The Grace Hotel in Rosebank won Conde Naste's coveted Hotel of the Year award in 2009. So it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to my stay at The Grace,
Besides, I remembered when Charlie Brand first opened this flagship hotel and very impressive it was at that time.
I had, on several occasions over the years, been invited to stay at the hotel, so it was with pleasure that I finally accepted. I'd be in Johannesburg for a business conference, which meant a stay at The Grace was perfect. Its location is outstanding, situated in Rosebank and attached to the Rosebank Mall shops by a passage.
My room, in the Club section, meant that I had a 24-hour butler service (should it be necessary) and the use of a lounge with drinks, orange juice, tea, coffee and fruit in the mornings, and snacks at cocktail time.
My butler introduced himself with a smile. All well and good.
I checked into the hotel after my conference and, that night, as I had a dinner connected to work, was taken to dine elsewhere.
I noticed that in a vase on the dressing table was one rather sad orange flower. I added some water, but the wilt remained.
Before dinner, I wanted to shower. Alas, no slippers, no gown and no shampoo. And this a five-star hotel? I called my butler and he, in turn, called housekeeping and the gown and slippers duly appeared. I have a thing about walking on hotel floors with bare feet and acquiring other people's athlete's foot.
I left for dinner.
Because I was hurried, I'd left the room in a mess, so left a "do not disturb" sign on the door.
When I returned to the room, on my dressing table was a note saying that because of the "do not disturb" sign on the door, they hadn't made up the room but that I could call any time and they would come. How, I wonder, had that note got there? Somebody had obviously ignored the "do not disturb" sign.
Next morning, I slept late because I had a breakfast meeting with a colleague at 9am.
What luxury.
I set my alarm for 7.30am and had a quick shower
At 7.45am, there was a knock on my door. Thankfully I had a gown and slippers, so answered. There stood a new butler to say that the hotel's water would be cut off at 8am as there was work being done on the water system.
I was astounded. Surely, my butler, or even switchboard could have told me this the evening before. What would have happened if I'd climbed into the shower, shampooed my hair (with the eventually acquired shampoo) and then the water died?
I was not a happy chappie.
I duly met my colleague and her husband for breakfast. To say the breakfast was poor is an overstatement. My colleague's croissant was so hard that when she suggested taking it home to feed her chickens, her husband objected, saying they would crack their beaks on said croissant.
The second one she received from a waiter was not much fresher.
She and I ordered eggs benedict. They were dry and barely edible.
The coffee, however, was drinkable.
