Suncoast Casino Shines Again!

As most of you know, Suncoast Casino and Entertainment world has been undergoing renovations and extension over the past year, with the Casino set to be expanding, more parking and a whole new food court coming up. Last night I was invited to the launch of the refurbished Casino area, where we could get to see what the overall look of the new gambling floor was to look like. 

Suncoast has always been one of Durban's star attractions, and the packed crowds prove this point. With Durban always having that Miami vibe, it was with this in mind that the Casino was developed in an Art-Deco theme, this transcends from the exterior to the interior, with the bright colours, neon lights and lavish decor. With the new look Casino, much of this transpired with that, and while renovations are not 100% complete yet, we could see the difference between the old and the new. 

The new area is much brighter, this just highlights the extent of the refurb as it brings out the colours in the new plush carpets, makes the granite embedded in the new tables sparkle and the columns which are decorated lavishly marble just illuminate in it all. Apart from the new tables, Suncoast have also brought in some new slot machines for those that prefer thrill they bring. Overall the new look is definitely a good one but we were not just there to look at the new Casino but were also offered to try our luck at a bit of gambling, with the winner taking home R2500 for a charity of their choice. 

We started off with Black Jack, after a brief intro by our dealer it was time to knuckle down and win some money....for charity of course. It seems like the cards were not on my side though, as I was broke by the last hand, not to worry, I had a chance to redeem myself in the next game, roulette! Now I don't gamble often but when I do, I do fancy the spinning wheel on the roulette table, as luck would have it, the ball was bouncing in my favour as I turned my R1000 worth of chips into R4940 after 7 spins! I was in the lead for a short-while before I was pipped off by another player. Into to the finals we went, Black Jack was the game to decide it all, I did much better than my first round, ending off with R1500, but falling short by R50 of claiming the prize. 

It was a great night, loads of fun, tasty food which was catered by Suncoast's very own Cafe Vigor. The new Casino area is looking fantastic, even if you aren't an avid gambler it is certainly worth a trip to see, and while you're there you can have a look at the changes that have been made to the food court and Suncoast beach. 

Tsogo Sun Roulette Masters 2017

Last week saw the media launch of the much anticipated Tsogo Sun Roulette Masters 2017. The tournament which is in it's fourth year running is already well under way and see's 14 casino's around the country partake in. It gives one lucky player a chance to walk away with a guaranteed first prize of R2 million, a glittering trophy and the title of 2017 Roulette Master. 

Suncoast Casino in Durban is one of the participating 14 casino's that are hosting the tournament and they invited selected media to have a little feel for the competition. Speaking at the launch, Louise Howell, Marketing Manager at Suncoast had this to say, "Although the buy-in of R100 remains the same as when the tournament began in 2014, there is huge excitement as there is a total prize pool of R3.1 million to be won. Roulette Masters 2017 is bigger and better than ever with a guaranteed whopping R2 million in cash for the Grand Winner". 

Daily heats have already begun and will take place in the qualifying rounds of the Roulette Masters at each of the Tsogo Sun's 14 casinos: Suncoast, Montecasino, Silverstar, Gold Reef City, Golden Horse Casino, The Ridge Casino, Hemingway's Casino, Emnotweni Casino, Garden Route Casino, Goldfields Casino, Mykonos Casino, Blackrock Casino, The Caledon Casino and Queens Casino until the 9th of March. Entry to each heat of the tournament is by way of a cash buy-in of R100 (cash chips and plaques will also be accepted) or point redemption for the same amount. Players can enter as often as they like. From the qualifying rounds, top scorers from each individual casino as per the unit's allocation (totaling 44 players) will earn a place in the Groups Quarters, Semis and Grand Final at Gold Reef City. 

Those that have made through to the finals will go head-to-head at the Grand Final at Gold Reef City on March 25th where they will be flown and put up at the resorts hotel. The total prize money to be won is R3.1 million. The five finalist that make it through to the Group and grand finals will compete for their share of under R2.4 million with the winner walking away with a guaranteed R2 million in cash, the trophy and the title of 2017 Roulette Masters Champion. 

At the launch were given the chance to try out hand at roulette and see if lady luck was on our side, unfortunately I crashed an burned in the first round, the roulette ball was not landing on my chosen numbers that day! But all was not lost as the team at Suncoast certainly know how to spoil us with great entertainment and delicious food from their various onsite restaurants, Cafe Vigor and Jeera. 

"We at Suncoast are holding thumbs that KwaZulul Natal will have the winning spin in the Finals this year. The Roulette Masters has produced plenty of thrills and entertainment since its inception in 2014. It is always a highlight on the calendar and we are looking forward to being a part of this annual event" Howell adds. "There is plenty of fun to be had on the gaming floor and our croupiers at Suncoast are ready to provide a great tournament experience at the tables for all Roulette lovers"

For more information, visit www.suncoastcasino.co.za or follow them on Facebook or Twitter 

Tsogo Sun: Golf Reef City Casino Hotel

When I tour the country for various events, the most important part of the trip is my accommodation, because nothing can compare to a good night's rest in place that you're not only comfortable but with staff who are always helpful to assist when need be, which is why I am loyal to the Tsogo Sun group, no matter which part of the country I am, their establishments set the bar for hotels and leisure. 

This past weekend while in Johannesburg for the Ultra Music Festival South African leg, the kind folk at Tsogo Sun Gold Reef City Casino Hotel hosted me for the weekend. Before I could even arrive to the hotel on that that Friday I already knew I was in good hands, and for that I must say special thank you to their communications manager Devashini Govender for arranging my stay and ensuring all was well while she was on leave. Not often you will get people going out of their way during their time off to assist you. 

Gold Reef City Casino Hotel is situated just a few minutes outside Johannesburg CBD, it boasts casino, multiple restaurants, kiddies entertainment area and a movie house. The hotel has just gone under a massive renovation with certain areas still getting their final touch ups and I must say, after last visiting when I was a kid, the place has transformed and grown into something spectacular. Gold Reef City is themed around the Johannesburg Gold Rush just like it's sister hotel across the road at the Theme Park which we stayed at the last time. So a lot of of it follows the American Western style decor. 

A massive fountain with golden Springboks leaping through greets you at the entrance of the Hotel and Casino complex and you enter into a massive triple volume atrium. The lovely staff at reception ensured my checking in was quick and efficient with one of them accompanying me to show to my suite. I was staying in one of the bigger suites at the hotel, the coffee and tea station greeted me in the foyer of the room, with the dressing room and walk in closet to the left, that led into the massive bathroom with a free standing tub, shower and toilet. The size of the bathroom was bigger than some hotel rooms I've stayed in!

The bedroom had a massive King Size four post bed, with a lounge area equipped with sofa's and a large screen LCD TV and bar fridge. A nice welcome gift from the hotel's GM stood next to my bed, a bottle of bubbly on ice, and so the celebrations of the weekend kicked off in style. The hotel area of the casino is only accessible by lift and is strictly for guests only so if you're staying there, you don't have to worry about any one making their way up. Security is of utmost importance at Gold Reef City, so much so I didn't even make use of the safe in my bedroom as I know my room was secure. 

Being a working trip, I had to get some admin done while I was at the hotel, for this the Hotel provides free WiFi for all their guests, with a simple easy way to log in and super-fast speeds. If I were busy and didn't have time to visit one of the many restaurants and take out's downstairs, a full eat in menu was available for me from the hotel. anything from a simple sandwich to butter chicken and rice was on the menu. With great variety like this, I pondered whether it was really worth my while leaving my luxurious room and venture around?

Although I was there for Ultra, I had some time to explore the complex, the Casino being the focal point of Gold Reef City is situated in the middle and boasts a host of slot machines for your fancy and for the more hands on gamblers, a range of tables are on offer for you. Whether you're a Roulette man like my self or Black Jack is more of your game, it was all catered for. There is given quite a sizable smoking Casino just behind the main gambling floor. Enough about what the adults can do, the kiddies entertainment is well catered for as well. There is a 10 pin bowling area where the whole family can partake in some fun, gaming area as well as the newly opened movies which has an amazing clock feature in it's foyer resembling an old train station, as well as a time table board which mimics one from a station as well. 

The walkway around the Casino has restaurants that suite any palette, from a cafe type bistro of Tsogo Sun's very own Vigor & Verve, to authentic Indian cuisine at The Raj, maybe some Portuguese Peri Peri at Calisto's or if you're in a mood for a great steak, Boston BBQ is your place to dine at. Other restaurants include Back to the Moon and everyone's favourites Ocean Basket and Spur Steak House. If you're in the mood for a quick bite, the food court has a range of popular take outs for you with adequate seating area for all. 

Chicken Malai Tikka starter at the Raj

Being on the road for a few days, I was missing my curry so settled in for lunch on Saturday at The Raj, it's situated at the entrance to the undercover parking complex. After being greeted and seated by our waiter, he gave us a run down on his preferred choices off the menu. we eventually settled for the Chicken Malai Tikka starter with Lamb Rogan Josh and Butter Chicken for our mains. Every thing we ordered was delicious, so much so we ditched the utensils and opted to eat the authentic cuisine the way it was meant to be eaten, with our hands, just so we could lick our fingers at the end. 

Lamb Rogan Josh and Butter Chicken main with garlic naan

The good food doesn't stop there, guests at the hotel enjoy their breakfast served at the Vigor & Verve Cafe, where they can chose something of the menu or help them self to the extensive buffet on offer. From a selection of hot foods, to pastries, fruits and cereals, it had it all and was a life saver after partying till the early hours of the morning at Ultra. After day one I opted for the buffet, which did not disappoint, after day two I wanted to sample something off the menu and being a lover of toasted sandwiches, I settled for the V&V Club Sandwich. It was a toasted chicken and mayo with bacon and egg, it more than hit the spot.

Overall, I couldn't fault one thing during my stay, apart from the luxurious room and great facilities, the staff of Gold Reef City Hotel must be commended, whether it was the guys at check in, to the security guards, everyone was friendly, helpful and always had a smile on their face. It shows that they not only enjoy what they do but are also proud to be working at Gold Reef City and it's that added extra which makes your stay that much more worth while, to know you have a team of dedicated personnel who take pride in what they do and are ever ready to assist. I will definitely be paying them another visit, maybe this time I will have better luck on the tables!