The Westcliff Four Seasons Hotel in Johannesburg: relaxation on a hillside

Life-changing as it was to have been immersed in the expansive beauty of Botswana’s Okavango delta, after six days of 5am wake-up calls, the beau and I are ready to hit pause. So, we decided to tag some downtime in Johannesburg onto the end of our trip to truly unwind before flying home.

Johannesburg’s only hillside hotel, The Westcliff is located in the region of Witwatersrand and is a veritable hidden oasis in South Africa’s biggest city. Comprised of seven elegant villas, it is nestled among trees and connected by winding pathways that give it the feel of a Mediterranean village. On your doorstep is the Johannesburg Zoo, should you fancy a stroll through its 55 hectares of rare wildlife and to enjoy its successful white lion breeding programme, while the botanical gardens are a short drive away.

Releasing tension at The Westcliff Spa

We’ve barely had our luggage loaded into the buggy to drive us to our magnificent suite when concierge remind us that we have a massage booked at the spa. My body tells me I should opt for the Tension Release Vigour massage that has me stretched and pulled from head to toe as essential oils of rosemary, pine, black pepper and marjoram are rubbed into my muscles. I drift in and out of consciousness during the blissful 90 minutes. After the experience, we grab a snooze by the outdoor horizon line pool.

Dinner is at Flames, the rooftop restaurant. More than just the hotel’s destination restaurant, plenty of locals are dining here too, so be sure to reserve your spot if you want to be on the terrace. The signature dish of Tomahawk Rib-Eye is recommended by our server, and it doesn’t disappoint. One serving is ample for two, but we somehow manage to finish one each, along with copious glasses of South Africa’s finest red.

A standout bedroom topping Attitude’s lists

Hunger sated, we head off to our room for bed – and what a bed! Embellish a hotel all you like, but absolutely the most important thing about any stay is the experience of sliding into a neatly made bed and finding yourself nestling in a cloud plucked from heaven. Having stayed in some of the world’s most raved-about hotels, never has a bed delivered so much contentment. Oh, and the pillows! The pillows! I’m a fussy one when it comes to inadequate hotel bedding: I just don’t understand how so many high-end establishments fail when it comes to the quality of this most essential item when booking into a home away from home. The Four Seasons team at The Westcliff score 10s across the board here as my head has never been so happy when I lie down that night. Sleep comes quickly.

Community at the Westcliff

We spend the entire next day sipping margaritas in the sunshine poolside – there are separate pools for adults and those with young children. Perfect. We return to Flames for dinner, where we get talking with the party sitting at the table next to us and share drinks with a local gay and his fabulous girlfriends.

It’s testament to a faultless hotel experience that we don’t feel the need to leave The Westcliff during our 48-hour stay. By the time we check out, peak relaxation achieved, we depart for O.R. Tambo International Airport well and truly rejuvenated.

To learn more about The Westcliff and other Four Seasons destinations, you can visit their official website.

This is a feature appearing in Attitude’s May/June 2024 issue.