TAKE A LOOK | Global chain voco has opened its first African hotel, at JHB – and we love it

voco hotel exterior (provided)

• We spent one night at the Voco, in Rosebank, Johannesburg.
• It is the first Voco hotel to open in Africa.
• The hotel occupies six floors of The Bank and provides guests with access to the restaurant, Proud Mary Modern Eatery & Wine Bar, and Atelier 17, a business center.
• Guests also have access to a gym and Bespoke Man, a local hair salon which includes a nail bar.
• For more stories, go to www.BusinessInsider.co.za.

We spent one night at the first voco hotel in africaand we absolutely adored the first class hospitality, the scrumptious food and the exquisite decor.

Global hotel brand voco, owned by IGH & Resorts, opened in Rosebank in February, making it the very first voco hotel in Africa – and we loved a lot about it.

Located within walking distance of Rosebank Shopping Centre, the hotel is inside the architectural gem called The Bank – yes, it was literally an FNB bank after it was built in the 1970s.

Aside from the aesthetically pleasing black and gold exterior of the building, the service turned out to be top notch, from the moment we got out of the car.

We were immediately greeted and greeted by a porter ready to unload our luggage while a concierge prepared to park the car safely for us.

Upon entering the building, we couldn’t help but notice that the interior looks nothing like a bank.

Brightly colored sofas, modern chandeliers, and a mint green reception area characterized by classic wall panels made the hotel very welcoming, thanks to the vintage glamor style discipline inspired by New York Art Deco.

Vintage decor infused with a modern theme continues upstairs where serene navy and gray hallways lead guests to their rooms.

In the one-bedroom superior room we stayed in, it was pretty obvious that the light pink wallpaper matched the mini semi-circle coffee station and the rest of the room.

The light shade of pink, paired with cream wood paneling and gold mirrors makes the room look fresher, spacious and inviting.

The style almost makes you feel like you are walking into a room in New York that existed in the 1930s, but still looks visually appealing in more modern times.

In addition to golden wall sconces covered in marble stone and glass, the walls bear wooden frames containing works of art that add color to the room.

We weren’t sure what we thought of it at first, but we really liked the vintage feel given by the wooden headboard combined with a modern teal velvet upholstery in the center.

The bedroom also offers a comfortable work space, a mini living room and a monochromatic bathroom with white walls and minimalist matte black hardware. Although there is no pool, guests have access to the gym and local hair salon called Bespoke Men.

While the ground floor of the building houses the hotel reception, it is also largely occupied by the popular Proud Mary Modern Eatery & Wine Bar. We were treated to a scrumptious dinner and breakfast, and not only did the food exceed expectations, but the service was top notch as well.

Other spaces available to business travelers include Workshop17, a first and second floor business center with 62 offices, eight meeting rooms, seven conference rooms, event space, hot desks, booths concentration, videoconferencing rooms and a café – Café Felix.

The building, whose exterior is black with a touch of gold, is made of custom-made rough black bricks that were made locally specifically for The Bank. They don’t call it an architectural gem for nothing as the building has already won several awards.

The 131-room voco at The Bank, Johannesburg is one of 31 voco hotels worldwide, and while it’s the first we’ve visited, it’s definitely our favorite so far.

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