Johannesburg - The unexpected garden oasis of The Maslow has been welcoming guests to Sandton’s financial district for the past decade, and while small details might have changed, it is still focused on doing hospitality simply, but exceptionally.
The 281-room property opened its doors in December 2012 after a R250-million refurbishment. Before transforming into The Maslow, it was known as the Southern Sun Grayston Hotel, and a Holiday Inn in the 1980’s. The Maslow became Sun International’s first business-centric hotel in their portfolio, a personalised four-star experience which balances work and play.
Over the years, prominent guests have included the likes of Nelson Mandela, The Waterboys, The Cure, Bonang Matheba, Baby Face, Brian McKnight and various Miss South Africa contestants, who stayed there during the competition over the years as well as leading soccer and rugby players. The hotel has hosted events including 702’s Walk the Talk and had 947 broadcasting from the lawn. A 2013 New Year’s Eve party saw close to 1 000 people attending, with DJ Mo G on the decks until 4am.
General manager at The Maslow, Herman Swart, who has 30 years experience in the industry, said the hotel’s customer value proposition ensured that each room was designed to meet the needs of travellers, with the best sleep and shower in town.
“We have a three-year contract with an airline and our staff love serving them. They have become loyal regulars who bring their favourite waiter or front of house staff member birthday gifts, a motivating factor for the team, who love their energy as they hang around the swimming pool or dining areas,” he said.
Swart attributes the many repeat guests to his staff’s interaction with guests, the quality of service as well as The Maslow’s stunning garden environment.
“I recently saw one member of staff take R20 out of his own pocket to help a guest pay for their room, and this is just fantastic. To have staff who are so loyal to their product that they will help a customer pay to experience it,” Swart added.
Like with many hotels around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic changed travel patterns but The Maslow is happy to report that international travel is picking up steadily and many locals are now also choosing to check-in over weekends for a staycation.
“International travel has returned slowly but is not quite at pre-pandemic levels and Sun International is working at group level to grow this,” he said.
Conferencing, which Swart expected to be slow to return, instead bounced back fast as businesspeople find value in face-to-face interaction. As a result, their conferencing venues are sold out weeks in advance.”
“In what is a new trend, we are seeing international businessmen staying for periods of up to 30 days. For these guests, who may tire of our menu, we have something called ‘chef on call.’ They tell our executive chef, Omar Menhouk what they feel like eating, and it is prepared to their taste.”
Swart chuckled as he recalled another long-stay client, who refused to come out of his room for 60 days.
“He asked for his fresh linen, laundry and food to be dropped off in front of his room. Other strange requests, which had to be politely declined, include having a pet dog to stay, and a photo shoot with a cheetah in the gardens,” he added.
The Maslow’s Lacuna Bar and Bistro challenges the conventional thinking that hotels are not known for exceptional food. Algerian chef Menhouk, has refreshed the hotel’s dining options, bringing a lighter, fresher fare with on-trend ingredients to the fore. The Africology Spa at The Maslow is popular with Johannesburg locals and regular guests, who are savvy enough to know to book in advance. One of the most popular treatments is the 90-minute ‘The Maslow Journey’, a bespoke massage and facial which is exclusively available at the hotel. Besides the usual manicures, pedicures, massages and facials, the spa has its own hydrotherapy area, with a Rasul Chamber, steam room, ice walkway and heated pool.
In Swart’s many years with Sun International, The Maslow is the smallest property he has managed, but, he says, the most rewarding to be involved in.
“I see myself as the conductor of the team. We have turned things around since the pandemic to become profitable and my team is motivated and happy. It is an honour to represent the Sun International brand in such a competitive environment as Sandton, and for our next decade, we aim to grow occupancy levels to 75% using our excellent customer satisfaction rates as a base,” Swart concluded.
Acting chief executive officer of Sun International, Garth Collins, said growing the company’s presence in Sandton has been a major focus.
“I am delighted that we now have our first business-centric hotel to our portfolio of hotels in Southern Africa. The Maslow is an entirely new class of hotel, adept at helping guests balance work and life,” he said.
Some of its properties include the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, The Palace of the Lost City, Sun City hotel, Wild Coast Sun, Gaborone Sun and The Royal Livingstone among others.
Lloyd Livingstone-Blevins, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, who started at the Maslow in September 2013 described the early days at the hotel as “high paced and very busy, permanently full of exciting events”.
Afrika Nkosi, head concierge and also the man who paid R20 out his pocket so the guest had enough money to stay, said he has met people that he grew up watching and admiring such as Breyton Paulse, singers, Calum Scott and Kerryn White, Nokzola Mapimpi and AJ from the group, West Life.
“Working at The Maslow has taught me to be patient with colleagues and guests and translated into my personal life allowing me to remain level-headed. I stayed at The Maslow as a guest in 2012, well before I came to work here, and my experience was amazing, from personal greetings and warm welcome from the guest relations manager, to being upgraded to a suite, I felt important. I remember walking on the lush lawns and hearing the loud chirping of the birds. The show kitchen in the restaurant also blew me away. I mean how many hotels in Sandton have that in such beauty?”, he said.