johan rebel

Sure, as you can to the Intercontinental and the City Lodge.

Johan

blueskie

That's good to know, thanks! Any thoughts on how safe is Gautrain is?

stimpy

A darn sight safer than trains in the US! Everytime I take it there are guards all over. It's overkill to make the tourists feel safe IMHO.

blueskie

I wasn't comparing necessarily with US trains. I have heard of problems with the RER from CDG to Paris where muggers target tourists specifically on that line. Good to know they have guards, thanks.

stimpy

It's true that the metros in any city can have issues. Even Tokyo. But none have the level of security guards like the Gautrain.

Just use common sense. I've ridden the RER B several hundred times without a problem. Don't look like a victim and you'll be fine.

Dieuwer

How long would you estimate be the walk to these three properties (Tsogo, IHG, City Lodge)?

stimpy

The Intercontinental is less than a minute on foot, depending on which door you walk out of.

blueskie

Just found this hotel online: Garden Court OR Tambo that seems to be near the airport and offers a shuttle service: http://www.tsogosunhotels.com/garden...x#.VWuJDWZlYyJ

TTT103

I'm thinking about a fully escorted tour that ends with a flight from Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) to JNB. The challenge I'm running into is that I want to use miles to fly business class back home to the US from JNB, and no award flights are available on the day our tour ends at the JNB airport. I will happily stay at the Intercontinental for a night in order to catch a mid-morning award flight back to the US, but was wondering if I will have any customs or visa issues once I collect my luggage in JNB and head over to the IC. This is my first South African trip, and the tour company will be handling all other visas. If I don't connect to a US flight once we land in JNB, I'm more or less on my own. I don't believe a visa would be required in South Africa, but am a bit confused.

stimpy

You should not have any issues on a US passport. You'll just have to stand in line for immigration to get your passport stamped. In the past you had to get a yellow fever inoculation and produce the card when arriving at JNB, but they seem to have removed that requirement for Zambia arrivals. I'd advise getting it anyways but maybe your tour operator has already discussed that with you.

Oh, and I've read about immigration issues if bringing children with you, but if you don't have kids then no worries.

TTT103

That's the response I was hoping for. Thank you so much.

manneca

I'm planning to fly into JNB arriving in the morning after two overnight flights (mercifully in business). Ideally I'd like two days to recover and then I"m thinking of flying to Lesotho to collect another country, returning to JNB for a mid morning flight to Mauritius. I'm planning to overnight at JNB before the flight to Mauritius.

I'd like to stay at the same hotel on the way in and out so we can leave our dive gear with the hotel. I was thinking of the Protea near the airport, but my traveling companion doesn't want to stay at an airport hotel for two nights (and two days).

I'm assuming there is absolutely nothing to do around the Protea. Would the Hilton at Sandton be a reasonable alternative? With dive gear we'd need to take a cab to and from the hotel (though we could do public transportation for the trip to Lesotho). (I'm diamond with Hilton and gold with Marriott)

Any other recommendations?
Thanks

B747-437B

Pretty much the only semi-interesting thing to do in Kempton Park is the Emperor's Palace entertainment/casino complex. Note that the Protea requires you to take a shuttle or taxi to/from the airport (it is across the highway from the airport but has great views).

Sandton is significantly more lively. The Hilton is easily accessible to Gautrain which has direct service from the airport and is a nice property.

LongingForORD

I have use the Sandton Hilton as a "transit" hotel for my JNB stays for 10 years. You can email them and arrange airport transfer (with gear) and then use train (without gear). They are always very helpful with storage, upgrades, tours, ect... They have really good room service and a nice lounge.

They also have a shuttle to the mall if you have any needs (My first stay there, my eyeglasses fell off the seat-back pocket and got stepped on on an overnight flight. Optician at mall sorted me all out ).

Mike Jacoubowsky

My wife and I stayed at the City Lodge after flying into JNB; we toured Johannesburg for a day before taking the train to Cape Town. The City Lodge hotel was excellent; clean, nice-size rooms, good breakfast buffet, great staff. I would not hesitate to stay there again.

The walk is maybe 10 minutes from the airport. You're enclosed the entire time (never feeling unsafe). It shares the same routing to the parking lots.