Overall Rating:
8.28%
Reviewed 03 Sep 2011
by Pete Starr
Situated right in the heart of the central business district, this good value, four star hotel offers decent luxury at an affordable price, in a convenient location.
For the weary traveller it couldn’t be better situated - whilst admittedly a short taxi ride away from the Airport - it is mere metres away from Cape Towns central railway and bus stations.
This central location is extremely handy as Cape Town’s main shopping, tourism and restaurant areas, at the V and A Waterfront, are a 15 minute walk away. However, whether you would want to eat out is up for debate as the restaurant within the Fountain Hotel is truly excellent. The breakfast buffet is something to behold and a foodie’s dream, as every possible breakfast combination is available. Does an omelette, made to your direct specifications, accompanied by fresh melon, cake, toast and chips sound good to you? Dinners not bad either.
Away from the dining room, the hotel is clean and the rooms well presented. The staff were exceptionally helpful and made our stay an extremely pleasant one, professional at all times, they weren’t afraid to display a lovely sense of humour.
Our bedroom, whilst not massive, was extremely comfy and I enjoyed a couple of excellent nights sleep in the luxurious bed. Cable TV, a mini bar, AC and room service were all as standard and very satisfactory. The gym whilst modest did contain all the necessary ingredients for a decent work out, including a swimming lane, which looked out onto the street at head height, perfect for some lazy people watching as you stroke up and down the lengths.
My few minor gripes include that the view from our room wasn’t the most inspiring, we had one that faced inwards and so gave us the side of a building to look at. But when a step outside onto the streets of Cape Town offers you as many glorious views as you want, this was quickly forgiven. And as with all large city centre hotels it lacked the individual quirks that a smaller guest house can offer in terms of décor and atmosphere. But if you are looking for a reasonably priced and plush city centre sleepover spot, you could do a lot worse than the Fountains Hotel.
