By Bev Hermanson

It’s been twenty-five years since Tsogo Sun’s five star Palazzo Hotel was opened amid much fanfare, as the opulent accommodation complement to Montecasino, the elaborate Tuscan-themed entertainment complex situated in Fourways, north of Johannesburg.

As the name suggests, one of the draw cards of Montecasino (often referred to as Monte) is the casino, however, for a large number of visitors, including children, tweens and teens, the attractions are the cinemas, ten pin bowling, kids’ arcade, laser games, theatre – and the many restaurants to be found both indoors and surrounding the piazza outside.

The hotel, with its own separate entrance and parking areas, stands somewhat aloof from the hustle and bustle of the casino complex. This is because, while the casino welcomes all types of visitors to enjoy the multitude of attractions, the Palazzo is far more exclusive.

“To introduce an air of sophistication, we had to add some level of formality at concept stage,” says Brent Buchanan of the design studio, Creative Kingdom, during a media briefing prior to its launch.

For the architects, the challenge was to give the hotel the appearance of a three-storey Tuscan residence, while in reality, it’s a five-storey building comprising 246 rooms. Taking advantage of the slope of the land, they added accommodation wings that overlook a central formal garden and koi pond.

The entrance on the street side, with its large revolving doors alongside a shoe shine station, opens into an airy reception area that leads to an upper piano lounge and bar. A grand staircase below an ornately hand-painted dome takes guests down to a triple volume dining area and, from there, they are able to step out onto a terrace that commands magnificent views of the Magaliesberg Mountains in the distance.

To achieve the required 17^th Century Tuscan effect, the interior designers played with a multitude of textures and specially-formulated, coloured plaster. Decorations include gold trim at the top of the columns, ornate wrought iron balustrades and mosaics embedded in the marble floors. Almost every piece of furniture was custom-designed and made to specification by skilled craftsmen to perfectly emulate the furnishings typical of an authentic Tuscan palace that would have been graced by Italy’s high society of that era.

The final result produced rave reviews for over a decade and the hotel received many accolades, including being voted Best Luxury Casino Hotel in Africa for five consecutive years. However, recently, some TripAdvisor reviews have suggested that it’s time for some refurbishment, particularly in the rooms and passages.

One hopes that, as they look back and reflect on the Palazzo’s success over the years, and consider the feedback from their guests, its management will hit on just the right formula to keep this elegant hotel relevant in the years to come.

#Montecasino
#Tsogo Sun Palazzo Hotel