Looking past the arid African landscape, formidable concrete motorways, impossibly high walls and general grime of the city at street level, Johannesburg is a surprisingly green metropolis, with over 2,000 parks scattered across the highveld terrain.
All the more reason then, to visit the new Four Seasons Hotel. Perched at the top of a ridge in the affluent Westcliff neighbourhood, the property overlooks the city’s famed green canopy with sweeping views of the northern suburbs, punctuated by the brutal concrete Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in the distance, which dominates the skyline.
A hit with both visitors and locals alike, the best spot to soak up the vistas is at the hotel’s two restaurants; head to Flames for a casual nibble where meat and fish are traditionally cooked over a braai or for a special occasion, the aptly named Views does not disappoint. Designed by London-based outfit, Blacksheep, understated, luxe interiors enhance the cityscape outside, while chef Dirk Gieselmann turns out perfectly constructed dishes from sea bass and caviar with potatoes and beetroot to succulent oxtail and asparagus.
We suggest whiling away a sunny Sunday on the terrace with a glass of champagne, followed by a late lunch and dessert on the outdoor sofas.
Address
67 Jan Smuts Avenue
-
Broken up into six pavilions, this brutalist Mexican house is embedded in the landscapeSordo Madaleno’s brutalist Mexican house, Rancho del Bosque, is divided up into a series of pavilions to preserve the character of its hillside site, combining concrete, curves and far-reaching views
-
Etihad Airways’ A321LR redefines the single-aisle experienceAbu Dhabi’s flagship carrier brings wide-body sensibility to its new generation Airbus aircraft, a rethink of what short and medium-haul travel can feel like
-
Ralph Steadman has worked with everyone from Hunter S. Thompson to Travis Scott and Quavo – now, the Gonzo illustrator is celebrated in LondonA new exhibition provides a rare opportunity to experience the inimitable work and creativity of Gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman up close. Just don’t call it a ‘style’.
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Few & Far Luvhondo: an intimate South African eco-lodgeWith just six cliffside suites, Few & Far Luvhondo offers front-row seats to the untamed wilderness of South Africa’s Limpopo
-
The world’s best new hotels to love without reservationExplore the best new openings in the world, from Rosewood’s all-suite grandeur in London to a laid-back Catalan countryside retreat
-
Singita Ebony Lodge celebrates 30 years of wild beautySingita Ebony Lodge in Hazyview, South Africa, begins a new chapter with a refresh by Cécile & Boyd
-
A refreshed Cape Grace hotel embraces the best of South African heritageCape Town’s Cape Grace hotel reopens its doors following an extensive and playful renovation by international interior design studio, 1508 London
-
Cape Town: 8 things to do and see for the design-minded travellerCape Town is a capital of art, design, food and wellness; local resident Sean O’Toole on the best things to do and see, from a Bree Street meander to a Constantia wine route
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico -
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland -
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia
