Five Joburg hotels that make business a pleasure

Even with its well-documented problems, Johannesburg remains the centre of business in South Africa. And unlike some cities with their mountains and oceans, you'll get value and quality for a fraction of the price at these hotels. There are also great views in the mix. By .

- Richard Goller

RADISSON RED HOTEL

Contrary to the naysayers, the Gautrain has proven to be a boon for Rosebank. The area used to be renowned for its purple-rinse grannies, but they’ve made way for a younger, hipper, more diverse generation and big-name businesses such as Anglo American, De Beers and Coca-Cola.

That change is reflected in the ethos and aesthetic – let's call it ‘funky-corporate’ – of the Radisson Red Johannesburg Rosebank. It’s part of the global Radisson Hotel Group, with hotels from Sandton and Cape Town to Amsterdam, Istanbul and Shanghai.

The colour red is used cleverly throughout the establishment, without feeling like you're trapped in red-alert mode.

Thanks to its window looking out on the increasing development of the suburb, our Standard Room, with king-size bed, desk, coffee/tea facility, bathroom with rain shower (sexy red) and African wallpaper, felt bigger than its 17m². Our inner geek loved the motorised blind for extra darkness.

For all-day meals, including buffet breakfast (the omelettes are popular for good reason), the ground-floor OUI Bar & KTCHN provides a varied and wide selection of international cuisine both inside the restaurant and outside on the patio. If the trend of being photographed with angel wings passed you by, the installation at the entrance of the Oxford Parks precinct is your chance to fly.

The food menu on the Red Rooftop Bar & Terrace is limited but tasty (pizzas and tapas). This matters little when compared with the views, vibe and cocktails on offer. The red-tiled swimming pool area, adjacent to the bar, is a tad surrealist. Even though it was chilly when we visited, just looking at it made us feel warmer.