Gaborone's Platinum Paradise: Luxury Awaits at This Stunning Hotel!
Gaborone's Platinum Paradise: Luxury Awaits at This Stunning Hotel!
Okay, buckle up, because we're diving headfirst into the glittering, possibly slightly chaotic, world of Gaborone's Platinum Paradise! Forget those perfectly polished travel blogs – this is the real deal, folks, warts and all. Prepare yourself for some honest opinions!
Gaborone's Platinum Paradise: Luxury Awaits…And Maybe a Few Snags!
Right, let's get this show on the road. I’ve just checked out Platinum Paradise in Gaborone, and, well, it's…an experience. A luxurious, sparkly, potentially slightly bewildering experience. Let's break it down, shall we?
First Impressions: Glitz & Graces…And a Little Guesswork!
Okay, the lobby? Stunning. Think chandeliers the size of small cars, marble floors you could practically ice skate on, and staff who are genuinely helpful. They’re also remarkably patient, because, let’s be honest, I got a bit lost on arrival, which is totally my fault, not the hotel’s. But still, a good indicator of the staff.
Accessibility & Getting Around:
- Accessibility: Okay, so they say it's accessible. (Accessibility, Facilities for disabled guests). I'm not in a wheelchair but saw the elevators looked wide enough and the ramps seemed okay. Do ring ahead and explicitly check if you have specific accessibility needs. Don't take my word for it, because I'm not a wheelchair user, so my opinion is secondary.
- Getting Around: ( Airport transfer, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking, Elevator) Super easy to get around in the hotel itself using all the options. Airport transfer was smooth, parking was plentiful and free which is always a win, and the valet? Felt like a movie star.
Safety First (and Hopefully Always):
- Cleanliness & Safety: ( Anti-viral cleaning products, Cashless payment service, Daily disinfection in common areas, Doctor/nurse on call, First aid kit, Hand sanitizer, Hot water linen and laundry washing, Hygiene certification, Individually-wrapped food options, Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Room sanitization opt-out available, Rooms sanitized between stays, Safe dining setup, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Shared stationery removed, Staff trained in safety protocol, Sterilizing equipment, CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Fire extinguisher, Front desk [24-hour], Non-smoking rooms, Safety/security feature, Security [24-hour], Smoke alarms, Soundproof rooms) I'm a bit paranoid, I'll admit it. But Platinum Paradise seemed serious about hygiene. Everywhere you looked, there was hand sanitizer, and the staff were masked up. The whole place just felt clean. They've certainly put the work in to make it a safe place.
Rooms: Where the Magic (and Maybe a Little Frustration) Happens:
- Available in all rooms ( Additional toilet, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens) My room? Holy moly. Spacious doesn't even begin to cover it. It had a proper closet, a seating area, a HUGE bed (extra-long, apparently!), and a bathroom you could practically live in. Now, let's be real. I'd rather have the space in my room than a second toilet, I didn't particularly need the bathroom phone, but the air conditioning was a blessed relief. The blackout curtains were essential for sleeping off the jetlag and the endless sunshine. The free Wi-Fi was a godsend. The mini-bar was a bit pricey, but hey, you're in luxury central!
- The Glitch: The Wi-Fi, though free in theory, was a nightmare for the first few hours. Keep in mind, I am reliant on Wifi because I am a blogger, it is my livelihood. So this was a bit of a panic for me. I can say the hotel staff quickly fixed the issue. But a little heads up wouldn't have hurt.
- The Decoration: It was perfectly luxurious, a bit predictable. It all felt very well-lit and very modern, which is great, if that's your thing. I prefer something a bit more vintage, so the room was slightly dull for my own preference.
Food & Beverage: From Buffet Bliss to a Slight Glitch:
- Dining, drinking, and snacking: ( A la carte in restaurant, Alternative meal arrangement, Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Bar, Bottle of water, Breakfast [buffet], Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop, Desserts in restaurant, Happy hour, International cuisine in restaurant, Poolside bar, Restaurants, Room service [24-hour], Salad in restaurant, Snack bar, Soup in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant) The breakfast buffet? Glorious. Seriously, I'm talking mountains of pastries, fresh fruit, made-to-order omelets… the works! I ate my body weight in croissants, okay? Don't judge me. The coffee shop was great for a quick pick-me-up. The lunch on the poolside bar was also excellent.
- The Glitch (Again): Room service. Now, it was 24 hours, which is amazing! But the food… it was a bit… bland. I ordered a burger at 2 am (don’t ask) and it was, sadly, just… okay. Not terrible, but not memorable.
- The Asian Restaurant: However, the asian restaurant (I am assuming this is the "Asian cuisine in restaurant" section) was a winner! Try the Pad Thai – honestly, better than some I've had in Thailand.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax: A Pool with a View and a Sauna That's Just Too Hot!
- Things to do: ( Body scrub, Body wrap, Fitness center, Foot bath, Gym/fitness, Massage, Pool with view, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor]) Okay, let's talk relaxation. The outdoor swimming pool? Stunning. Infinity pool, gorgeous views, the whole shebang. Loved it. The spa? Also good. The massage was divine – I think I nearly fell asleep. The fitness center looked well-equipped (I didn’t use it, let's be honest.)
- The Glitch (Three Times): Sauna. Seriously, they need to dial down the heat a bit. I went in, had a quick look around, and nearly turned into a puddle of sweat. Felt less “relaxed” and more “slightly charred”.
- The Body Scrub: I splashed for the body scrub, I felt very nice afterwards.
Internet: Wi-Fi Woes and Wired Wonders:
- Internet ( Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet services, Wi-Fi in public areas, Wi-Fi in all rooms!) Okay, the free Wi-Fi is a major selling point, and it was available throughout the hotel. Now, is this a good thing? Yes, I was excited to be online. However, sometimes it was a bit spotty in public areas.
- Internet Access - LAN For the tech nerds, there's also LAN access. So, I can say that is useful.
- Internet Services: Okay, there are other services. And I used them all, but they weren't particularly special.
Services & Conveniences: The Little Things That Matter
- Services and conveniences ( Air conditioning in public area, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Cash withdrawal, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Essential condiments, Facilities for disabled guests, Food delivery, Gift/souvenir shop, Indoor venue for special events, Invoice provided, Ironing service, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Safety deposit boxes, Seminars, Shrine, Smoking area, Terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center) The concierge was fantastic. He helped me sort out a taxi at 3 am, which, if you've ever tried to do that in a foreign country, you’ll know is no easy feat. The daily housekeeping was impeccable (my room was spotless every single day!). The on-site convenience
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this ain't your grandma's meticulously planned travel itinerary. This is… me going to the Platinum Hotel in Gaborone, Botswana. And trust me, it's gonna be a wild ride.
Subject: Platinum Hotel? More like… Platinum Adventure (with a Side of Jet Lag)
Day 1: Arrival & The Great Pillow Mystery (aka, Getting My Bearings)
- 7:00 AM (Approximate): Ugh. The eternal battle: the alarm versus my eyelids. Lost. Every. Time. Finally, drag myself out of bed, stumble into the pre-dawn chill of… wherever the heck I am. (Airports blur into one another, don't they?). My emotional state? Probably somewhere between "coffee-dependent zombie" and "cautiously optimistic." Botswana, here I come!
- 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Local Time): Finally! Landed in Gaborone. The air hits me – a warm, fragrant hug. The airport is surprisingly… organized. (Okay, maybe I have low expectations after my last trip to… well, never mind.) The transfer to the Platinum Hotel is smooth. The driver, a cheerful guy named David, regales me with tales of "the best braai" (barbecue) and assures me the hotel's pools are "divine." I'm already sold.
- 12:30 PM: Check-in. The lobby is… platinum-y. Lots of shiny surfaces. My first impression: “fancy but approachable” Okay! Feeling the tiredness.
- 1:00 PM: Room. The view is… meh. Overlooks a parking lot. Sigh. Never mind, it's the Botswana experience that matters, right? The room is spacious, modern, and… uh oh. Where are the pillows?! This is a crisis. I'm practically comatose from the flight, and a good pillow is essential for survival.
- 1:30 - 3:00 PM: Phone call. Begging for pillows. Multiple pillows. I am nothing if not a pillow connoisseur. Finally, after some slight language barriers, I get pillow-armed. Whew. Crisis averted.
- 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Nap. Let's be honest, this is the most important part of the day. Waking up from a nap in a good pillow is the ultimate.
- 5:00 PM: Explore. Okay, walk around and find out more about the hotel. Swimming pool! David was right. It is divine.
- 7:00 PM : Dinner at the hotel restaurant. The menu is a glorious mix of local and international cuisine. I order the… I honestly forget. (Jet lag is a real enemy). The food? Okay, it's fine. But the service? Magnificent. So friendly! So eager to please! Makes a weary traveler's heart sing.
- 9:00 PM: Collapsed onto my new mountain of pillows. Sleep. Sweet, blessed sleep.
Day 2: A Braai, a Safari, and the Mystery of the Missing Socket
- 7:00 AM: Morning. Ugh. Same struggle as yesterday. But the thought of coffee pulls me through.
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast. The buffet? Not quite gourmet, but the fresh fruit is divine. And now with a good night's sleep the world seems like a much better place.
- 9:00 AM: I decide to ditch the structured itinerary and seek out a local guide. (My heart still leaps for adventure.) It's a chaotic, hilarious hunt, involving a lot of pointing, broken English (mostly on my part) and a very persistent taxi driver. Worth it.
- 11:00 AM: Safari time! We take a jeep into a private reserve, I am beside myself with excitement. Spotted a giraffe! Seriously, my inner child is screaming. The guide, a guy with a dry wit and a world of knowledge, tells me stories. I drink tea.
- 1:00 PM: Braai Time! Okay, this is what David was talking about. We stop near the Jeep, and the guide starts a fire. The meat is cooked to perfection. The sun is beating down. This is the kind of raw, authentic experience you can't get from a guidebook.
- 4:00 PM: Back to the Hotel. Ready to crash again. But, just as I'm about to fully relax… Gasp! The phone charger outlet in my room is dead. Dead as a doornail.
- 4:15 PM: More calls to reception. More explanations. More waiting.
- 5:00 PM: Finally, a technician arrives. Turns out… a fuse blew. (Okay, so I learned a new word today. Also, maybe I should have packed a universal adapter?)
- 6:00 PM: Success! Charger is working! I feel like I've climbed Everest.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner. Solo, relaxed. Reflecting on the day. All the highs, and all the lows. Every moment in Botswana is memorable.
Day 3: The Platinum Hotel & the Unfinished Business of Pillows (aka, Departure)
- 7:00 AM: Same old, same old. Except today, I feel… surprisingly refreshed. Thanks, pillows!
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast. Pancakes this time.
- 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Back to the pool. Soaking up the sun. Writing. Thinking. Feeling grateful for this experience. This is the good stuff.
- 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Final hotel details. Check-out. The staff is just lovely. Smiling, helpful, genuinely kind. What an awesome hotel.
- 1:00 PM: Heading back to the airport. Remembering the pillows, the safari, the braai, and the missing socket… This has been an adventure.
- 2:00 PM: Goodbye Botswana until next time!
Post-Trip Thoughts:
The Platinum Hotel? A solid base of operations. The staff? Incredible. The adventures? Priceless. Did everything go perfectly? Absolutely not. But that's part of the charm, isn't it? Botswana, you beautiful, slightly quirky, utterly captivating country. I will be back. And I'm bringing my own pillows next time. Just in case.
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Okay, spill the beans! Is Platinum Paradise *really* as good as the photos make it look? Because, let's be honest, airbrushing exists.
Alright, alright, buckle up buttercup, because the truth is…mostly yes. The photos are stunning, and the lobby? Whoa. Like, chandelier-induced jaw-dropping. I actually tripped slightly the first time I walked in. (Elevated surfaces and me just aren't friends). It's all marble and gleaming surfaces and hushed whispers of… well, I *think* it was wealth. But the *real* test, as any seasoned traveler knows, is the room, right? And yes, my friend, the room was *gorgeous*. Think plush robes you could practically live in, a bed that swallowed you whole in a comforting, cloud-like embrace… and a balcony with a view that just about made me cry. I mean, actual, genuine tears. Not the airbrushed kind. The only downside? That balcony view? Occasionally, you could *hear* the party next door. And let me tell you, some people have VERY strong opinions on late-night karaoke. (I'm withholding mine!).
What's the deal with the food? Is it worth the splurge at Platinum Paradise?
Okay, food. Ah, the eternal question. Well, the *breakfast* buffet? Forget about it. Seriously. Forget about your diet, your calorie counting, everything. It's an absolute feast. Think mountains of pastries, exotic fruits you can't even pronounce, and an omelet station that seemed to be manned by a literal wizard. I may or may not have had three omelets on the first morning. I might also have hidden a croissant in my purse for later. Don’t judge!
Now, the *dinner*. That's where things get a little… complicated. The main restaurant? Divinely decorated, the service impeccable, the wine list longer than my arm. But… the food. It was *good*. Don't get me wrong. But for the price? I’ve had better. Like, back in the bustling marketplace of Gaborone. There's something to be said for a perfectly grilled steak, but sometimes you just crave a simple, delicious. And, to be honest, the dessert menu was a bit... underwhelming. Which is a CRIME, in my book! I'm a dessert person! I was hoping for more. My expectations were sky high. I told the waiter... I'm still waiting for the response.
But... the pool bar? That was a hidden gem. Amazing cocktails. Perfect snacks. A truly relaxing experience.
Are the staff at Platinum Paradise friendly and helpful? Or are they just… *pretending* to be?
Okay, this is probably the *best* part. The staff? They're genuinely lovely. I’m not exaggerating. They’re polite, attentive, and not in a creepy, overly-formal way. More like, genuinely wanting to help you have a good time kind of way. I managed to accidentally spill coffee all over myself during breakfast one morning. Mortifying, right? But a staff member swooped in with napkins and a smile, completely unfazed. No judgment, just helpfulness. And they were patient with my terrible attempts at Setswana. (I'm still working on "Dumela," people!). They remembered my name, even though I’m terrible with names. It's those little details. It makes all the difference. I can't comment more on the staff - they were just splendid!
Is there anything *bad* about the hotel? Come on, spill the tea!
Okay, yes, there are a few… minor annoyances. And for the love of petunias, I have to admit, the air conditioning in the gym sounded like a jumbo jet taking off. I considered wearing earplugs. And as I mentioned earlier, there was that karaoke... but that's not really the hotel's fault, is it? It's more of a "next-door neighbor" issue.
Another thing - Internet. It wasn't *terrible*, but it wasn't blazing-fast either. Streaming my favorite shows at peak hours was challenging. Oh, the humanity! I had to actually *talk* to the people I was with! (shudders). And, again, the dessert menu was a letdown. Seriously, it makes me want to cry all over again.
And the price tag... Oof. It's not cheap. Expect to spend. A lot. But hey, you get what you pay for, right? ... Right?
What kind of activities are there at Platinum Paradise? Besides lounging by the pool, of course.
Activities? Well, yes. There’s the aforementioned pool (gorgeous, by the way, a real oasis). There's also a spa, which I hear is heavenly. I meant to go. I REALLY did. Then I got distracted by the pool and the bottomless mimosas. Judge away! I heard it was lovely. And the gym (see previous grumbles). There's a business center, which I ignored completely, because I was on vacation. And tours can be arranged and apparently there are some incredible game reserves nearby. Which I also didn’t do. Because, mimosas. So, basically, I mostly lounged by the pool. And I don’t regret a single second. I might go back just for the pool itself.
Is Platinum Paradise a good choice for families, or more for couples and solo travelers?
See… It's a tricky one. Platinum Paradise is definitely geared towards a more… *sophisticated* clientele. I mean, picture this: perfectly coifed ladies sipping cocktails by the pool, stylishly dressed couples whispering sweet nothings… and then me, in my slightly-stained swimsuit and reading a trashy novel. I felt a bit out of place, to be honest. I did see some families, yes, but it’s not exactly a "kiddie paradise." There aren’t kiddie clubs, playgrounds, or dedicated kids' menus. The pool, while gorgeous, isn’t exactly shallow-end friendly. I’d say this is better for couples, solo adventurers (like myself), or families with older kids… and if you can handle a bit of a stuffy vibe.
Would you go back to Platinum Paradise? And if so, why?
Absolutely! Despite the high price tag and the karaoke and the slightly underwhelming dessert menu and the… you get the idea… I would absolutely go back. The location is great, the staff is fantastic, and there’s a certain… *je ne sais quoi*… about the place. It’s luxurious, sure, but it’s NOT pretentious. It’s elegant, but not stuffy. It’s close enough. The pool is calling my name right now, actually. So yes, I’d definitely go back. And maybe this timeHotel Price Compare
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