Just stay yes!

Whether for business or leisure, getting accommodation in the Joburg city centre is not as crazy as it sounds, writes Richard Goller

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Johannesburg’s woes are well known — even more so those of the inner city. So why would you want to stay there for business or pleasure purposes? Surely, hotels there are rundown too ... or have gone the way of the mothballed Carlton and Johannesburg Sun hotels?

And while I can attest to many dodgy establishments (see sidebar), the three destinations below show it’s both possible and desirable to stay in Jozi’s city centre.

In fact, your room could give you a much-needed view of optimism — that it’s not all doom and gloom.

But with an obvious warning — when exploring the areas surrounding these establishments, look like you belong there and not like some hapless tourist waiting to be relieved of your precious belongings.

The Reef Hotel

A bit rough around the edges. Heaps of soul and potential. No, I'm not self-promoting again. I’m describing the appeal of The Reef Hotel.

Yes, there’s room for improvement (the hotel is refreshingly open to feedback on what it can do better), which is to be expected as it’s undergoing a process of transformation that includes the training of its many young staff members. They all epitomise the youthful vitality and can-do ambition of the city, including acting general manager Hazel Sibanda.

What was once an office block is now a 120-room hotel in Marshalltown, the part of the CBD where security and the potential for rejuvenation is strongest.

The pioneering spirit that built Johannesburg is alive and well, both in ethos and the industrial touches throughout the building. These extend to the rooms with their exposed concrete ceilings and the photography on the walls behind the beds. Each floor has its own theme with corresponding information on the city.