Pullman Cape Town City Centre

“An amazing experience”

The service was absolutely incredible! The staff were attentive and very friendly. I would highly recommend this hotel. I will definitely be coming back.

“Amazing staff”

I would like to emphasize the hospitality of the staff is beyond compare. Absolutely amazing. Upon knowing that it was my husband birthday that day, the staff organize cake, balloons, wine and red rose petals in our room. A note from the general manager made it even more special. Thank you so much … more

I would like to emphasize the hospitality of the staff is beyond compare. Absolutely amazing. Upon knowing that it was my husband birthday that day, the staff organize cake, balloons, wine and red rose petals in our room. A note from the general manager made it even more special. Thank you so much Thenjiwe. To all the staff of Pullman hotel Cape Town, I thank you from the bottom of our heart, will surely miss your beautiful smiles and sincerity.

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“Great hotel”

This was our first African hotel we stayed in and it's modern, centrally located (in the CBD). We were assigned a disabled access room (which wasn't necessary for us) and as the hotel standard rooms were full (the international marathon was on) we requested for an upgrade. The Executive Room was … more

This was our first African hotel we stayed in and it's modern, centrally located (in the CBD). We were assigned a disabled access room (which wasn't necessary for us) and as the hotel standard rooms were full (the international marathon was on) we requested for an upgrade. The Executive Room was very spacious with views of the city and Table Mountain. I was impressed with the double vanity in the bathroom. Bathtub was big and the shower water pressure was comfortable. There's an outdoor swimming pool and an indoor sports bar. Buffet breakfast was plentiful and of a good variety including congee with condiments (especially targeting Chinese clientele). There is an eggs station (yes, you can request for Eggs Benedict too). The cheerful restaurant staff is accommodating and always smiling and engaging. The executive lounge was spacious and comfortable. Each evening we dined on canapes, mini desserts and a choice of drinks (alcoholic and non). At the lobby, there's water and warm Rooibos tea to choose from (welcome drink). Currently, with the renovation works on going internally, the wait for the guest lift can take a while. However, the kind staff showed us the alternate lift (shared staff/guest) to use. Within walking distance is Bree Street where there is quite a number of restaurant choices. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at Burger & Lobster by PAN, highly recommended. We made use of the free shuttle service to & fro the Waterfront a few times. Advance bookings is required. Overall, we enjoyed our stay here, the staff makes it memorable.

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“Ashley (Duty Manager) Turned a Service Recovery into a Service Failure”

Our stay at Pullman Cape Town was from 9–13 July, in Room 1014. Upon check-in on 9 July at around 6.30pm, we were expressly informed by a female front desk staff member that, by virtue of our Accor Platinum status, we were entitled to club lounge benefits and complimentary breakfast throughout our… more

Our stay at Pullman Cape Town was from 9–13 July, in Room 1014. Upon check-in on 9 July at around 6.30pm, we were expressly informed by a female front desk staff member that, by virtue of our Accor Platinum status, we were entitled to club lounge benefits and complimentary breakfast throughout our stay. On the morning of 10 July, we went to the restaurant for breakfast and were admitted without any issue. On the morning of 11 July, when entering the restaurant, we were stopped and asked whether we were entitled to breakfast. We replied that we were and entered the restaurant. After collecting our food and taking our seats, before we could even begin eating, a staff informed us that only Accor Diamond members were entitled to complimentary breakfast on weekends. We explained that we had been told otherwise during check-in. The restaurant supervisor, Thobela, then stepped in. She apologised for the confusion and assured us that she would investigate what had happened. When we returned from our day trip at around 6.30pm, Ashley (Duty Manager) spoke to us in the club lounge. Instead of trying to understand what had happened, he insisted that the front desk had clearly informed us during check-in that Platinum members were not entitled to complimentary breakfast on weekends. We explained that such a position effectively implied that we were being dishonest, when in fact our understanding was based entirely on what we had been told by the front desk. Rather than listening or exploring how the misunderstanding had arisen, Ashley repeatedly accused us of being argumentative (not giving us the chance to speak) and even laughed while pouring us our first glass of wine. When we asked for his name so that we could place the incident on record, he simply told us to “go ahead.” Instead of demonstrating empathy, professionalism or a genuine desire to resolve the issue, Ashley became dismissive, confrontational and unwilling to listen. More importantly, Ashley’s conduct made us feel unsafe for the remainder of our stay. We had deliberately chosen Pullman Cape Town because we expected it to provide a safe and welcoming environment. His dismissive and hostile attitude towards guests who had raised a legitimate concern left us feeling vulnerable. We were so unsettled by the encounter that, upon returning to our room, we checked all of our belongings simply to reassure ourselves that nothing had been tampered with. To de-escalate the situation, we deliberately changed the subject by asking Ashley to recommend a South African wine. We even thanked him for something he had not done — making the remainder of our stay feel better — simply because we wanted to defuse the situation. To a large extent, the experience was redeemed by others. A wonderful lady overseeing the club lounge and restaurant (Shandre) later approached us warmly, clarified the Platinum member benefits for weekdays and weekends in a professional manner, and sincerely apologised for the confusion. The following morning, Thobela welcomed us warmly at breakfast and took the time to listen to what we had experienced with Ashley. Their empathy, professionalism and genuine care demonstrated exactly how hospitality should be delivered. Those gestures, although small, restored some of our confidence in the hotel. A housekeeping staff delivered beautiful and fresh flowers to our room which made our day. Ashley did not merely fail to resolve a service issue — he escalated it. What should have been a straightforward service recovery became a service failure because of the way he handled the situation. His conduct fell well below the standard expected of someone in the hospitality industry, particularly for a duty manager. The professionalism displayed by the staff in the restaurant and club lounge is an example that Ashley should learn from.

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