Address: 67 Jan Smuts Avenue, Westcliff 2001 [postal: PO Box 2700, Saxonwold 2132, S Africa]
Telephone: +27 11 646 2400
Website: www.westcliff.orient-express.com
First impressions: The upmarket Westcliff, a bit of a local institution, looks not so much a building as a small estate set on a verdant hillside. You don't have to deal with the slopes, as buggies take you up from the reception to the rooms and restaurants. It all overlooks one of the lushest parts of the city.
What are the rooms like? Pretty, spacious and well-appointed, if with some slightly dubious wallpaper. Most have balconies with a view, and those entertaining televisions that come up out of a mirrored cabinet at the flick of a switch.
The bathroom: Strikingly large - big enough to stick an extra double bed in. Lots of marble, with twin sinks, wardrobes, large bath and a separate walk-in shower.
The restaurant: Two on offer: La Belle Terrasse and The Loggia - fine dining and northern Mediterranean dishes a speciality. Both with great views over a leafy suburb of Johannesburg and beyond. There's also a very cool, African-feeling lounge, with big sofas and zebra and leopard pattern upholstery.
Other facilities: Two small pools, the main one being a heated horizon pool that looks straight out across town to the Magaliesberg mountains on the horizon - and sometimes down at elephants roaming the Zoological Gardens below. Tennis court, gym, small health centre with massage and beauty parlour; business and conference facilities.
What is there to see within walking distance? Johannesburg isn't famed for its tourist attractions - and certainly not for walking. That said, the zoo is just across the road. A complimentary shuttle service takes guests to a variety of locations around town for eating and entertainment. Alternatively, you could try a Soweto tour, a 20-minute car ride away.
How much a night? Standard rate for a luxury room is 2470 rand (approximately £160) per night; seasonal packages for as little as 1560 rand (£100) per couple per night with breakfast and extras.
