JNB Archives - Rebel Flying

Upon arrival in Johannesburg from Adelaide via Doha, I checked into the Holiday Inn Rosebank in the suburbs of the city.

I had stayed at this property numerous times in the past, so I knew what to expect.

The property is reached from the airport by the comfortable and efficient Gautrain in about 35 minutes.

The train runs directly from the airport terminal and stops directly opposite the hotel. At 250 ZAR ($14 or £10) for a one-way ticket, it is quicker, easier and probably safer than doing the journey by road. Most transport apps will tell you to change trains at Marlboro, but I know from experience that the transfer is smoother at Sandton.

I reached the hotel around midday and had no problem checking in early. I was assigned room 702, coincidentally the room I had occupied on two previous stays.

This is a corner room with an unusual layout, but one which worked well for me.

The room was well equipped with a queen-size bed, shower, bathtub, mini-fridge, tea and coffee, wardrobe space and safe.

As I had already been to Johannesburg several times and seen essentially everything that the city offers, I decided to spend a relaxing few days at the hotel and the attached shopping centre.

The hotel offers an on-site restaurant, with a variety of dishes available for both lunch and dinner.

The restaurant also offers a full breakfast buffet, complete with an egg station and freshly made omelettes.

As well as the hotel restaurant, the attached shopping centre also offers a steakhouse and several fast food options.

The hotel also comes equipped with a small outdoor swimming pool, which was very pleasant in the warm February temperatures.

I stayed on a Dinner, Bed and Breakfast rate of 1,920 ZAR ($106 or £79) per night, which I considered superb value for money.

With the easy and economical transfer on the Gautrain, I can recommend this property, not only for a city stay, but also for an airport layover.

After a quick tour of Doha and a few hours of sleep at my hotel, it was time for my connecting flight to Johannesburg.

This flight was rather oddly timed, taking off at 02:15am, but it actually worked rather well for me, as my 4am arrival in Doha had me retiring at 6pm for a few hours of sleep beforehand.

Upon boarding, I settled into seat 1A for the eight-hour flight. Although this was not the famous Qsuites product, it was a comfortable flat-bed product in a 1-2-1 configuration, offering direct aisle access from every seat. This is, in my opinion, the benchmark for a first rate business class hard product.

I was welcomed with a glass of champagne before departure.

After a rather spectacular night time departure from Doha, I settled down to peruse the dinner menu.

Despite the late hour, a comprehensive meal service was offered.

I chose the Black Angus beef tenderloin with bobotie sauce, which I can say without exaggeration was the best dish I have eaten on a flight. It was tender and cooked to perfection, the bobotie sauce complemented it perfectly, and it paired supremely well with an excellent Bordeaux.

I rounded off the late night meal with a nicely varied cheese platter, accompanied by a glass of port.

After a couple of cognacs, I reclined the seat to flat bed mode and slept well for around four hours. Having had a long evening nap at the hotel in Doha, this was all I needed and I awoke around two hours from Johannesburg, ready for the breakfast service.

I chose the fruit to start, followed by the omelette, served with a chicken sausage, potato rösti and mushrooms.

In conclusion, this was an excellent flight experience, and I disembarked in Johannesburg, ready for the day ahead.

Tag: JNB

Hotel Review – Holiday Inn Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa

Flight Review – Qatar Airways Business Class, Doha – Johannesburg