Chandeliers and a monochromatic color scheme firmly establish an air of sophisticated old-world elegance with a touch of modernity in the lobby of 54 on Bath. With a sparkling grand piano and a series of chic lounge chairs forming the centerpiece of this orchid filled room, guests immediately begin to question the pervasive stereotypes that have come to characterize Johannesburg. This boutique hotel in the center of the posh and leafy suburb of Rosebank is the perfect base – and reprieve – from the intensity of the city.

Guests are welcomed into their suite with the hotel’s famed high tea. Delicate pastries and baked goods are stacked on a three-tiered silver tray, with a complimenting variety of tea and dark espresso. Spacious and elegant rooms look out over the city, with a few peering down over the twinkling third floor infinity pool and lounge area. Comfortable beds, ample seating area, and pleasantly quick internet make these suites ideal for business and pleasure travelers alike. The bathroom however, is somewhat less expansive. A small shower and bathtub act as reminders that this is still an urban hotel, squeezed into a highly sought after, and rapidly expanding neighborhood.  The adjoining connection to Rosebank Mall, currently under extensive construction, is further indication of the city’s rapid development.

More broadly, the hotel includes a Veuve Clicquot rooftop champagne bar and the Level 4 restaurant. While both are perhaps a step behind the vibrant culinary scene exploding throughout Johannesburg, they are both convenient and pleasant places for a sundowner and a meal. A partnership with an adjoining fitness club provides guests with access to top quality facilities, while the direct access to the mall provides guests with a movie cinema, a rooftop craft market, and endless local and international boutiques without stepping outdoors. Only slightly further afield are the trendy and vibrant neighborhoods of Parkhurst and Sandton, where foodies and shopaholics will delight at the unique and inventive enterprises.