Now, many of you have commented that Pointbreaks opportunities are boring, random, and not worth your time. Well, I'd beg to differ - I consulted the Pointbreaks list last week and was thrilled to see a slew of Intercontinental branded properties added to the mix that were not added when the rest of the list was released last month. Among them was the Intercontinental Lusaka, located in the Zambian capital, my departure point for heading back to Canada. I booked a two-night stay at the end of my trip, to relax and take in the city before my flight.
Here's a short review of my stay at the Intercontinental Lusaka. The property was available for a mere 5,000 Priority Club points per night ($30 value). The going rack rate for the nights that I stayed was $329.00 USD per night - definitely a substantial savings.
Check-in was smooth, with the employees being fully versed in the ways of Priority Club. I was welcomed as a Gold Elite member and was notified that I'd be placed on the elite floor. The desk agents were friendly, spoke perfect English, and gave me a mini tour of the amenities surrounding the lobby before showing me to the elevator.
The hotel is located around 2 miles east of the city center, in the area of Lusaka known as "Embassy Triangle". I found the location to be OK - not too convenient, and not too inconvenient. Taxis are plentiful (though expensive) and local minibuses ply the main arteries at reasonable prices (less than $1.00). The surrounding area is completely safe and arguably quite posh for Africa. I wouldn't walk around at night, but during the day sightseeing was not a problem. Lusaka is a very green, pleasant city, and by far one of the cleanest cities in Africa.
My room was quite comfortable, featuring a cozy queen bed. The bedding was of Western standards, and nothing to complain about. My room featured a desk with multiple International power outlets (every type imaginable), a small sofa, Wide-screen Satellite television, bathrobe, slippers, and an in-room safe.
Waiting for me in my room upon check-in was a complimentary bowl of fruit (with a note that more could be had for a mere $8.00 USD if I so desired!), along with two complimentary bottles of purified mineral water. I was notified of this perk at check-in - all elite Priority Club members receive the fruit & water, while Ambassadors receive the same plus a bottle of South African wine.
The well-shaded restaurant was a pleasant place to relax. It was located right next to the hotel pool area.
A full breakfast buffet (valued at $30 USD) was included in the Priority Club redemption rate. The meal was worth the same as the points that bought the room! Now that's 2-for-1!
The breakfast buffet was broken down into different stations. There were seven all together, featuring a wide variety of delicious Western and African dishes. Along with the hot dishes were the standard breads and pastries, a fruit and salad bar, a pancake and crepe station, a made-to-order omelette station, a juice bar, and a crudite area. Among the notable foods on offer were fresh smoked trout, South African boerewors, and preserved guava.
The breakfast buffet was broken down into different stations. There were seven all together, featuring a wide variety of delicious Western and African dishes. Along with the hot dishes were the standard breads and pastries, a fruit and salad bar, a pancake and crepe station, a made-to-order omelette station, a juice bar, and a crudite area. Among the notable foods on offer were fresh smoked trout, South African boerewors, and preserved guava.
While I didn't feel the need to test it out, the pool did look quite inviting. There was also a children's play area behind the pool (an inflatable jumping room). The hotel also features a well-equipped on-site Fitness Center.
Overall I was quite pleased with my stay at this hotel, it being the first Intercontinental experience for me. For a mere 5,000 points, the quality and service I received were amazing, which I why I felt the need to share my experience with you. The lesson here is that luxury is not out of your reach - it can be had for a mere $30 if you know what you're doing and are persistent in collecting Priority Club points and scouring the Pointbreaks list.
The atmosphere at this hotel is best described as business casual, and most clientele were either Westerners involved in the mining industries in Zambia and surrounding countries, or South African businesspersons. The bars and lounges were always bustling with activity, well into the wee hours of the morning. There were several shops selling Zambian souvenirs and light snacks, a large business center with in-house computers, printers, photocopiers, and telephone services, and several banquet facilities. The service was almost annoyingly friendly, and genuinely warm and welcoming.
Negative experiences....well, the hotel restaurant is one of the most expensive I've seen in any high-end hotel, anywhere in the world. Burger and fries from $30 USD, Ham sandwich from $20. A beer, curiously, is only $4.00, but a Coke will set you back the same. I ate out every evening at local restaurants instead, which offer meals in the $5 - $10 range.
Wireless Internet was available for $10.00 USD for 24 hours, shockingly reasonable given the inflated prices everywhere else at the hotel. The connection was quite slow, though, and actually disconnected for a good part of the day. Because it was offline for over 15 of the 24 hours that I purchased, they were more than willing to pro-rate the daily fee. This problem wasn't so much the hotel's fault as Zambian infrastructure's fault.
By far the worst part of my stay was the air-conditioning, if you can call it that. Unless I'm just feverish and coming down with malaria, the room was one of the warmest I've ever encountered, with a wall temperature stuck at 85 F, even with the A/C on maximum.
An airport shuttle is offered at a reasonable rate ($20 USD). Local taxis try for $30 (while the locals pay a mere $5!). I opted for the airport shuttle, as they accepted credit cards for the service.
This surely wasn't the most amazing hotel I've ever been to, but it did provide a modicum of luxury for an extremely low price. I hope that the idea that Pointbreaks stays "aren't worth it" has now been officially quashed in all of you! :D
The atmosphere at this hotel is best described as business casual, and most clientele were either Westerners involved in the mining industries in Zambia and surrounding countries, or South African businesspersons. The bars and lounges were always bustling with activity, well into the wee hours of the morning. There were several shops selling Zambian souvenirs and light snacks, a large business center with in-house computers, printers, photocopiers, and telephone services, and several banquet facilities. The service was almost annoyingly friendly, and genuinely warm and welcoming.
Negative experiences....well, the hotel restaurant is one of the most expensive I've seen in any high-end hotel, anywhere in the world. Burger and fries from $30 USD, Ham sandwich from $20. A beer, curiously, is only $4.00, but a Coke will set you back the same. I ate out every evening at local restaurants instead, which offer meals in the $5 - $10 range.
Wireless Internet was available for $10.00 USD for 24 hours, shockingly reasonable given the inflated prices everywhere else at the hotel. The connection was quite slow, though, and actually disconnected for a good part of the day. Because it was offline for over 15 of the 24 hours that I purchased, they were more than willing to pro-rate the daily fee. This problem wasn't so much the hotel's fault as Zambian infrastructure's fault.
By far the worst part of my stay was the air-conditioning, if you can call it that. Unless I'm just feverish and coming down with malaria, the room was one of the warmest I've ever encountered, with a wall temperature stuck at 85 F, even with the A/C on maximum.
An airport shuttle is offered at a reasonable rate ($20 USD). Local taxis try for $30 (while the locals pay a mere $5!). I opted for the airport shuttle, as they accepted credit cards for the service.
This surely wasn't the most amazing hotel I've ever been to, but it did provide a modicum of luxury for an extremely low price. I hope that the idea that Pointbreaks stays "aren't worth it" has now been officially quashed in all of you! :D
Happy Travels!
0 comments:
Post a Comment