johannesburg

WHERE TO STAY
23
The Peech, Melrose
The Peech 61 North St, Melrose, tel. +27 11 537 9797,
www.thepeech.co.za. With 16 spacious suites set in a verdant
garden, this hotel is a chic hideaway from the busyness
that surrounds it. The décor is Africa modern. James Peech’s
boutique hotel is also an eco-conscious choice. Centrally
located in Melrose, a short walk from Melrose Arch, it has
an outdoor swimming pool, bistro with garden views and a
patio from which to admire the superb setting.Q16 rooms:
doubles R2 400, suites R2 800. iTHUFLKCW
Mid-range hotels
Faircity Mapungubwe Hotel C-5, 50 Marshall St,
Marshalltown, City Centre, tel. +27 11 429 2600, www.
mapungubwehotel.co.za. A four-star city hotel, the rooms
are apartment-style and include a lounge and open-plan
kitchenette. Spacious and tastefully themed, the hotel is
named after the legendary African kingdom famed for its
gold-trading links. One of the city’s best-kept secrets is the
hotel bar housed in the original French Bank vault, where you
can enjoy a drink amid the original brass-and-copper safetydeposit
boxes. Legend has it that Boer commandos raided
the bank in 1899 to fund their war efforts.Q96 rooms. Rates
on request. iTHFLKCW
Protea Hotel Fire and Ice! Melrose Arch 22 Whitely
St, Melrose Arch, tel. + 27 11 218 4000, www.proteahotels.com/melrose.
This hotel’s quirky and playful charm
pays homage to Hollywood’s original glamour and glitzy boys
and girls: Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Holly Golightly. Situated
in the Melrose Arch precinct, a popular lifestyle destination
with loads of restaurants and shops at your door. The
rooms are a comfortable size, dressed in crisp white linen.
Service is friendly and the hotel lounge is a popular hangout
for locals who love the milkshake bar’s double-thick shakes.
Q197 rooms: singles, doubles, suites. Rates on request.
THUFLKCW
Protea Hotel Parktonian All Suite C-2, 120 De Korte
St, Braamfontein, tel. +27 11 403 5740, www.proteahotels.com/parktonian.
The rooftop (for guests only) is
one of the best kept secrets in the city, with breathtaking
360-degree views of the skyline from the pool deck and gym.
The lobby is vast and the 300 suites are all one bedroom
units. The buzzy Orchards Restaurant is open for breakfast,
lunch and dinner buffets, as well as dinner à la carte. The
Gautrain station is within walking distance and the hotel
offers complimentary evening shuttles (midweek) to various
nightlife and entertainment spots. With seven boardrooms
and seven conference rooms (up to 450 delegates) this is a
popular business hotel. On weekdays business drop-offs and
collections within a 10 km radius are offered.Q300 suites:
R850–R1 440. iTHUFLKCW
Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel Cnr Rivonia Rd and West
St, Sandton, tel. +27 11 286 1000, www.radissonblu.
com/hotelsandton-johannesburg. The businesslike exterior
of this hotel hides the modern, stylish interiors and busy
social life of Central One Restaurant and its bar and lounge
area. Wooden floors, contemporary South African artwork
and interesting design features abound. The extravagantly
spacious lobby leads to a pool deck (on summer Fridays a DJ
provides a welcome distraction from meetings and deadlines)
overlooking Sandton. With the Gautrain and Sandton City
metres from the door, this is a super-popular nest for the
business crowd and shoppers from across the globe. Rates
vary. Conferencing facilities for 12 to 600 people.Q216
rooms: singles R1 199, doubles R1 318, suites R1 850.
THUFLKCW
RadissonBlu Gautrain Hotel, Sandton
johannesburg.inyourpocket.com
All rates quoted include
value-added tax at 14%
February - April 2014