If you’re looking for a haven of calm and tranquility to rest your weary head after a day of doing business in the city that never sleeps, we’ve found just the place.
Johannesburg has many nicknames – Joburg, Jozi, Egoli, the City of Gold – but my private nickname for SA’s busiest city is the concrete desert. Never mind the fact that there are six million trees and it’s technically an urban forest: when I go to Joburg I race from one concrete office block to another.
Which is why it was such a relief to walk into the Peech Hotel in Melrose and find that I’d wandered into an oasis in the concrete desert. The moment you step into the cool interior of the original house (which has two ‘House Rooms’, a comfortable bar and lounge and a small but lovely restaurant) you’ll know you’re somewhere special. From the friendly welcome to the air of serenity that pervades the property, The Peech extends an irresistible invitation to relax and unwind, and let the daily worries fade away.
Before you think I’m waxing lyrical, let me point out that last month The Peech Hotel was named Africa’s best city boutique hotel at the International Boutique Hotel Awards 2014. What makes it so special? It’s partly the aforementioned friendly service – this is a hotel without the stuffiness of a hotel. It’s partly the comfort and style – from the spacious bedrooms with beautiful garden views to the swimming pool and beautifully laid out gardens, with birds flitting around the organic veggie patch. And it’s partly the eco-chic elements that pervade every aspect of the property, with a thorough responsible tourism policy.
This is a boutique hotel in the original meaning of the word – the owner and staff meet to discuss any concerns and comments every morning, and you can feel that personal concern permeate every aspect of your stay. With only sixteen rooms (each one as lovely as the last) and a fabulous breakfast to start your day the way every morning should begin, this really is a blessed oasis in the concrete desert.
Experience it for yourself:
61 North Street, Melrose, Johannesburg
011 537 9797
www.thepeech.co.za
