Not to be confused with the adjacent Southern Sun The Cullinan, its sister hotel, the Southern Sun Waterfront is an impressive edifice housing a whopping 537 rooms. Since they are packed into a relatively modest-sized building, space is at a bit of a premium, especially in the standard double rooms, which are on the smallish side. However, they compensate for this by making efficient use of space. Since there is scant room for an actual dresser, the fairly roomy closet is cleverly complemented by under-bed drawers. King rooms are a bit larger and feature a small sitting area, while the queen room has two queen-size beds, but no sitting area.

All rooms feature lots of lighting, a flat-screen TV, and, luckily for the ladies, a work desk with a mirror that doubles as a vanity. The beds are fairly firm, and the mini-fridge/mini-bar is stocked on request. The bathroom features separate tub and shower enclosures with good water pressure (and hot water comes through quickly), though the shower stall is a bit on the small side, so try not to drop your soap – or you’ll have a tough time trying to bend down to pick it up without whacking your head on something.

The Southern Sun’s amenities are on par with the hotel’s reputation as a top-of-the-line business hotel. Room service is very prompt and features a very wide selection of items. All the equipment in the spacious fitness center is in good working order, and there’s a pretty little outdoor pool for lounging around on warmer days. The two restaurants and bar are buzzing most hours of the day and night. The house restaurant serves a buffet breakfast every morning with an extensive selection of hot foods, pastries, cereals, fruits, and coffees, while the newly renovated Yizani offers high-end South African gourmet fare such as Karoo lamb cutlets and springbok carpaccio.

The only drawback to this hotel is the ongoing interior refurbishment that’s due to be completed in October 2014. This means you may hear noise from 9am-4pm, depending on how close your room is to the renovation. Also, the free Wi-Fi slows considerably at night, which can be an issue if you have work to do in the evening. The solution to this is to either use the computers in the business center, or buy faster/more internet, both of which involve paying a fee.

One of Southern Sun’s best assets is its extremely attentive and helpful staff, from front desk to housekeeping. The excellent location near the convention center and downtown doesn’t hurt either. Many attractions are less than a mile away, including the convention center and the colorful Bo Kaap neighborhood. The V&A Waterfront is also very close, and is accessible via free hotel shuttle. A car is not necessary, but if you do have one, there is adequate, secure underground parking.