Mid October 2021, I travelled to South Africa – my first time in this beautiful country.
Having spent the last couple of years stuck indoors in the UK, my partner and I travelled to the Middle East for a planned 3 months of remote working. The trip to South Africa was meant to be for a couple of weeks but that decision soon turned from two weeks to two months!
By experiencing these locations first-hand, I am able to provide my clients with some real gems of information to make their business or personal trips a brilliant success.
In the end, I spent around 3 weeks in ‘Jozi’. Over the next few weeks, I will be divulging what I have seen, learnt and can recommend from one of the key financial centres of southern Africa - Johannesburg.
If you’re planning a trip to South Africa – for business or pleasure – book a free consultation call to learn how I can help you to organise your trip to be a memorable one, for all the right reasons!
Getting there and around
I arrived at O.R. Tambo International airport after an 8-hour flight from Dubai with Emirates Airline. From London, it is up to 11 hours on a direct flight with Virgin Atlantic or British Airways.
We were staying in Sandton, the financial district of Johannesburg, so to get there we got the train, called the Gautrain, from the airport to Sandton station.
14 minutes on the train and cost 200R (about £10) for a one-way ticket.
By car, the travel is around 20 minutes.
Hiring a car
Car hire is relatively inexpensive in South Africa and can be hired from the airport or locations in Sandton.
Pretoria is around 1hr away, so if you are travelling between locations for meetings, or want to get out to explore the surrounding areas for a couple of days at a game reserve, hiring a car may be your most flexible option.
Taxis
On the other hand, taxis are a relatively new experience for tourists in South Africa. Unlike London where you can hail one from the side of the road, taxis need to be pre-booked in South Africa.
The best option is using the hotel chauffeur service for unique locations, which can be pre-booked, or take advantage of their shuttle service to main hotspots.
Use Lady PA to book your travel to make the most of your time, wherever you are.
Hotel Options
Radisson Blu Hotel, Sandton
Lady PA rating⭐⭐⭐⭐
Make sure to get the lounge access
There are two Radisson hotels within the area, the other called Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel. The latter is closer to the Sandton Mall/station – although not by much may I add, and this becomes slightly irrelevant when you factor in that both hotels have shuttle services to and from the Sandton Mall. Paying a little bit extra to gain lounge access is worth it. The hotel has a large indoor swimming pool, an outdoor swimming pool, a big gym area with a few studios plus a spa.
If you go through booking.com, you are not eligible for the Radisson Blu points. It is best to book directly or we can also arrange this for you.
My rate is 4 stars for this specific Radisson.
Hotel 2: Protea Hotel Balalaika, Sandton
Lady PA rating ⭐⭐⭐
A 4* Marriott hotel although a bit of a maze inside, with small rooms - but we went here for over a week and it did the trick.
Next door to The Marc shopping centre and closer to Sandton Mall than the Radissons.
Hotel 3: Radisson Hotel & Convention Center Johannesburg, O.R. Tambo
Lady PA rating ⭐⭐⭐
Not a lot going on around this hotel but in the title, it is mainly for the corporate sector. If you're planning on a big event or an occasion, this hotel is equipped for all your needs.
Facilities; meeting rooms, conference center, swimming pool, gym
It's close to the airport for easy access.
Use Lady PA to book your travel to make the most of your time, wherever you are.
Other hotels to look at for a holiday:
Sandton Sun Hotelhttps://www.tsogosun.com/sandton-sun-hotel
The Palazzo Montecasino - the famous entertainment centre