The Peech Hotel

You stay at The Peech in Melrose, a residential neighbourhood ten minutes from Sandton. The hotel has thirty-two rooms spread across a 1950s house and newer buildings, with two outdoor pools and two acres of gardens planted with indigenous species. The James & Ethel Gray Park is across the street.

Rooms come in four types, from classic to a two-bedroom villa. All have air conditioning, Nespresso machines, and either a balcony or patio facing the gardens. The villa adds a lounge area and private outdoor space. Bathrooms have walk-in showers; some rooms have freestanding baths.

Two restaurants serve meals: the Garden Restaurant for hotel guests, and The Pot Luck Club, open to the public, which plates small sharing dishes developed by chef Luke Dale-Roberts. The Garden Restaurant serves breakfast through dinner; The Pot Luck Club opens for lunch Wednesday to Sunday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday.

The hotel has a boardroom for meetings and events. A gym next door offers access for a fee. Johannesburg airport is forty-five minutes by car.