Westin Cape Town Review - Due for a Refresh?

The Westin Cape Town

CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre

Lower Long St

Cape Town City Centre

Cape Town 8000

South Africa

The Westin Cape Town sits directly connected to the Cape Town International Convention Centre and that connection defines much of the experience. This is certainly a hotel built for convenience rather than charm. Located on the edge of the city centre, it is about a 5 min Uber ride to the V&A Waterfront and a short drive to most major attractions, including Table Mountain and Camps Bay. The positioning works very well if you are in town for conferences or short stays where accessibility matters more than atmosphere.

Lobby of Westin Cape Town

As with many hotels in Cape Town, we though that Westin Cape Town certainly did not run cheap for the period we were there. A base deluxe guest room runs 8070 ZAR (~ 620 SGD). For this stay we used our Marriott points for redemption (50000 points) and was also upgraded to the Westin Executive, Club Guest Room, valued at 10470 ZAR (~ 800 SGD). Not bad value at all. One thing we noticed in South Africa is that they treat their hotel loyalty guests well, with fantastic hotel benefits across the board (IHG and Marriott at least). Despite dropping from Platinum to Gold status this year during the trip, we were still offered lounge access, which speaks to the property's willingness to extend goodwill.

That said, the building itself is beginning to show its age. It has the structure and layout of a traditional business hotel from the 00s, and whilst it remains functional, it lacks the polish and design appeal expected at its current price point. Rooms follow the same pattern: comfortable, functional, but dated. It is exactly how I remember conference hotels to be, functional. The layout is standard Westin, but the beddings are high quality and delivers a reliable night's sleep. However, the design and finishes are clearly due for a refresh. At current rates, this becomes difficult to ignore. Average weekend pricing hovers around 800 SGD per night, which places it firmly in competition with newer and more design forward properties in Cape Town.

This extends to the outdoor facilities. The outdoor pool on the second floor is small and feels more like an afterthought than a destination. Definitely not somewhere you would plan to spend an afternoon. The gym is compact, though well equipped, although realistically it can only accomodate 2-3 users comfortably at a time. On the other hand, the indoor spa area is a stronger highlight. There is the inclusion of a warm indoor pool, steam room and sauna which adds value and one of the areas where the hotel feels complete.

Thankfully, we were upgraded to a Club Floor room and although the physical room itself was identical to the standard category, the real differentiator is access to the Westin Club Lounge. This is where the stay improves significantly. The lounge provides a quiet, well managed space to relax, with afternoon canapes, evening drinks and a solid breakfast offering. If you intend to make sure of these benefits, the upgrade can present extremely strong value. Breakfast, whether taken in the lounge or the main restaurant, has a strong broad selection, covering both Western and local options. We opted for the lounge, which is certainly quieter and more controlled compared to the main restaurant.

Apart from the pretty extensive buffet style breakfast, the club lounge also offers an A la Carte menu which includes:

• Toast selection

• Eggs your way

• Three egg omelette with a selection of toppings

• Eggs Benedict

• Eggs Florentine

• Eggs Royal

• Other add ons (Bacon, Sausages)

Service throughout the hotel is efficient and professional. Staff are helpful and responsive and status recognition is clearly taken seriously. The team on hand is very responsive. I had reached out prior to deliver some items to the hotel before our arrival and the team was clear on the receipt and informed when the item had arrived - extremely professional and on point with communication. On another instance, when we were taking a random walk through the hotel premises, the staff upon hearing that it was our first time in the hotel, insisted on bringing us around the breakfast venue to tell us about the different stations that they had and what to expect for breakfast. He shared little stories along the way and even introduced his manager, whom we met again at the club lounge the next morning.

Overall, the Westin Cape Town delivers reliability and convenience. It is clear that service is consistently strong at Westin, Cape Town, with staff delivering a level of attentiveness and professionalism that leaves a positive impression. While the hardware is showing its age, the fundamentals of the hotel remain solid. With a thoughtful refresh, Westin, Cape Town certainly has the potential to rank highly in Cape Town's competitive hotel scene, given its location and excellent loyalty recognition.

Check out Availability at Westin Cape Town

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