I’ve stayed in pretty much every hotel in central Pretoria, and this one is hands down the best.

From the moment you enter you get the feeling that you’re somewhere special. A five-story high atrium adorned with painted frescoes, marble floors and columns, mahogany wood furnishings, and a burbling fountain make you feel as if you stepped into a New York city hotel circa 1940.

Instead of a monolithic check-in counter, there are individual office-style desks where one can sit while registering – how civilized! To one side of the lobby is the stylish in-house restaurant, while the center is occupied by a casual bar-lounge. Sounds of happy people emanate from both, and echo up through the atrium.

After some initial difficulty finding my room (the signage in the hallways is not so great) and turning on the lights (there are no switches in the entryway to illuminate the bedside area), I found a warmly furnished, extra-spacious lair, complete with two double beds, plush carpeting, an armoire that held a TV and cupboards, a mahogany work desk, and a deeply cushioned lounge chair. The bathroom was divine, with gray-and-white tile done in a stripe pattern, marble countertops, and a phone by the toilet! The only minus to the room was a lack of conveniently placed outlets for plugging in my phone and laptop chargers. The wi-fi was fast and easy to use, and the beds were warm and firm – but not too firm.

After ordering room service – which was delivered in under 30 minutes and was delicious — I had a fabulous sleep and did not want to get up the next morning. But I’m glad I did, because the view out my window was stunning. Directly below was the outdoor pool and deck, and opposite, rising up in the distance was the Union Building and verdant gardens that surround them.

I highly recommend the Sheraton if you’re in town on business and need to stay near the CBD – it’s the best of the bunch.