Hallmark House by BON Hotels

Best rooftop bar in Johannesburg! What a place! Perfect view of the skyline, Berlin tech house at its finest and a sound system that doesn't sound like a tin can. Plus fast, friendly service - yes, there really is such a thing! The drinks? Cold, fairly priced and not cheeky. The atmosphere? Finally a crowd that dances instead of posing with their cell phones. No waiting times, no rip-offs, just a fantastic time all round. Best bar of our bar hopping - if you haven't been here, you've really missed out.

Unfortunately, my room didn't meet expectations. It was dirty, with issues including a stained mat, dirty bathroom walls, shower floor, and sliding door. Additionally, a water pipe above the bed was a concern. Given the state of the room, I decided to check out immediately. I hope the hotel will take steps to improve room cleanliness and address maintenance issues to ensure a better experience for future guests.

Overall, this was a stress free stay. The hotel itself is on par with a "fun" stay. The surrounding area, especially at night, is sketchy. If you are a brown or black person, you should be fine. But I would not recommend white folks to walk around the surrounding area at night. The rooms are large, equipped with the basic needs such as towels and shower gel. If you are a neat freak, you will immediately notice the things that need to be touched up, but I do think that is part of the hotel's charm. Maybe not. The front desk staff were helpful but do not expect them to volunteer information about the city. If you ask, they will share. Otherwise, you will be left to figure it out. I think the place is good for a three to four night stay. Also, be sure to check out the rooftop bar at least once. It gives good city views and there is usually music playing with a DJ at night.

I chose the hotel because it was the best option in terms of price/rating on booking. When I asked around the area among my acquaintances, everyone warned me that it was a very difficult and dangerous area, even the Uber driver who took me from the airport. Once there, I was placed in a huge room, very well furnished, with a queen size bed, excellent linen, an exceptionally spacious bathroom and all the comforts for a 5-day stay. From the first moment, the staff were extremely friendly. After asking me about my plans, they offered me a reservation for that same night in the jazz bar in the basement, the Soweto tour, recommendations for restaurants in Meboneg and other advice about my safety in the city. The breakfast options were very good and the coffee was top notch. They say that to live life to the full you have to leave your prejudices at the door. Hallmark House is a great experience and you can tell that each and every one of the people who are part of the hotel do their very best to make sure that guests have a good stay.

Very chic boutique hotel located near Maboneng. I arrived at 1am and the receptionist was nice and helpful. Originally assigned room was not ready, but I this was promptly addressed and got even better room with great city view facing Simert road (Point Tower, and Bank Buildings can be seen from balcony). The room was clean and modern. When checking out, I was allowed to store my luggage on site which was nice, as it allowed me to do last minute shopping. Hotel has a nice pickup and dropoff area in front and most rides around CBD are less than R40. There is a barber shop, clothing/souvenir shop, restaurant and recreational room downstairs. Lounge area is spacious, so one can relax there or the table seating in restaurant/recreational area.