voco is sexy. Taking inspiration from the glamour of Art Deco the entire building is a study in contemporary elegance, from Proud Mary restaurant and Proud Coffee in the lobby to the beautiful art-filled spaces (there are over 700 original South African artworks throughout the building) and wraparound balconies of Workshop17, the independent co-working space on the second floor.
The hotel rooms continue the theme of city chic, with large volume floor-to-ceiling windows making the most of natural lighting and giving views beyond Rosebank’s little cityscape towards the tree-covered suburbs in just about every direction.
The building, The Bank, was once a branch of First National Bank, and this writer spent many hours in queues there over the years. So there’s a doubling up on satisfaction to think that that dreaded space and what must have been the worst Forex department in Joburg, is now an attractive and welcoming corner of Rosebank, with its unmistakeable brick facade and doors that open onto the piazza of The Zone@Rosebank and the pedestrianised strip linking Rosebank Mall.
voco Rosebank has given a heart to the neighbourhood as a popular meeting space, coffee, lunch or dinner spot and an incredibly beautiful bar. The space buzzes, and is filled with atmosphere. Our first thought – if we landed at this kind of hotel in any city in the world we would be delighted.
It’s also an incredibly convenient location for its transport links – the Gautrain is outside the door. An added bonus for tourists is the easy access to the extraordinary Rosebank Art & Craft Market, the City Sightseeing bus, Rosebank Sunday Market and the Honest Experience Travel store – where you can rent e-scooters and book city tours with ease.
We stayed in a premium corner room on the 15th floor. The hotel offers four room categories, this was level 3. Spacious, comfortable and beautifully appointed with a king-size bed and a sitting area, our room also had a bathtub in the bathroom that looked out towards the greenery of Dunkeld.
The hotel staff were gracious and welcoming – and there was a definite sense of a property that is aiming to make your stay personal, and fun.
A fantastic asset to the hotel is Proud Mary. Breakfast was from the menu at this popular restaurant with plenty of exciting choices. Try the Turkish eggs or the green shakshuka, the fresh juices are delicious and the coffee here is always good.
Proud Mary stands out for its broad menu of innovative dishes. Middle Eastern cuisine is one of the strong influences here and there’s an excellent selection of vegetarian dishes. An all-day restaurant the place excels at beautifully presented plates with exciting flavours.
In short, if chic, urban and welcoming is what you are looking for in a hotel, we recommend voco.
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