Protea Hotel by Marriott O.R. Tambo Airport

I was very pleased with the stay, especially for the price. The rooms were cozy and had the essentials, and the modern look of Protea Hotel OR Tambo is striking. There’s an outdoor pool, event space, a newly fitted gym, and room service around the clock. Staff were incredibly friendly. Since it’s part of the Marriott Bovoy group, frequent guests can also build up loyalty points and benefits. It feels premium without costing too much, for business or a leisure trip.

Being so close to the airport made arrival and departure easy, and their shuttle service is brilliant if you use it. It was a great stay overall. I did have trouble with the Wi-Fi, though, and the room TV only offered streaming services. Those weren’t useful when the internet stopped working for a few hours.

The breakfast buffet was really tasty, and the restaurant team kindly found almond milk for me, which isn’t common here, since I’m lactose intolerant. The gym was well equipped, and we had time to use it before breakfast ahead of our morning flight. The room was tidy and clean, the receptionist was warm and welcoming, and the airport shuttle took about seven minutes and came every 30 minutes. This was my first stay with the Protea brand under Marriott, and I had a great experience.

As two pilots, we were especially impressed by the aviation theme in this renovated hotel. The decor feels high end, the food was delicious and catered well for vegetarians, and the staff were incredibly helpful. After a disappointing stay at the Garden Court a week earlier, we arrived with low expectations. I’d highly recommend this airport hotel.