Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest city and its main economic powerhouse, indeed it’s one of the most business-driven cities in all Africa. It also has a thriving arts scene and a vibrant night-time economy.
A successful business trip depends in so many ways on whether you manage to book the right sort of self-catering accommodation in Johannesburg. Staying in Johannesburg hotels and B&Bs can be an underwhelming experience for many business travellers.
Serviced apartments in Johannesburg or Sandton city mall, however, are different. Guests in this type of accommodation can expect stays to be fulfilling, and to have access to everything they need.
Key facilities in both our long- and short-term accommodation in Johannesburg include fully-equipped kitchens, private bathroom, spacious dining and living rooms, homely bedrooms, flat screen tv and free wi-fi, even air conditioning and free private parking a garden and a terrace. Offers accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool free. Many apartments also have housekeeping and laundry services.
Our furnished apartments are designed to make guests feel like they are staying in their very own ‘home-away-from-home’, where they can live and work self-sufficiently and independently. It’s also much more convenient to host business guests in an apartment than it would be in a hotel. In fact, the convenience, space, and privacy on offer here rival even luxury accommodation Johannesburg.
Johannesburg – commonly abbreviated to Jo'burg – is the largest city in South Africa, with a population of around five million. The population of the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Area is more than eight million.
The city is located in the Gauteng province in the north of South Africa, 171 miles from the border with Botswana. It's also 871 miles north-east of Cape Town, 311 miles north-west of Durban, and only 33 miles south of Pretoria, the country's political capital.
Johannesburg is located on the 'high veld', meaning 'high field'. With an altitude of 1,753 metres above sea level, the city is appreciably higher than anywhere in the UK. When you visit Johannesburg, it could take some time to get used to the challenges of living at high altitude.
The most commonly spoken language in the city is IsiZulu, but English is the second most spoken language. English is also the language of international business in South Africa.
There are direct flights to Jo’burg from London Heathrow. Once you’ve arrived, there’s an extensive modern transport system to get you around the city.
Gauteng province, which includes Johannesburg and Pretoria, is the wealthiest of South Africa's nine provinces, with Johannesburg generating 16% of the country's GDP. Inhabitants of Johannesburg have average incomes that are around 50% higher than for the country as a whole. South Africa is itself the third largest national economy on the African continent.
Major industries in the city include mining, manufacturing, engineering, construction, finance, information technology, real estate, retail, local government, and healthcare. While gold is no longer mined anywhere within the city limits, most of the country’s major mining companies still have their head offices in Johannesburg.
Indeed, around 70% of all South Africa’s companies have their headquarters here. Some of the largest employers in the city include telecoms companies Vodacom and MTN, brewing company AB InBev, Standard Bank, Anglo American Platinum Corporation, AngloGold Ashanti, and Network Healthcare.
Gauteng means 'place of gold' and Johannesburg has been dubbed 'the city of gold', and while you might not visit one of the region's gold mines when you're here, there are plenty of other treasures to discover.
Johannesburg's most famous son is surely anti-apartheid campaigner turned President Nelson Mandela. His former home in the Soweto (South West Township) district is now a museum dedicated to his life. The Apartheid Museum and the Hector Pieterson Museum are also dedicated to the era of racial segregation in South Africa.
In Soweto, you will also find the Inspirational Home Museum which, as well as noted for its gardens, explores the connection between people, plants, and animals.
The Johannesburg Art Gallery is one of Africa's largest, with more than 9,000 works on display. Paintings by Picasso, Rodin, and Dalí sit alongside some of the best local artists.
Some of the city's best nightlife is to be found in the Maboneng Precinct. Here you’ll find a range of international restaurants, including Japanese and Ethiopian cuisine. At weekends, there are a great many food and craft markets across the city.
Of course, staying in a self-catering apartment in Johannesburg offers you the flexibility to cook for yourself too – which is easy in our well-equipped kitchens.
O.R. Tambo International Airport, 15 miles north-east of central Johannesburg, is the busiest airport in the whole of Africa. You can fly to Jo’burg from London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Rome, New York, Beijing, Sydney, and many other cities worldwide. If you are flying from a UK city other than London, your recommended route might well involve a change at Amsterdam.
The Gauteng Metrorail system has more than 200 stations and 11 lines to take you almost anywhere you wish in the area surrounding Johannesburg and Pretoria. A faster Gautrain service also links the two cities, calling at O.R. Tambo Airport along the way, and there’s a train every 12 minutes during peak hours.
The city’s Metrobus network has around 80 routes serving the area around Johannesburg.
The ultra-modern Rea Vaya Rapid Transit Service operates every five minutes at peak hours, with vehicles travelling along dedicated bus lanes in and around the city. It’s especially good for travelling between the city centre and Soweto.
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