey colour coordination that forms a pleasant calm and tranquil. The passage leads to various conferencing centres and straight up across is the restaurant and bar area, which leads to this cavernous outdoor and pool area. The scent of delicious coffee is inviting to the café that is conveniently positioned next to the check-in desk and conference rooms.
After the reception tour, we were taken to our room. The minute the door opened, the excitement came rushing as the calming feeling from the room enveloped us. The two-bedroom room offered so much tranquillity amid a luxurious setting that we experienced that home-from-home feeling, all resplendent with a fully equipped large, open-plan kitchen leading to an exquisite lounge. The lounge with a comfortable L-shape couch was swathed with the signature grey colours of Capital One Hotels. The comfortable beds beckoned for a sweet early night slumber. A dining table with enough chairs for a family meant that the room could perfectly accommodate a family of four, or two couples. Every bedroom is fitted with TV, surprisingly offering a Netflix channel. I didn’t want to leave my room.
We had an opportunity to speak to Gracious Sango, the Executive Chef known as “Chef G” who is chief chef of the in-house restaurant. He prepared us a beef fillet tataki with broccoli, which looked a bit uncooked, but Chef warned against “killing it when it’s already dead”. I took a bite and it just melted in the mouth, contrary to how it looked. He says that tataki is delicate and needs to be soaked for 24 hours before being cooked. He learned some of his cooking tips from his mother as he used to spend time in the kitchen with her growing up.
Chef says he does not conform to the menu at times as he would prepare bespoke dishes sometimes from the client’s request. For breakfast, the breakfast buffet comprises up to 128 different dishes.
“I am a difficult person as I sometimes completely change the menu in the morning especially after I see the group that is coming for lunch or dinner,” says Chef G. This is why he needs a supplier that understands him as he always wants fresh products for his menu. With 15 years’ experience as a chef, the customer is always his first priority.
At home, Chef prefers not to cook, but he is blessed because he chose a partner who is compatible and can equally cook, which is refreshing for a chef as he spends his day cooking and doesn’t want to do so when he gets home.
“I was born a chef, I always cooked from a young age and didn’t go to fancy cooking schools until later,” says Chef G. All his assistants are driven by passion more than qualification, and he says that he believes that passion exceeds knowledge. All he does is to equip them with the skills they need. He always tries out dishes suggested by his assistants and that’s what makes him a great leader of 38 chefs under his wing.
It is evident that he taught them well as the dinner we had was just as tasteful. We were served Mutton curry with Pap and roti by Chef Lerato Molefe. We also had an opportunity to taste some of his dessert offerings which were very sweet to mild, prepared for people whose palates cannot handle too much sugar.
The general manager, Nelson Rodrigues, says that he transferred from Durban North’s Zimbali Hotel eight months ago, and took the role of making The Capital on the Park what it is today. They sometimes host DJ nights and the public is welcomed to join in for lunch and dinner and to enjoy the fun.
“This is what makes us different from other hotels, the vibe you find here is very refreshing. However, we do sometimes get guests who just want to unwind during the week. This is one of the best hotels to visit especially now on Tourism Month as we have the best rates and comfortable rooms with loads to do. We are close to all amenities and with easy access to freeways,” he added.
The bars are always fully stocked and the kitchen operates 24 hours. In the morning Chef Priscilla Manabile is responsible for preparing breakfast with a team of hard-working chefs at the hotel. This is a great place, boasting a fully equipped gym, sonar and Spa. Great place for business but also perfect to unwind.
Every Saturday from now until the festive season, they will be hosting events where different DJ’s will be performing. Ephraim Mnguni, the waiter was there to assist our every request. He says he loves working there and wouldn’t change it for anything else. Lovely luxurious hotel with happy staff, quite refreshing.
Let’s travel and see our beautiful country during Heritage Month.
