Cape Town had been high on my list of places to visit for years. There are so many great things to do and see there.
For the eight days I was in Cape Town the Westin hotel served as my home. Although there were a couple of issues that will be covered below, on the whole I think this was a very good hotel.
Other posts about adventures in and around Cape Town:
Pictorial Trip Report — Robben Island Tour, Cape Town, South Africa
Trip Report – Cape of Good Hope and Cape Peninsula Tour, Part 1
Trip Report – Cape of Good Hope and Cape Peninsula Tour, Part 2
Cage Diving with Great White Sharks – Dyer Island (Shark Alley) Gansbaai, South Africa
SPG Platinum Benefits
I greatly value the Starwood Preferred Guest benefits of my Lifetime Platinum status. These include an upgrade to the best available room at check in (standard suites included), free breakfast, lounge access, high-speed internet, and late check out (4pm) plus an extra starpoint per dollar of eligible spend.
In addition, staying more than 75 nights in Starwood properties in 2016 gave me SPG75 Platinum status for 2017. SPG75 benefits include one extra starpoint per dollar of eligible spend and most importantly Your24, being able to request check in at any hour of the day with a corresponding checkout time at the same hour.
Location
The Westin Cape Town is located in downtown Cape Town. It is connected to the convention center. The hotel is 20 minutes from the airport by taxi. You can find several restaurants within about a five-minute walk or take the complimentary hotel shuttle to the Victoria Warf Mall with numerous shops, restaurants and fast food spots.
Executive Suite
When I arrived at the Westin, the clerk advised that I had been upgraded to a suite! I received a corner executive suite. This suite is 689 square feet with a living room, large bath, and bedroom with a king sized bed.
The entryway leads to the living area and has access to the bathroom on the right and a potential second bedroom through a connecting door on the left.
The living area has a couch, 32-inch HD TV, a small dining table, and the refreshment center.
The living area has a work space with a desk, printer/copier/fax, lamp, electrical connections and phone.
A sliding wood door separates the living area and the bedroom.
The bed was quite comfortable although I needed to request that housekeeping change the sheets. The bed faces a large closet, another 32-inch HD TV and a recliner.
I thought the bathroom was the best part of the suite. It had heated marble floors, separate shower and tub, dual vanities, bidet, and toilet.
Club Lounge
The club lounge is located on the 19th floor. It is sort of the waiting area of the On 19 Retaurant. Complimentary breakfast for Platinum members is served in this restaurant. Evening drinks and canapes are served in the lounge. The lounge and restaurant have great views of Table Mountain and Table Bay.
Platinum members and guests with club lounge access can order breakfast in the restaurant from the menu in addition to being welcome to the continental buffet.
Breakfast entrees were terrific.
In the evening, the lounge offered drinks and canapes.
The restaurant is right next to the lounge making it easy to move there after wine and snacks. When I was there, the restaurant had a special offering 15% off for platinum members. Unfortunately, this was only advertised online and had to be used when paying the check. Retroactive credit was not allowed.
Fitness Center
The fitness center, lap pool and spa are also located on the 19th floor. I did not use the spa, but the fitness center and lap pool were very nice.
The fitness center shares a locker room with the spa so the facilities are top notch.
Other Services
The hotel has a concierge, of course; however tours are arranged through the on-site travel agency. I used it for several tours including a private city tour and a Cape Peninsula tour. I arranged a cage diving tour myself when the agency was unable to do so.
Overall Impression
The location, evening drinks and breakfast in the club lounge were outstanding. The executive suite and the fitness center were also very nice. On the other hand, a problem with the way the stay was coded crated a huge problem in being properly credited for Starpoints. It took several trips to the front desk and several calls to Starwood to get the matter resolved. It was too much time and effort for something that should have required little if no effort on my part. Staff at the restaurant or at check in should notify all SPG Platinums about the restaurant discount. I felt cheated by not being informed and being denied retroactive credit. Still, I would probably stay here again although with the merger, it is tempting to try one of the lower priced Marriott properties in Cape Town.
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