Johannesburg, South AfricaLower Houghton
The Residence Hotel
Chandeliered garden villa
Lower Houghton Johannesburg, South Africa
Renovated
2012
Price
$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe WellnessOutside the door
Chandeliered garden villa
French crystal chandeliers and terraced grounds give this former private home the feel of a quiet, unhurried estate.
“The rooms are plush, with velvet headboards, sumptuous rugs, and glittering chandeliers, but the bathrooms are a sight to behold.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Nightly hot water bottles warm extra-long king beds beside handwritten departure notes.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in AFAR.
Clearly, this is no ordinary residence, but a luxury boutique hotel in the top league, and while by residential standards it would be a bit of a palace, as a hotel it’s quite intimate indeed.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Quiet, tree-lined avenues define Houghton Estate, where stately residential properties sit near the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory.
The rooms
Suites have extra-long king beds and heated bathroom floors, with many opening to private outdoor tubs or showers.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
Timber decks surround the heated main swimming pool, and private plunge pools sit in stone-walled courtyards.
The spa and gym
Massage beds face garden trees through wide picture windows, and the glass-enclosed gym sits under a timber ceiling.
Piano Bar
Drinks are mixed at a tufted leather counter, and a grand piano sits beside a working log fireplace.
At the table
The Dining Room serves regional dinners beside a roaring fireplace, and the rooftop Sky Bar looks across leafy Houghton.
How it began
The villa once housed a Chinese diplomatic residence, inspiring the koi ponds kept when it became a boutique hotel in 2009.
Johannesburg
More like this
Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, Johannesburg
“Terraced hillside village”
The Houghton Hotel
“Highveld wellness showpiece”
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.