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Added by Jopie, at 03 May 2010
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3 Reviews
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26 May 2013
It is very good at everything and is very nice too.
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15 July 2010
a) Bathrooms are not very clean, and are really old.
b) Matresses are old, worn out and I wouldn't be surprised to discover bed bugs on them
c) Food, laundry and especially Internet access is the most expensive I came across in a 3 weeks period in SA
however
d) Hotel stuff is very friendly and really helpful,
e) the place is really safe, guarded at all times.
overall, this is NOT a 3 star hotelresponse / report this review -
10 May 2010
Do not believe these other ratings; many are clearly written by the same person, an employee of the Africa Centre. DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL if you value 1. the security of your credit card, and 2. sanitation.
I am an American who got bumped off my flight from Johannesburg and had to find a place to stay for the night. After reading the positive reviews of the Centre, I called them and asked about their rates. They quoted me $21 including free airport pickup, which was the best deal I could find on a backpacker's budget.
The airport transfer picked me up and brought me to their compound, which is admittedly pretty (it also serves as a hotel). The man at the front desk asked me what kind of room I was checking into, and I said "the $21 hostel bed." He repeated back to me, "the deluxe suite?" I replied, "no, just a hostel bed." He then acknowledged, "okay, one hostel bed. That's $21." I then gave him my card and he swiped it. He brought me the receipt to sign, covering up the price he charged with his finger. I swatted his finger away only to discover that he'd charged nearly $100 to my card. When confronted, he said only, "oh, you didn't want a deluxe suite?" It was very clear that he'd understood what I wanted, but wanted to charge me for a deluxe suite.
I then got a manager, Priscilla, who apologized profusely but said that a refund couldn't be processed until about 2-3 weeks. They recharged me for the $21 bed---about $121 in total charges.
The hostel facilities themselves were not sanitary. While the outside of the hotel looks pretty, the room was dank and filled with mosquitoes. The mattresses are black, so you can't check for bed bugs. I couldn't fall asleep with all the mosquitoes, so I reached over to my suitcase only to see a large cockroach on top of it. The only other person who braved this hostel room was a night guard who was sneaking a nap. I awoke around 3 a.m. to the sounds of the manager screaming at him for sneaking off. (Understandable--J'burg is terribly dangerous, and guards are the norm at most hostels and hotels.)
It got light outside, and I returned to the airport at dawn even though my flight wasn't until 7 p.m.; the Jburg airport was a much better option than this hotel. I was reassured again by Sara and Priscilla, two managers, that I'd be refunded as soon as possible.
Later that day at the airport, I discovered about 15 bites on my body, including areas that had been covered, leading me to suspect bedbugs as the culprit.
As of three months later, after repeated calls and emails to the Africa Centre Airport Leisure Hotel, they still have not refunded me the $120 charge, and they have stopped responding altogether.
DO NOT STAY AT THE AFRICA CENTRE AIRPORT LEISURE HOTEL. You'd be cleaner and safer sleeping in a chair at the airport.response / report this review
