Review : Protea Hotel by Marriott Kruger Gate | Marriott Bonvoy

An affordable hotel with Marriott Bonvoy points

The hotel Protea Hotel by Marriott Kruger Gate is category 2 (December 2019).

This means that it costs between 10,000 and 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to spend a night there.

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Our opinion about Protea Hotel by Marriott Kruger Gate

After 3 nights in our airbnb rental of Phalaborwa, we are now at the Protea Hotel by Marriott Kruger Gate for 2 nights.

Location

We chose to stay at the Protea Hotel by Marriott Kruger Gate car:

• it is perfectly located to visit the South of the Kruger Park.
• it only cost us 10,000 points (category 2 in low season).
• it has large family rooms, convenient with children

Its address: On the Sabi River at the Paul Kruger Gate, Portia Shabangu Road, Kruger National Park, Skukuza 1350 South Africa

Arrival

Upon arrival, we dropped off our luggage at the entrance and parked in the parking lot right in front of the reception.

When we checked in around 6pm, after a day on the road from Phalaborwa (God’s Window among others) our rooms were obviously ready. The reception desk informs us of our advantages with the Titanium Elite status of Marriott Bonvoy: a free drink at the bar and free breakfasts.

With the points, we had booked the basic room with a king bed and a sofa bed. Thanks to the Titanium Elite status, we have been classified in the category « Larger room ». These are more modern, but do not include a sofa bed.

Since we had two bedrooms, it wasn’t a problem.

The hotel is largely built on stilts. The reception is therefore in an open area.

Reception will deduct ZAR 1,000 from my credit card to « cover possible meal expenses ». At the time of departure, not having used up all of this 1,000 ZAR, I will be asked to fill out a refund form for the remaining amount which will be credited to my credit card.

Rather strange method, but why not… I’ve been paid back a lot since then.

Next to the reception is a cafe.

A souvenir shop is also present.

The other areas of the lobby, with a local weather station 🙂

We will head for our rooms, 426 and 427, located quite far from the reception, but close to the swimming pool and the restaurant.

Along the way, we’ll come across every kind of insect you can imagine. No wonder we’re in the middle of nature!

The room

Our two rooms were identical.

The bedding and sheets were very comfortable. The King Size bed will accommodate my mother and our two children.

Our originally chosen room had a sofa bed. This couch is not a couch. As said in the introduction, it won’t be a problem, but it would have been appreciated if the reception would have informed us of this before we arrived in the room.

We appreciate the decoration and the choice of materials that go well with the « Safari » atmosphere.

A coffee maker is present. However, on the second day, the coffee bags will not be replaced and the cups will not be cleaned. An example – among many others – of the lack of service of this hotel during our visit.

In the buffet, a refrigerator containing 2 bottles of water.

In front of the bed, a large television and a desk… without a chair. However, international (European-type) catches are appreciated. There are also USB sockets at the head of the bed.

In the entrance hall, a large cupboard with a safe.

On the desk, a welcome gift: 2 bracelets of local manufacture.

Efficient – and quiet – air conditioning is present, as well as a ceiling fan above the bed.

The bathroom

The bathroom has a bathtub and a separate shower, as well as a limited number of hygiene products.

The terrace

In front of our room, a small terrace with 2 seats and a table.

Hotel amenities

The bar

Opposite the Kruger Park, there is a bar with an adult pool. This is a particularly pleasant place to relax.

There are also observation posts where it is possible to settle down for a drink or a meal.

This is also a great place in the evening to listen to the Kruger Park activity!

The restaurant

At the center of the hotel, a very pleasant buffet restaurant in the evening.

Provide mosquito repellent 😉

The buffet is divided into 2 sections.

First of all cold dishes in an air-conditioned room.

Some of the entries:

The rest of the appetizers with the desserts:

Then the hot dishes:

Pools

The hotel has two swimming pools.

One rather oriented for children (with a small pool):

And another one with overflow for adults located near the bar and facing the Kruger Park.

A playground for children

Pleasant for families, this children’s playground is located next to the parking lot.

A miniature golf course is present: too bad, nobody will be able to tell us where to find the sticks and balls!

There is also a tennis court nearby.

As well as a giant chess set.

A gym

There’s a gym, but no towel or water.

A spa

A massage and spa service is available.

Breakfast

Breakfast is buffet style.

Here are the different dishes:

Cold dishes: fruit, cold cuts, cheeses, cereals and juices.

The hot dishes:

An excellent breakfast that will allow us to skip lunch! A it was free, thanks to our Titanium status (also complimentary to Platinum members).

Bottom Line

The facilities of the hotel Protea Hotel by Marriott Kruger Gate are excellent. However, as you may have read in my comments, the service left much to be desired during our visit.

In my room, I tried to call room service and reception several times: without success. When I was at the reception desk, you could hear the phone ringing and not a single employee bothered to pick it up.

This is unfortunate because the hotel itself is of a good standard! Most importantly, it is located only 200 meters from the entrance to the Kruger Park, making it a prime location for touring the southern part of the Park.

I’d recommend this hotel for its access to the Park and its low cost in points, but know what to expect in terms of service! Read below for the hotel’s and Marriott Bonvoy’s response on this point.

To easily earn Marriott Bonvoy points, here’s the current offer on the Marriott BonvoyTM American Express^MD Card:

Answers from Marriott Bonvoy and the hotel

Faced with various disappointments, I wrote a note to Marriott Bonvoy about my experience through this page.

48 hours after my claim, here is the answer made by Marriott Bonvoy:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us concerning your recent stay at the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate.

I am sorry for your disappointing experiences with the hotel. I can certainly understand your frustration, especially as a dedicated Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member.

As a gesture of goodwill, with my sincerest apology for your experience, I have requested 15,000 points be deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account within five business days. While I know nothing can make up for your inconvenience, I hope these points will allow us another opportunity to provide you with the excellent service expected from Marriott.

Please let me assure you I have documented your comments about the unhelpful upgrades and the Housekeeping issues. Also, the poor service at the bar, pool, restaurant, and the Front Desk were also noted in a formal case. Kindly know the hotel management team will review the details and ensure this experience is addressed. Additionally, these cases serve as more than a complaint, but also as a learning opportunity for our hotels to excel in customer service and perform within our high standards.

Thank you again for your feedback, Mr. Neighbour, and we truly appreciate your continued loyalty as a Titanium Elite member. We look forward to welcoming you on your next stay with us, so we may have the chance to regain your faith in Marriott. Please let us know there should be anything further we can assist you with, as we would be more than happy to follow up with any continued concerns you may have.

Marriott Bonvoy

This is a nice gesture made by Marriott Bonvoy, knowing that our stay cost 40,000 points (2 rooms at 10,000 points per night).

48 hours after this response from Marriott Bonvoy customer service, I received another response from the hotel:

I have been contacted by the Marriott Customer Care and they have raised all your matters with regards to your recent stay with us, I do thank you for raising the matters as we will never know where we lack if matters are not brought to our attention but it should never take our Elite Members to raise this to us and therefore we do sincerely apologise. I have shared all matters to all the Departmental Heads. We have all had a meeting and we are busy resolving all the matters brought to our attention. The Food and Beverage Manager had a meeting with her entire team with regards to the pool bar and restaurant service. I had a staff meeting with my housekeeping and front desk team. The service you have received was not what we adhere to at the hotel and we always want to provide our GUEST with the best service and our service standards are much higher than what you experienced , we clearly lacked to ensure you were taken care of this time. I have posted 12500 points back to your account , please accept our sincerest apologies for the service you had to experience during your stay with us as training has been re-implemented in all departments to ensure the TEAM does not lack in this area. We do hope that whenever travels brings you back to the Kruger National Park that you would please consider us staying with us again.

Protea Hotel by Marriott Kruger Gate

I hope that my stay and my complaints will significantly improve the service in this hotel! Feel free to comment on your experience if you stay here in the future!

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