35 Best Hotels in Johannesburg, South Africa

In France this exclusive establishment would be called an auberge—a five-star destination hotel with a superb restaurant suitable for an overnight or weekend jaunt—and the two-story, sandstone building along the river would not be out of place in Provence. De Hoek sits amid semi-indigenous gardens in the exquisite Magalies River valley. The quiet rooms have golden walls and dark mahogany furniture. Some of the superior suites have fireplaces, and all rooms have underfloor heating. Archery, croquet, lawn bowling, and mountain walks are some of the activities available, but the magnificent restaurant—serving classy five-course dinners and a five-course Sunday lunch (booking essential for outside visitors)—is what brings most people.

The iconic Four Seasons The Westcliff is the paragon of a luxurious urban resort. Perched atop a hill, its view of Johannesburg’s urban forest (and purple haze of jacarandas in spring) provides an exquisite setting. All 117 rooms offer immaculate accommodations along with all the refinements you’d expect from a five-star establishment. The resort’s business facilities are equally impressive. Staff exude a love for Johannesburg and are quick to recommend places of interest to international visitors. Guests are also offered escorted tours of inner-city cultural hubs like Maboneng Precinct and Braamfontein. Expect nothing short of impeccable dining with a South African flair at Flames, which is accessible via panoramic glass elevators.

If you’re genuinely eco-conscious and seeking an authentic wilderness experience, then choose this unique bush camp set plumb in the middle of Madikwe’s best game-viewing areas. Apart from the elephant-high electric wires that encircle this delightful camp, there’s no other electricity, but oil lamps and hot water heated in the donkey boilers for your bush showers are both practical and romantic. Separate, private ablutions and toilets are easily accessed from your comfortable twin cabin on stilts, but be warned, they're basic. The simple home-cooked food is delicious and you’ll receive personal attention from the friendly, knowledgeable staff. Mosetlha’s local rangers are among the best anywhere and have won international awards, so expect your game-viewing to be spectacular. Lions, wild dogs, leopards and hyenas have all been known to wander through the unfenced camp, but you’ll be quite safe in your cabin or as you sit round a crackling fire sharing sightings of the day. There may be no frills but this family-owned little camp has top marks for authenticity, eco-awareness and spectacular sightings.

This exquisite, Asian-themed boutique hotel is aimed at the discerning traveler who is looking for an unusual and memorable experience and wants to be out of the center of the Johannesburg business district. Suites are large, with equally large bathrooms that have deep soaking tubs and Oriental rugs on the marble floors. There are also shower cubicles with views over the surrounding hills and a separate toilet. All suites feature collectible objets d'art. The Constantinople suite has a 300-year-old Indian four-poster bed; others have a mix of antique and period reproduction pieces. Instead of bathrobes, you will find in your wardrobes authentic galabayas, the all-in-one caftan worn in north Africa and the Middle East. Giant carved timber doors and reflecting pools are found throughout the property. All the rooms offer views over the surrounding hills. If walks in the conservancy (zebra and eland roam freely) don't appeal to you, there's an extensive library. Mosaic restaurant has been recognized for its superlative French cuisine. There's an on-site cinema and a museum of sculptor Tienie Prichard's work.

You might think a hotel based on the concept of a lost African palace would suffer from theme-park syndrome, but happily, that's not the case here as sculpted cranes and leaping kudu appear to take flight from the hotel towers, elephants guard stairways and bridges, and graceful reminders of ersatz Africa strike you at every turn. No expense has been spared, and the attention to detail is mind-boggling. All rooms have hand-carved doors and furnishings, the jungle paintings on the ceiling of the lobby's rotunda took 5,000 hours to complete, and the hand-laid mosaic floor is made up of 300,000 separate tiles. The property was renovated in 2022.

The luscious garden with its two adjoining swimming pools is the central feature of this award-winning, owner-run boutique hotel that is equidistant from Melrose Arch, Rosebank, and Sandton. The dense vegetation pays homage to Joburg’s man-made forest and every room has a private outdoor space, balcony, or patio that makes it easy to forget you’re in a city. The welcoming eco-chic rooms are tastefully decorated with subtle hints of African design and are equipped with iPod docking stations, USB, and universal plug points. Eco-conscious guests will appreciate the heat pump water heating system, gray-water reticulation, recycling initiatives, and on-site vegetable and herb garden used for its two restaurants. The on-site bistro serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to guests. Basalt is its prix-fixe, fine-dining restaurant with optional wine pairing that is housed in the original 1940s heritage home and is also open to the public.

Most of the visitors to 54 on Bath are international business travelers and foreign tourists drawn to the modern yet intimate elegance behind the towering brick facade and Doric columns, though the Champagne bar is popular with locals. It's also in the center of Rosebank and linked to the nearby mall and Rosebank Art and Craft Market by a second-floor sky bridge. The upmarket restaurant, Level Four, has established itself as one of Johannesburg's culinary centers. Travelers rave about the breakfast and dinner (an à la carte menu including dishes like rib-eye steak, duck, and salmon). One of the hotel's finest features is the rooftop garden and pool area, which has sweeping views of the northern suburbs' greenery.

Primarily catering to business travelers, this ultramodern hotel is within the Melrose Arch shopping, dining, and residential enclave. The eclectic decor mixes modern and traditional African influences with high-tech, colored lighting throughout and sculptures, baskets, and furnishings all highlighting the African locale. Even the elevators reflect this mix, with one representing the African day and the other, almost completely dark, suggesting the night. Wi-Fi is free in both rooms and in the public areas, including the warm, mahogany-clad library bar. The rooms are well equipped, and each has a view of the pool and garden or overlooks a square. The pool area highlights the eccentric and modern taste that is echoed throughout the hotel, with trees planted in larger-than-life steel buckets, and tables and chairs set out in a few inches of water. Sip a cocktail here while soaking your feet in the heated pool, which has music piped underwater. African-inspired meals are offered at the stylish and modern restaurant, March.

One of South Africa's largest hotel spas is located at this peaceful retreat near Magaliesburg. The award-winning spa is a destination in and of itself (open 7 days a week) with a number of rock plunge pools, steam rooms, as well as therapy baths and it, offers a range of services, including couples' treatment rooms and hydrotherapy. The expansive, thatched hotel sits in the midst of beautiful gardens with drop-dead gorgeous views of the Magaliesberg Mountains from the restaurant's lookout deck. Golf carts are available to take guests across the property's facilities if needs be. The rooms feature contemporary decor with a splash of color, and most have a private terrace overlooking the landscaped grounds, while the suites have their own heated pool that's necklaced by a wooden deck. The Rambling Vine restaurant specializes in farm-to-table dishes made with fresh local ingredients. 

Abutting Pilanesberg, this lodge sits at the head of a long valley with terrific views of a hippo pool that forms the lodge's central attraction—it's not unusual to have hippos grazing 100 feet from the terrace restaurant. Despite this, the lodge never really succeeds in creating a bush feel, perhaps because it's such a big convention and family destination. Its brick buildings feel vaguely institutional. Nevertheless, the guest rooms, particularly the executive studios, are very pleasant, thanks to light pine furniture, colorful African bedspreads, and super views of the valley. The lodge conducts game drives in open-air vehicles, as well as ranger-guided walks. A shuttle bus (R110 round-trip, booking required) runs to Sun City, 10 km (6 miles) away.

Surrounded by a lush garden in the heart of the Magaliesberg, this lodge has rooms with beautiful antique furniture and is a good place to base yourself if you just want to get into the country for a river ramble or a mountain hike–even the drive is scenic. Dinner (reservations essential) is a four-course set menu of French-influenced cuisine that changes daily. Even if you don't stay overnight, drive through for a delightful gourmet picnic (24-hour advance bookings required) beneath the shade of the trees, along the edge of the small stocked dam, or try your hand at catch-and-release fishing.

Paths thread through pleasant gardens to rooms in these small apartment blocks overlooking a man-made lake. The Cabanas, which are within the Sun City complex but are a short shuttle drive away from the main hotel and entertainment area, are modern, clean, and convenient for accessing the resort's restaurants, casino, and outdoor activities, which are all open to Cabanas guests. The cabanas have TVs, tea/coffeemakers, and air-conditioning and are particularly popular with families, who appreciate being out of the fray.

This small, upmarket boutique hotel in central Rosebank is a renovated Cape Dutch house with a gracious garden that offers good value in an area known for expensive accommodations. It has an engaging mix of old and new—Oregon pine floorboards, antique inlaid-wood side tables from Morocco, custom-made couches, and modern, whimsical sculptures like one by Anton Smit, of a woman floating above water. The bedroom suites are luxurious and have heated floors; four have wheelchair access. The superb food in the Clico Restaurant showcases European-style cuisine using fresh local ingredients.

Notable for its quirky public spaces—Louis XVI reproduction armchairs, white shaggy rugs, and the very popular Circle Bar with its beaded booths—The Rosebank Crowne Plaza has standard rooms that are small but perfectly formed, with white vinyl armchairs and side tables. Most will love the black-glass bathroom cube in the deluxe rooms (except those who enjoy privacy—this is not the room to share with a buddy). The beds are comfortable, and directional lighting means you can read while your partner sleeps. Sony Bravia LCD screens with 28 satellite-TV channels, and iPod docking stations are standard in every room. Rooms also feature good work spaces, with back-supporting swivel chairs and multiple plug adaptors at eye level.

Located in a residential area, this gracious boutique hotel was once a private home owned by the Oppenheimer family. Each individually decorated suite mimics classic Eastern and European style with large windows that overlook the manicured gardens that are spread across 5.7 hectares (14 acres). The large grounds, with their sweeping lawns and rose beds, play host to picnics in the summertime and romantic private dinners after sunset. Guests can unwind poolside or at the Balinese-themed spa. There's also a well-equipped gym, an à la carte restaurant, and conference facilities that frequently host weddings.

This boutique hotel in a game estate within the Cradle of Humankind aptly alludes to the mysterious and fascinating story of the development of humanity in every bit of its decor and can be a good option if you want to spend some time outside but near Johannesburg. Artworks of bygone years adorn the walls and the modern architecture takes into account the landscape. The windows have sweeping views and natural veld (pronounced felt)—long, African grasses—grows on the rooftops. Guests can visit the nearby Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng Visitor Centre for an additional cost. The superb fine dining restaurant, Roots, specializes in contemporary cooking with a South African influence, but only serves breakfast and dinners, with the exception of a four-course, wine-paired lunch on Sunday. You can also order a gourmet picnic to eat on one of the private wooden platforms alongside the riverside. There's also a gallery and wine cellar on the property. 

This Hyatt Regency hotel is trendy and opulent, with lots of black, gold, and glass and enormous picture windows revealing stunning views of the northern suburbs. Local art lines the walls in discreetly lighted passageways, and there's an ultramodern restaurant, a wine bar, and a solar-heated pool on the roof. Sunday brunch is a favorite with guests and local families, and the lobby café serves coffee and light meals. The hotel is adjacent to Rosebank's major shopping malls.

A few paces from international arrivals and adjacent to the car-rental companies and bus terminal, this is a good choice for those who have a one-night layover. The InterContinental is very comfortable and upscale, with a chic African interior of warm woods and granite. Those who spend a few nights here do so for the business and meeting facilities and proximity to industrial areas, though it's also a quick 12-minute ride on the high-speed Gautrain into the center of Sandton from the airport. Rooms are soundproof and have blackout curtains, and the eighth-floor heated pool, gym, and spa offers jet-lag-specific treatments. There are great runway views from the gym and pool. The Quills Restaurant and Bar on the ground level serves meals 24 hours.

The two lodges that make up Jaci's Lodges are family-owned and have a longstanding reputation for friendliness, superb game drives, and comfortable accommodations. They are located side-by-side in the southeast of the reserve on the edge of the Marico River. At Jaci's Safari Lodge, you'll stay in one of eight roomy tented suites with outdoor showers, handcrafted mosaic baths, and a private deck overlooking the bushveld and river below. There are also two suites that sleep about 8 each if you have a bigger family group and two romantic star bed suites. The welcoming public areas are cheerful with a seamless fusion of contemporary and African decor. Children are well catered for (6 to 12 years, younger by special arrangement). The eight suites of the secluded Jaci's Tree Lodge, built of wood and thatch and perched on stilts connected by wooden walkways, have views through the riverine trees across the Marico River. All stays include all meals, house drinks, and game drives.

This intimate lodge, with only five suites, is the ultimate in luxury, with its marble floors, elaborate chandeliers, and plush furnishings. Watch animals at a waterhole on a wide plain from the deck in front of the main lodge area, the sunken fire pit, or from the luxury of your own deck or private plunge pool. Many Madikwe lodges serve excellent food, but at Jamala Madikwe, fine dining is taken to the next level, with three chefs serving up a different menu each night, sometimes running up to six courses and including dishes like tempura lobster served with a soy dipping sauce and compressed pork belly with wilted pak choi. For something really special, inquire about joining a unique conservation experience such as notching a rhino or collaring a cheetah, which the lodge offers in conjunction with the park's management.

These pretty, well-appointed, self-catering cottages can sleep four or six people and have stoves, refrigerators, TVs, and a good selection of culinary appliances. In an attractive garden around a pool and adjacent to a cane-furniture factory and shop, they offer excellent value for the money. Breakfast and lunch are served in a tea garden.

The greatest asset of this hotel, primarily a time-share resort, is its location: in a bowl of rocky hills on the edge of the game reserve. The resort has an underground blind overlooking a waterhole, which is connected to the lodge via a tunnel; sit here (especially in the evening) armed with drinks, patience, and plenty of insect spray for a rewarding hour or so. Guest rooms have high thatch ceilings and large glass doors that open onto a verandah. It's best to secure a unit far from the noise of the reception, dining, and pool areas. You can pay to go on day or night game drives in open-air vehicles or to go on guided walks with an armed ranger—both are worthwhile. The breakfasts at the restaurant are legendary.

The Maropeng Boutique Hotel offers peace and tranquility with magnificent views of the Magaliesberg and Witwatersberg mountain ranges just 90 minutes from Johannesburg. Rooms are decorated in warm, earthy tones that reflect the African setting, and each one has a small outdoor space where you can watch the sun set while sipping delicious cocktails. There is plenty to do in the area: the Maropeng Visitor Centre is a short walk from the hotel; the Sterkfontein Caves are just a few minutes' drive away; and for those looking to unwind, the wooden deck and pool are the perfect spot to relax (even though they are directly adjacent to the reception and welcome lounge). Don't miss the stargazing evening with the resident astronomer on the last Saturday of the month, if the dates work out. The restaurant, which is open to the public for all meals, serves South African food that might include roasted meat (lamb, beef, barbecued chops and pap, curried chicken) with fresh-cooked veggies, such as pumpkin and roast potatoes.

Conveniently situated in the heart of bustling Sandton, the Maslow is a case study in modern, seamless sophistication and, if only for a few moments, you'll forget you're anywhere near a city. Beyond the basics of free high-speed Wi-Fi, universal plug points, and first-class conferencing facilities, business travelers can expect unique offerings like the Incubator Room for out-of-the-box strategy sessions, or the Wayfarer Lounge, which provides a well-equipped work base (equipped with private showers) between flights. Minutes from the Sandton Gautrain station, the Maslow offers a free shuttle service that departs every 15 minutes, also stopping at Sandton City Mall and Nelson Mandela Square. The beautifully designed Africology spa is one of the most unique of its kind in Johannesburg, and the tranquil Oasis Garden is the perfect place for some downtime. Ask for a room on the far side of the wing that overlooks the garden and pool. 

This wilderness retreat offers campsites, rustic huts, and comfortable self-catering cabins and chalets with electricity, hot water, and cooking facilities. Don't let the rather terse list of rules at the entrance put you off; the owners are fiercely protective of this little piece of paradise—and justly so. The emphasis is on the surrounding 2,400 acres of mountains, pools, waterfalls, and streams, where you can hike or mountain bike a different route every day—each more beautiful than the last, and might even spot some zebra, impala, blesbok, klipspringer, and gray hartebeest along the way. Pets and radios are forbidden, but children are welcome. Stasombs restaurant serves up pizza, burgers, salad bowls, pasta; check out the special meal of the day. 

Located just 55 steps from the Sandton Gautrain station, this is a popular destination for international tourists and local business travelers with well-appointed rooms, an outdoor splash pool, and a deck that overlooks Sandton's high-rise buildings. The interior has a bright and modern aesthetic, and clever design elements have been incorporated throughout the hotel to mimic features of the Gautrain station and rail line. The hotel also likes to keep visitors guessing by introducing fresh new concepts to entertainment offerings and food menus, such as Central One’s Full Flavour Board for 2, or a new DJ on the deck every weekend. Ask about the weekly specials.

Located in the west of Madikwe, Rhulani is a multi-award-winning lodge with nine private rooms, located around an attractive communal lounge and pool area, and overlooking a waterhole frequented by elephants and other animals. A hide at the waterhole, accessed through a short underground tunnel, will get you breathtakingly close to animals and birds. The service and food are first-rate and the accommodation is African chic, with an air of relaxed luxury. Each room has its own plunge pool and fireplace, and you can book a spa treatment in the comfort of your room. With only nine suites, spaced well apart, this lodge offers privacy and seclusion.

One of the first luxury hotels to open in Sandton, the Sun has a very upmarket designer African feel. Elegant and luxurious, the look draws inspiration from bold earth tones and sculptural baobab trees. Guest rooms are small but classy and superbly laid out, with understated lighting and pared-down furniture. The spa includes eight treatment rooms and offers everything from massages and facials to waxing and manicures.

Directly connected to Sandton City via a sky bridge, this hotel is particularly attractive to keen shoppers and businesspeople who value proximity and easy access to Johannesburg's premier mall and meeting venues. Smart and upscale in every way, it delivers an Afro-chic aesthetic in the form of African art and sculpture and rooms decorated in earth tones. Despite the hotel's large size, the staff strives to deliver intimate service, which is especially useful for business travelers who form the main client base. The gym, spa, and swimming pool offer the perfect excuse to relax when the meetings are done.

In the exclusive suburb of Sandhurst, this luxurious and impeccably designed Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa has repeatedly received awards for its excellence. Heads of state have stayed here, including Nelson Mandela, who came here after his release from prison to work on his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. The butlers pride themselves on keeping files on their guests, right down to what they order from the bar. An azure pool adjoins the sleek, modern building. Inside, the feeling is calm and classical, and there's an extensive African art collection on display throughout the hotel. Rooms are huge, with big bay windows overlooking the gardens or pool. Large-screen TVs, DVD players, surround sound, and a workstation with a high-speed internet connection are standard. Qunu restaurant has an African feel to it.