Johannesburg - I have never heard a businessperson – and I’ve known a fair few – confronted with the prospect of domestic travel to turn round and exclaim: “Oh goody, I’m going away on a business trip!”.
Recreational travel is one thing, business travel is another. Business trips are a pain in the bum. Apart from whatever business is done, generally the most pleasant part of the experience is the flight home.
First there is the hotels – often vastly overpriced, hermetically sealed capsules that smell vaguely of cigarette smoke and other peoples’ socks – and then there is the need to navigate a city with which you might not be completely familiar. I hate doing business in Sandton or Rosebank, despite the fact that I grew up just up the road: the incessant roadworks and traffic drive out-of-towners scatty (can’t believe it does much for the locals, either). Then there’s the need to entertain clients/business partners.
It’s not just the expense, it’s also the inconvenience of getting to a good one and finding parking (and hopefully finding your car there when you get back)… only to be nobbled for drunken driving by a Metro cop on the way back to your cocoon-in-the-sky.
Business trips are a major contributor to executive stress.
But what if you were able to turn a business trip into something to which you could look forward – a busman’s holiday of sorts?
What if you could find a home away from home, where you could relax but still get your work and entertainment done without having to leave the premises?
Independent Traveller found four spots that fitted the bill where clients in Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape would be happy to leave their offices and come to you to do business.
They might be significantly more expensive than a Holiday Inn or even Radisson Blue, but they boast style, exemplary service and superb cuisine.
All four will leave you feeling quite sorry you’re headed home.
AtholPlace
Gauteng
One of many jewel boutique hotels in Joburg, this one has the added attraction: it is in the heart of Sandton but hidden from the bustle – visually and aurally – by a dense stand of enormous trees.
What it shares with the other hotels featured here, apart from luxury and location, is its de-stressing character; not for a moment would you think you were in southern Africa’s business hub. If there’s one thing Joburg does well when it comes to design and décor, it’s to create an ambience of studied opulence and, in this respect, AtholPlace has absolutely nailed it.
There are nine individually designed suites, ranging in size from 45-55m2, so you’re spared the pokiness and regimentation of a larger hotel.
Service – under the watchful eye of general manager Heidi Rabbetts – is efficient but unobtrusive. Dining is an absolute pleasure without being over-the-top.
From an elegantly presented Continental breakfast platter to spectacularly colourful desserts created by chef Wynand van der Watt, you’ll not want to eat out for the duration of your stay.
For those who choose to do their business out of the public eye, there is an adjacent self-contained villa complete with boardroom. AtholPlace is part of the Morukuru family which also has properties at Madikwe and De Hoop nature reserves.
See www.morukuru.com/places/ atholplace-hotel
The Oyster Box
KwaZulu-Natal
You have to be born in “the Kingdom” to want to visit eThekwini (Durban) or have stayed previously at the Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga Rocks.
It’s considerably larger than the other hotels included here and is the only family-oriented one, but merits inclusion on the list firstly because many businesses have relocated from Durban to Umhlanga.
Secondly, The Oyster Box is about 12 minutes’ drive from King Shaka International Airport (the hotel arranges transfers if you don’t feel like hiring a car).
Though to a certain extent the hotel lacks lush gardens in which to stroll and relax after work, it more than makes up for it with the vast expanse of beach as well as the town’s iconic lighthouse in front of it.
The local municipality makes a huge effort to keep the beach as clean as possible, with teams of workers picking up litter and debris each morning and evening.
It’s an absolute pleasure falling asleep with your balcony doors open and the thundering surf less than 100 metres away.
There are several meeting rooms as well as a private theatre, which makes the Oyster Box popular for conferences and presentations, but my favourite is the lavish Clock Room.
It is so-called because, well, there’s an abundance of clocks in the room as well as a range of quirky objets d’art that include hand-carved and – painted wooden soldiers, antique chairs, an old gramophone and telescope.
It’s very colonial and just the place for a group of like-minded individuals to plan world domination while sipping on fine brandy or whisky.
The food is excellent and ranges from daily high teas to fine dining in the Grill Room and the ever-popular curry buffet.
For those who seldom find themselves in KwaZulu-Natal, the latter is an absolute must.
Service is unbelievably friendly, as befits a quality establishment that is a member of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection.
www.oysterboxhotel.com
Cellars Hohenort Hotel
Western Cape
Just about anywhere in Cape Town is chilled but, in local speak, the Cellars Hohenort is über-relaxed. Breakfast in the Conservatory or dinner Greenhouse (both run by top chef Peter Tempelhoff), both preceded by a stroll through nearly 4ha of manicured gardens will display an elegance and subtlety Capetonians will appreciate.
The fact that you’ve chosen to stay in sylvan Constantia also shows an appreciation for the historical wealth of the Western Cape.
Sorry to say, these things matter to Capetonians. If you’re doing business with someone born and bred in the Mother City, choosing Constantia as your nexus of work is a smart move.
Still, how many places do you know that feature chittering squirrels outside your window and a brace of urban fish eagles that regularly cross the property?
I’ve even spotted a gymnogene (African harrier-hawk) lurking in the trees when the eggs of the resident ducks have just hatched.
By the way, ducks and the hotel’s two adopted cats… actually, they adopted Cellars Hohenort … have right of way. It’s a Cape Town thing.
The hotel forms part of the Liz McGrath Collection and is a member of the Relais et Chateaux group.
See www.collectionmcgrath. com/content/landing/the-cellars-hohenort
Hacklewood Hill Country House
Eastern Cape
This is one of my favourite boutique hotels in South Africa and staying here adds a gloss to any trip to Port Elizabeth.
One of the nicest things about the city is that you’re never more than 10 minutes from where you need to be.
And this means that – if you’re staying at Hacklewood – whoever you need to see is never more than 10 minutes away.
Situated in Walmer, this recently refurbished Victorian mansion is surrounded by tall trees and is completely secluded from the city.
The rooms are individually decorated and there is an attention to detail in the décor that would be the envy of many more acclaimed hotels.
The bathrooms alone are a visual treat.
Design and décor extends to communal areas such as stairwells, hallways and corridors.
While the hotel is designed for romantic assignation, there is a small conference venue in the garden (work comes first).
There is a superb silver-service restaurant and an even more noteworthy wine list, which makes Hacklewood Hill possibly the finest dining out spot in the Friendly City.
Ironically, not many of the locals know about it. Which, frankly, is pretty much how it should be.
www.hacklewood.co.za
Jim Freeman, Saturday Star