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A bed for every budget

Official host city for the 2010 FIFA World Cup^TM

A bed for every budget

Friday, 09 May 2008

Everybody is welcome in Joburg and there’s a wide range of accommodation available to make all visitors feel at home

There is a hotel for every price range

HOSPITALITY is one of Joburg’s cornerstones. The city and its people pride themselves on the warm welcome extended to everyone. And to make sure visitors get the best out their stay, there is a range of accommodation suited to every pocket.

In the northern suburbs, traditionally the more upmarket area of the city, there are swanky world-class hotels, many of them belonging to international chains such as Hilton and Hyatt. Plenty have in-house spa facilities for a spot of pampering.

Boutique hotels are another feature in the posh landscape. Again targeting the bigger spenders, they are gorgeous, with attention paid to the finest details. And they are generally close to the swish northern suburbs shopping malls, making it convenient to pick up a few souvenirs while you’re here.

Scattered over a wider area, there are plenty of four- and three-star hotels, which won’t break your budget, but which are worth every penny. They offer the usual hotel trappings, such as meals and a concierge system.

Bed and breakfast
And then there are bed and breakfasts, which have sprouted everywhere in Joburg. They range from the sumptuous to the Spartan, offering everything from a luxury home-away-from-home, to a bed and breakfast, literally.

A bed and breakfast

There is also budget accommodation, usually used by young people with not much cash but a huge appetite for fun. Backpackers lodges and youth hostels fall into this category – though you don’t have to be young and sport a backpack to stay in them.

Hotels and B&Bs are generally found in the northern areas and suburbs, but you can also stay in one of the townships, the traditionally black areas of Joburg – there is a vibrancy that can’t be beaten. Here there are also B&Bs aplenty, and the Holiday Inn Soweto, at the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication, opened in 2007.

The casinos in Johannesburg all have hotels attached too. Booking into one of these – Gold Reef City and Montecasino spring to mind – means that you can stay and play, all in one place.

But if you want to get out of the city and experience a bit of an African safari, try one of the game lodges or reserves on Joburg’s outskirts, such as the Krugersdorp Game Reserve or stay overnight in the tented camp in the middle of the Lion Park. Instead of city sounds, you’ll be lulled by the roar of lions and nervous laugh of hyenas.

And there are a few country retreats as well, such as Toadbury Hall Country Hotel in Muldersdrift. Most are found along the routes to the Magaliesberg to the northwest of Joburg, and there are a number in the open stretches around Kyalami and Midrand, giving easy access to neighbouring cities, too.

Booking in

Although not a prerequisite, it’s probably a good idea to pre-book your stay in a hotel - and it’s essential for the hotels around the airport, which can fill up at a moment’s notice if planes are delayed.

Pre-booking can be done online or over the telephone, but the hotel needs your credit card details to guarantee your booking.

Some advise booking 48 hours in advance of your stay, others urge a two-week lead time.
When it comes to checking in, some hotels need to see your passport, others don’t; so it’s a good idea to have it handy, just in case.

Tipping hotel staff is discretionary; the concierge or duty manager will gladly advise on this, and on how much to tip. But remember, tipping is not expected.

The more upmarket hotels lay on transport to shopping centres and places of interest, while others can give you information and recommend companies that specialise in these sorts of things.

Most hotels will charge one night’s stay to your credit card if you don’t show up for your booking; other than that, paying for your stay is done when you check out.