Vivari Hotel and Spa by Mantis

Went to the restaurant with my partner last night and outside of the menu being incredibly limited, most of the items especially the wines were out of stock. The waitron suggested we order a bottle of water for the table to which we complied and after bringing the bottle she just left it on the table and did not bother to pour it. We poured ourselves half a glass each after our underwhelming dinner and after paying our bill we proceeded to leave with what was left of the water for which we paid R75 (a pretty penny by any measure), we were stopped in the parking by the manager Legotla, to inform us that we can’t leave with our water because they need to keep the bottle. After spending thousands of rands on what was a below average experience, at best, we were told to give the water back because they needed the bottle. Clearly signs of a struggling hotel and restaurant, willing to cut costs at the expense of customer experience. Wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who values themselves.

Absolutely stunning place. Service and hospitality are amazing. Great for a babymoon. They made it so special with personalised touches. Chef is amazing, friendly and very accommodating. Food is absolutely brilliant! Spa treatments and facilities are amazing too!! Also accommodating.

Amazing hotel but I was highly disappointed by their restaurant food and pool. Although the food looked appetising, it was blend. The pool looked nothing like the pictures. When i first saw it Yesterday (31/11/22), I thought it was dirty because of the rain and maybe they were cleaning it but I was surprised to see it still looked muddy and green. Nothing like the blue pool seen on the pictures.

Little gem of a hotel hidden close to the cradle

This was our second stay at Vivari hotel. The pro’s remain the same and the cons remain the same.Pro’s: hotel is truly beautiful. Rooms stunning, decor of restaurant, pool etc all faultless. The staff all very friendly, helpful and sweet.Cons: Bramble’s restaurant.During our initial stay in August 2022 the Pecan pool bar was not opened yet (even though it was advertised as being open) so Brambles was the only dining option. Being at a hotel and spa one would expect to eat light, healthy and clean food. Brambles menu is heavy, sauce rich and above all very expensive for the quality of food. After our first stay I did give feedback to the staff regarding the food and I was assured it was something they would look into.We have now just returned home from another weekend stay at the hotel. The Pecan bar which is now advertised as being open Friday - Sunday was closed, apparently because it was raining? Bramble’s ‘summer’ menu was really not appealing with heavy dishes like lamb shank and curries. We asked if we could rather order off the in-room dining menu and the waiter agreed so we ordered beef and chicken burgers. Both were very average. Brambles charge a fortune (literally double the price of Grillhouse prices) and we would gladly pay if the food was decent - but unfortunately it’s far from. Additionally the narrow, tiny cutlery Brambles supply cannot cut toast - let alone substantial meals. The music playlist also leaves a lot to be desired. On Saturday night the dining playlist rotated rave and rock music - not a very relaxing feel for a spa restaurant.One other ‘issue’ that bothered us during this stay was the room we were placed in. We had booked and paid for a room with a bath and shower. Apparently there are not many rooms with baths (only showers). During our previous stay we were placed in a room over looking the pool and garden which was beautiful. This weekend we were placed in a ground floor unit over looking the parking lot (Unit 1). There are 48 rooms in the hotel and when we asked staff how many rooms were occupied they told us 7. So out of 41 room options they placed us in front of a car park, on ground level so we had to keep curtains closed the entire time as staff were gardening right in front of our windows. Not really ideal.The staff, the decor and the room quality make up for the other issues and being so close to Sandton Vivari makes for a great option for a weekend getaway. But the food is a major downfall that needs to be addressed if they want guests to return____________________________________As I’m not sure how to directly reply to your response please see my comments below1) our previous room DID have a bath. We specifically changed rooms at check in to accommodate this.2) the pecan menu offers pizzas - pizza oven was not working so therefore menu was not available3) no salmon etc sandwiches were on any menues - we would’ve noticed and ordered this. Please email me this menu as we were never shown it.4) during our 2 stays no staff member has every told us about, or shown us another dining area for the spa. Why so?5) Brambles makes one think that Vivari has an identity crisis. You cannot say it’s separate to the hotel. It’s one. Playing rave and rock music and serving heavy dishes is not something you should actually defend doing. Decide what you want to be and stick to it - a relaxing hotel and spa perfect for a weekend getaway or a fine dining spot where people go to party. If it’s the latter, I suggest you make sure your food on offer is edible to start off with before attempting to charge fine dining prices. If a beef burger cannot be cooked properly I shudder to think of what the lamb shank must taste like.

Mrs booked us in after a while of not visiting Vivari :( I must say one saw a lot of new faces and the old faces were not as cheery as they always are we both agreed there's something rather off at Vivari morale is way way down according to my waiter who i obviously can’t mention there's new management who is not so nice and they are under a lot of pressure and the treatment isn’t as before pretty sad cause Yall had one of the best teams who always created memorable experience's apart from the property the staff are what makes us come back. Heard a few stories which I don’t think they are for this platform but it was really sad to see the guys like this all across the board… made sense why it was so so quiet

We attended a birthday celebration at Vivari this past Saturday and was incredibly impressed with every aspect of the experience. The food was outstanding, with a wide variety of options to suit all tastes, dietary requirements and most importantly spice levels. The Indian dishes were authentic and delicious. The service was impeccable, with attentive and friendly staff ensuring that every guest's needs were met. The facilities were pristine yet comfortable, creating a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere for the celebration. Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant venue for any special occasion or gathering where great food, service, and facilities are a must.

Vivari Spa and Hotel was a fantastic stay, with beautiful luxury rooms that were clean, spacious, and decorated with taste. We were grateful to be upgraded twice to their luxury rooms. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, always going above and beyond to ensure our stay was a pleasant one. The spa was a highlight of our trip, with a wide range of treatments available and a peaceful atmosphere. Overall, I highly recommend Vivari Spa and Hotel for anyone looking for a relaxing and enjoyable getaway.

Amazing stay. Friendly staff. Great conference facilities. Quiet, peaceful. Great food options. Food well prepared with great variety.