TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums Africa Any Hotel in Johannesburg SA

Has anyone stayed in a hotel near the Johannesburg airport? May need accommodations for up to twelve people there. Thanks in advance.

sandy

Hey, Sandy, when are you going?? We will be in JNB for one night, probably May 15. Probably going to stay at a Holiday Inn that was recommended by our travel agent. It's supposed to be pretty close to the airport, although I don't recall the exact name of it at the moment.

Have you bought your air tickets???????? We are dithering about getting tickets as we keep hoping---without success---for a sale..

Hey Carol, I'll be leaving on April 9th along with 11 other people. We will be flying Northwest via detroit, and amsterdam, then onto Johannesburg. We will then leave the next morning for Harare. However, I do know that Delta/South African Airways has a direct flight from either Atlanta, or JFK. The delta flights are a bit expensive.
We paid roughly 1600 per person for the flight--a bit cheaper because we connected in amsterdam. And it was a group rate.
I didn't even realize this section existed until on read something on the SXM page asking for somewhere in Europe. It's nice to have something like this for all over.
Thanks for all you and Eric do to keep this wonderful site going.

best
sandy <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Carol,

I deal with many South African skippers. The "main man" for discount airfare from the US to SA is David at Premier Travel in Phila PA (800) 545-1910 -- [email]info@premiertours.com.[/email] I have used him and gotten $900 RT from ATL - CPT.

Having done the trip several times, it is worth extra money to go direct, it is a long flight, but less airtime and layover time and less chance of connections getting buggered.

On the ATL-CPT flight remember every other day it stops CPT first then JHN. So plan your flight well so you don't have to sit on the ground in CPT. There are a lot of hotels around JHN also a Large Ceasars Casino. J-berg is pretty desolate area, so hopefully you can head South after your game drive into the Garden Route or Cape Town. Game drives are fun, but after about 4 days you have "seen it, done it".

When in SA watch out for pricing bait and switch deals. The pricing is setup for #1 SA passport, #2 African passports and highest price #3 US and EU passports.

Hopefully the exchange rate will improve, things are still cheap, but not how they have been.

Mike--thanks for the phone number--will give him a call!



Huh?? Don't understand what you mean...

Just remember Carol.... in SXM don't leave anything in your car, even the trunk.

Well in JNB, you don't even let your car sit out. Hide it anywhere you can!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shoot even the planes landing in JNB don't stay long, they will end up missing parts! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif" alt="" />

Kevin--we won't have a car in Africa. Spending the night in Jo'Berg, then flight up to Vic Falls, 2 nights in Vic Falls, then 10 days in various wildlife camps. We won't be driving at ALL in Africa.. Probably forget how to drive by the time we get home!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Carol,

The bait and switch is in price deals advertised in SA magazines or websites. Different people get different prices, depending on where they live. They always advertise the lowest price which is the South African passport holder's price.

Vic Falls is incredibly cheap if you are a South African, the prices can almost be criminal for EU and US passport holders.

ohhhhhhhhhhhh

Mike--we are booking and paying for everything in Vic Falls from here, so I assume we will be getting the high price. We're actually staying in Zambia, not in Zimbawbwe, as I understand Zimbawbwe is not particularly safe.

BTW, tried to call that travel agent you recommended, but they're not open on weekends, so will call them on Monday. We haven't actually bought the plane tickets yet, were planning on doing that on Monday, so will see what those folks tell us anyway. Not sure we would go with SAA anyway, as I can't imagine Eric for 17 hours without a cigarette!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Shocked.gif" alt="" />

Mike--thanks for the info on Premier Travel. We have some reservations on hold, will purchase in a day or two. Saved $300 per person!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Carol,
You are right about Zimbabwe... Have a friend who grew up and lived there til 2001... His family had a Ranch (100,000+ acres)... that was confiscated in 2001 during Robert MUGABE (current dictator)'s chaotic land redistribution campaign begun in 2000 that caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities.

He's now a greens keeper at a Golf Club here in NJ...

Hi Carol,

We've been checking airfares from RSA to SXM. It seems cheaper to book 2 separate tickets as if one would be flying from RSA to EUR and then another ticket for EUR to SXM. That might also hold true from USA to RSA. Don't fly the MIA-Sao Paulo - CT - JNB trip. It's killing.

The Holiday Inn is okay with little to do and lots of noise. More pleasant would be to stay over in the Sandton area (walking distance from Sandton City and Sandton square). Sandton is a 30 min drive from the Airport.

Hans and Anne--do you have any specific recommendations of hotels in the Sandton area??? What would the advantages be to staying in that area?? How much would a cab be to that area?? We figure actually that we will probably be dead to the world anyway, and just looking for somewhere to crash, as we will be flying all night the night before. We also leave the following morning around 10 AM for our flight out to Vic Falls and I would assume that we would need to be at the airport the next morning by 8 AM..

Hi Carol,

What time will you arrive at JNB?

The Sandton Tower and the Michel Angelou are centrally located around Sandton City and Sandton Square. That will at least offer some choice of shopping or restaurants if jetlag keeps you awake.

I would compare the Holiday Inn to the Le Guardia ( New York) Airport hotel. There is nothing to do in the immediate vicinity unless you take a cab drive.

Happy research!
Bye
Anne

Anne--we arrive around 9 AM. We have kind of decided to go ahead and just crash for that day, and rest up to enjoy the rest of the trip!

Hi Carol and Eric,

9am leaves 24 hours of boredom. If it was me I would check into Sandton. The "Butchershop and Grill" on Sandton Square is world famous for steaks and RSA wines. Had good fish there too.
Cheers
Anne

Hi guys. What is there to do at Sandton other than eat?? I figure we're going to be wiped out from lack of sleep and want to make sure we enjoy Vic Falls the next day, so didn't want to do too much??