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Aparthotels & serviced apartments in Johannesburg

22 stays · 19 aparthotels and 3 serviced apartments

Johannesburg is a big, spread-out city, which is why aparthotels and serviced apartments suit it so well. A kitchen, a separate living area and often a desk make a longer business trip or a family stay easier than a single hotel room, and the city is large enough that you will want a base you can return to between meetings, visits and day trips. Wikivoyage puts the urban area at about 5.6 million people (2023).

22 stays

Where to stay in Johannesburg

Sandton

  • business travel
  • short stays
  • shopping

Sandton is the business district: Wikivoyage lists the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, large financial institutions and what it calls the largest shopping centre in South Africa here. It has a Gautrain station, which links it to O.R. Tambo International Airport in about 15 minutes according to Wikipedia, and Nelson Mandela Square at Sandton City is a landmark for meals and shopping.

Stays in or near Sandton

Rosebank

  • couples
  • first-time visitors
  • shopping

Rosebank is a shopping and office district with its own Gautrain station, one stop from Park Station and Sandton. Wikivoyage notes that Metrobus route 5C runs along Oxford Road and connects Sandton City with The Zone at Rosebank and the Mall of Rosebank, so you can move between the two districts without a car.

Stays in or near Rosebank

Melville

  • nightlife
  • long stays
  • students

Melville is a low-rise suburb around 7th Street, which Wikivoyage lists under eating out and describes as catering more to students than to the moneyed middle classes, with street vendors selling their own artworks. It suits travellers who prefer a neighbourhood feel to a business-district one, though it has no Gautrain station.

Braamfontein

  • culture
  • budget-minded stays
  • first-time visitors

Braamfontein sits on the northern edge of the inner city, which Wikivoyage describes as the home of many of the city's museums and galleries. Park Station, also in the inner city, is the hub for Gautrain services towards Pretoria and Sandton, and for local MetroRail services.

Maboneng

  • culture
  • weekend stays

Maboneng is one of the inner-city districts named by Wikivoyage among the tourist areas, alongside Braamfontein, Newtown and Fordsburg. It has no Gautrain station of its own, so check how you will get to and from it before booking.

Midrand

  • business travel
  • airport access

Midrand lies between Johannesburg and Pretoria and has its own Gautrain station, so it works for people with meetings in both cities or on the northern side of the metro. Distances across Johannesburg are large, so think about where you will spend most of your time.

Getting around Johannesburg

O.R. Tambo International Airport has international flights in Terminal A and domestic in Terminal B, which Wikivoyage describes as adjacent and a five-minute indoor walk apart. It places the airport 24 km east of the city centre. The Gautrain airport service runs to Sandton, where Wikivoyage says you can change for Pretoria and Park Station; the network has ten stations in all, from Hatfield and Pretoria in the north to Rhodesfield and the airport in the east. Fares are paid with a reloadable Gautrain Card or, according to Wikipedia and the operator, with contactless bank cards.

Away from the Gautrain, the city is built for cars. Wikivoyage describes a ring road formed by the N1, N3 and N12, with the M1 and M2 crossing it, and notes that weekday peaks run roughly from 06:30 to 09:00 and from 15:30 to 18:30. Public bus and minibus services exist, including the Rea Vaya bus rapid transit system mentioned by Wikipedia, and Wikivoyage describes licensed taxis, which it advises booking by phone, and Uber as alternatives. The Gautrain operator also runs a bus service; check its bus information for current routes.

Living in Johannesburg for longer

For stays of a few weeks or more, a base near a Gautrain station gives you the most flexibility, because the train is the one fast, scheduled link across the north of the metro. Sandton, Rosebank and Midrand all have stations. If you would rather walk to cafes and shops, Melville has a village-style street life around 7th Street, and the large malls in Sandton and Rosebank put shops and restaurants in one place.

Because the city is so large, it helps to group appointments by area and to allow extra time at peak hours. Our guide to serviced apartments for relocation covers what to ask about when you are moving for work. For other South African cities, see Cape Town and Pretoria, which the Gautrain reaches from Park Station in about 35 minutes.

When to visit Johannesburg

Wikipedia places Johannesburg at 1,753 m on the highveld, with a subtropical highland climate. Summer runs from October to April, with hot days, afternoon thundershowers and cool evenings, and January highs average 25.6 degrees Celsius. Winter, from May to September, is dry and sunny with cold nights, and the city receives about 713 mm of rain a year, mostly in summer. Snow is rare, though Wikipedia records it in several years including 2023.

In practice that gives you two good windows: the dry, bright winter months for clear days, or the green summer season if you can live with an afternoon thunderstorm. Wikivoyage warns that newcomers at this altitude can find themselves out of breath.

The practical question is not so much which hotel but which part of town. The city was built around the car and its main rail link, the Gautrain, serves only some districts, so it pays to choose an area first and then look at the places to stay there. The areas below are ordered roughly from the northern business belt to the inner city. For background on the format, see what an aparthotel is and how it compares with a hotel.

Long-stay tips for Johannesburg

Of the 22 properties here, 10 offer an in-apartment washing machine, 5 list a laptop-friendly workspace, 14 include some form of housekeeping and 13 have a 24-hour front desk. If you are staying more than a few nights, compare the facts box on each property page first.

18 properties list a full kitchen and 4 only a kitchenette, so check the room type if you plan to cook more than simple meals.

Where room sizes are published, the median apartment here is 65 m².

Moving for work? Our guide to serviced apartments for relocation explains what to look for.

Aparthotel brands in Johannesburg

Brands with properties here include Hyatt House (2).

Other cities in South Africa

Travelling further? See aparthotels in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Stellenbosch, Sandton, Hermanus, Dullstroom and Umhlanga.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in Johannesburg?

For business and shopping, Sandton and Rosebank are the usual choices because both have Gautrain stations. Melville suits people who want restaurants and a neighbourhood feel, and Braamfontein or Maboneng suit those who want to be near the inner-city galleries and museums.

How do I get from O.R. Tambo Airport to Sandton?

The Gautrain airport service reaches Sandton in about 15 minutes, according to Wikipedia. Wikivoyage also notes that licensed taxis with meters wait outside the airport terminal.

Is there public transport in Johannesburg?

The Gautrain is the fast, modern option between the airport, Sandton, Rosebank, Park Station, Midrand and Pretoria. Elsewhere there are Metrobus and Rea Vaya buses plus informal minibus taxis, but Wikivoyage describes the city as built for the car.

When is the best time to visit Johannesburg?

The dry winter months, May to September, bring sunny days and cold nights. Summer, October to April, is warmer with afternoon thunderstorms.

How many aparthotels are there in Johannesburg?

We currently list 22 aparthotel and serviced apartment properties in Johannesburg.

Do aparthotels in Johannesburg have kitchens?

22 of the 22 properties we list have a kitchen or kitchenette in at least one apartment type.

Which aparthotels in Johannesburg have a washing machine?

10 properties list an in-apartment washing machine. Use the facts box on each property page to check.

Which aparthotel brands operate in Johannesburg?

Hyatt House.

Sources

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