Most of the delegates were staying at the mid-priced, three-star graded Metcourt and four-star graded Mondior but, to their chagrin, we were invited guests at the five-star D'oreale Grande. It is very impressive - there is a large, dramatic water feature and fountain outside depicting Caesar's Triumph and the exterior has Ritz Hotel, Paris styling.
After announcing ourselves at reception we were told to proceed directly to the fifth floor Club lounge for check-in. I love staying on Club floors as you get a stash of drinks and nibbles that even those of us on free-pass trips usually have to pay for! There is a no-touch sensor at the door which you simply wave your access card at before being enveloped in high-glam luxury of red and golds of imperial Rome. I haven't been to Vegas but that's the vibe they're going for - if you're looking for toned-down quiet elegance, this is not the place to find it.
We were in a Deluxe room but I was surprised and disappointed to find the shower over the bath. As far as I know a stand-alone shower is a prerequisite for five-star grading in South Africa and I can't fathom why they simply don't have rooms with baths or showers as they seem to be big on choice. There is, for example, a long list of cushioning options to order from a pillow menu, which is a nice touch.
Although not at the airport, this is very much geared to being an airport hotel in that there are free shuttles every 20 minutes. It isn't a quick 20 minutes though and it can take up to half-an-hour depending where in the complex you are staying and how many other guests there are. As it happened, we arrived at a very busy time and the first shuttle was full. I mention this only so that you don't think yourself five-minutes away from the airport while you're gambling your millions at the black-jack table when you should rather be checking in your luggage.
When staying on the Club floor breakfast is taken in the exclusive privacy of the Club rather than in the buffet restaurant Aurelia's on the ground floor. It was top-notch and so were the free flowing cappuccinos. The Club is a good place to conduct meetings and there are private, glassed-in rooms for this purpose. You also get a wad of free high-speed internet vouchers for all your devices - and that doesn't happen at all hotels.
There is a huge pool and statement fountain at its centre in the gardens but the gym is very small and if you want to shower and steam you need to pay extra at Octavia's Sensorium which is the privately-run spa. When we visited there were colourful Christmas lights set up in the gardens which are a major visitor attraction at night.
Especially liked that the there was a large selection of desk-height plugs for every possible connection requirement in the room and that the entertainment centre, casino and convention centre are all linked so even though there are shuttles to and from all the buildings you can walk most of the way under cover too.
The hotel was recently awarded TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence which, Emperors Palace Hotel Operations Manager, Caron van Rooyen explained in a press statement "is given to outstanding hospitality businesses that have received praise and recognition in reviews by TripAdvisor travellers. To qualify for the Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travellers on the popular TripAdvisor website. Also taken into consideration is the number of reviews received over the last 12 months.
"TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence award epitomises our commitment to guests, whether online or face-to-face. We encourage all our visitors to post feedback on TripAdvisor as we are confident that the reviews will enhance the guest experience for future stays.
"In fact, with a notable increase in international visitors to the hotel in 2013, the D'oreale Grande took the necessary step to adjust both its online and customer service strategies. Ultimately this ensures that we offer the best in international service standards with a product to match," says Van Rooyen.
For further information and for bookings visit www.emperorspalace.com, call +27 (0) 11 928 1000 or like us them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @emperorspalace.
