THE WESTCLIFF - JOHANNESBURG:
With wealth built on gold, Johannesburg is lively, affluent and cosmopolitan, offering the visitor a tempting array of superb restaurants, elegant designer boutiques and bustling world-class shopping centres... yet it is also fresh and breezy with golf courses, botanical gardens and well-manicured parks dotted amongst its modern amenities.

With easy connections to the Blue Train and Rovos Rail, the city is the gateway to the whole of southern Africa, including the world-famous Kruger National Park.
Located in the select northern suburbs of Johannesburg, The Westcliff is easily accessible from the city, Johannesburg International Airport and the Blue Train embarkation point at Pretoria Station. On arrival at the hotel there is valet parking.
The hotel's limousine service may be arranged to transport guests from Johannesburg International Airport and to the Rovos Rail and the Blue Train embarkation point at Pretoria Station. A complimentary shuttle takes visitors to the elegant shopping districts of Sandton, Hyde Park and Rosebank.

ACCOMMODATION:
All of The Westcliff's 115 spacious bedrooms are individually furnished and provided with fully-appointed, luxurious en-suite bathrooms. The rooms offer total privacy and most have sunny, private balconies with spectacular views.

Non-smoking rooms, inter-leading rooms, executive business rooms, rooms with balconies, suites and paraplegic facilities are available on request. Telephones are provided in bathrooms, at bedsides and on each writing desk. Each telephone has voice-mail, wake-up call as well as high-speed internet access. A unique feature of The Westcliff Hotel is that all the rooms differ in terms of shape, layout and décor. Each of the 80 extravagantly sized bedrooms and 35 suites has been individually decorated by South Africa’s master designer Graham Viney.

In addition to a charming country house style reflected in six different variations of colour, floral and toile prints, practical features including double-glazing and heavily padded drapes make for a serene and restful ambience in the heart of South Africa’s most vibrant city.

LUXURY ROOMS:
Luxury rooms are spacious, elegant, functional and ideal for quiet, out-of-town work or relaxation, with either twin or king beds.
All Luxury rooms have the convenience of an in-room business centre and are equipped with a desk, satellite TV and VCR, 2 telephone lines, data port, fax machine and digital safe. The oversized marble bathrooms have a separate bath and shower, two basins and heated towel rack.
Most rooms have a private balcony, overlooking the Zoological Gardens or one of the estate’s charming cobbled courtyards which feature offset with lush greenery and tinkling fountains. There are 50 Luxury rooms in the hotel. The Luxury Rooms are a minimum size of 47 square metres, including bathrooms.

EXECUTIVE BUSINESS ROOMS:
Situated in the exclusive Orient-Express Business Wing close to main reception, the Executive Business rooms are ideal for business travellers.

All the rooms have a separate sitting area and are suitably equipped with copiers, printers, modem ports, fax machines and stationary as well as tea/coffee making facilities and an iron/ironing board in the room. Guests staying in the business wing are entitled to a complimentary continental breakfast in the mornings.

Most of these rooms have a private balcony (of approximately 5 square metres) or patio (approximately 7 square metres) overlooking the leafy gardens of the lower pooldeck.

There are 30 Executive Business Rooms, which are a minimum size of 47 square metres, including bathrooms.

JUNIOR SUITES:
Most of the Junior Suites feature charming bay windows with glorious views of Johannesburg’s leafy northern suburbs or private balconies overlooking the Zoological Gardens below.
These beautifully appointed suites feature a separate lounge area, ideal for reading and relaxing, equipped with two plush armchairs, a coffee table and reading lamp. The extra space also makes them suitable for families travelling with children, as there is ample space for an extra bed. There are 15 Junior Suites in the hotel. The Junior Suites are a minimum size of 55 square metres, including bathrooms.

STUDIO SUITES:
Stylish and spacious, these open-plan suites feature a large lounge area, custom-made for relaxation or entertaining.Some of the Studio Suites have romantic oval bathrooms and elegant dressing rooms, making them ideal for honeymooners. Their spaciousness makes them popular with families or long-staying guests. All suites have private balconies or terraces equipped with sun chairs or loungers, making for a relaxing way to drink in the splendid views over the greater Johannesburg area and Zoological Gardens.
There are 15 Luxury Studio Suites in the hotel. The Luxury Studio Suites are a minimum size of 70 square metres, including bathrooms.

LUXURY ONE BEDROOM SUITES:
An elegant and spacious one bedroom suite, boasting a separate lounge. Equipped with a writing bureau an extra TV and VCR and decorated in pastels and prints, these lavish suites are ideal for guests who want to entertain or conduct private meetings.

All suites have a private terrace with breathtaking views of the verdant cityscape.

There are four Luxury Suites in the hotel. The Luxury Suites are a minimum size of 80 square metres, including bathrooms.

PRESIDENTIAL PENTHOUSE SUITE:
The hotel’s most impressive, extensive and sophisticated suite is located in prime position at the top of the Westcliff Estate, directly above the restaurant with a spacious terrace overlooking the hotel’s spectacular rim flow pool below and taking the eye to the Magaliesberg mountains beyond.

In addition to a separate bedroom and dining area, this plush, luxuriously appointed apartment features a lounge and fireplace, wet bar (complete with microwave, cooking stove, wash basin and kitchen utensils), guest cloakroom and marbled vestibule.

The suite may be sold with one or two bedrooms and a butler service is optional.

The hotel has one Presidential Suite, which is approximately 110 square metres in size, including the bathrooms.

LONG TERM STAYS:
The seclusion and resort village style of The Westcliff makes it ideally suited for business travellers working on a long term project or for families relocating either locally or internationally.

The hotel's large luxurious rooms have generously proportioned bathrooms as well the option of connecting and interleading room and suite configurations, providing family groups with comfort, space and privacy.

In addition, a host of ancillary services and facilities - from two heated swimming pools, a gym, spa and mountain bicycles to a dedicated business lounge and IT butlers - ensure that the needs of businessmen and their families are all met without having to set foot off the 7 hectare estate.

Executives staying in the Business Wings are provided with the following services:

In-room facilities including copiers, printers, high-speed internet access, fax machines and stationery
Dedicated IT Butlers providing technical support
Dedicated Business Lounges
Business Services, including copying, typing and transport arrangements
Express check-in and out
Courtesy bus services to specified locations
Executive gyms
Complimentary Spa Treatment voucher
Complimentary pressing of a suit or shirt
Complimentary breakfast
Snacks and wine in the evenings

CHILDREN
The Hotel has cots available on request as well as a basket of assorted baby products (creams, lotions, wet wipes, nappy gel etc). Specially fitted white linen is used on the non-suffocating baby pillows and duvets.

If the hotel knows that there are children checking-in with parents, a baby/toddler’s robe and t-shirt will be placed in the room along with the 2 standard adult robes. The baby/toddler robes will be placed on the cot/bed at turn-down along with the adult robes.

Children sharing with two adults:
Children under 5 years of age stay free of charge.
For children staying in separate rooms the full rate applies.

(A maximum of three people per room is allowed.)

CORPORATE TRAVEL:
Orient-Express Hotels' new Orient-Express Business Wing is designed to cater for business travellers to The Westcliff .This fully-equipped facility offers an office away from the office with highly trained personnel and innovative IT Butlers dedicated to fulfilling business guests' every need.

In addition to the Business Wing, The Westcliff is able to offer you everything you need to conduct your business professionally and productively while you are away from the office in our Business Centre.
The Business Lounge Centre is located in the Orient-Express Business Wing in Unit 9, opposite to reception, and offers guests a variety of business services.
Professional staff are on hand for secretarial and translation services. Dry cleaning and personal valet services are provided to take care of the executive wardrobe.

The Business Lounge:
The Westcliff Hotel’s Business Lounge operates from 6:00 until 22:00 and boasts a dedicated Business Services Officer who will serve food and beverages, provide business services such as typing, photocopying, flight confirmation, transport and restaurant reservations, as well as technical assistance.

A Continental breakfast is also served here for the convenience of business guests requiring an early start.

In addition to providing a suitable area for informal meetings for travelling executives, the Business Lounge also offers guests the use of three state-of-the art computer terminals with printing facilities and high-speed internet access, as well as the convenience of viewing selected DSTV channels on a large flat-screen television. Video-conferencing
facilities can also be arranged for guests upon request.

Other services offered in the Business Lounge:

Complimentary Continental Breakfast Buffet
Dedicated Private Business Lounge
Courtesy Bus Service to local offices, shopping malls and restaurants
Complimentary Spa treatment voucher
Executive Gym, Health Spa and Floodlit Tennis Court

Meeting Facilities:
The Westcliff is fully equipped to handle incentive and business groups, board meetings and special events. In addition to the function rooms in the hotel; the conference centre, Jacaranda Hill, has been designed to accommodate an executive conference or gala dinner for 150 people, a directors’ board meeting or an intimate dinner for 10. Two of the four rooms may also be used as private dining rooms, accommodating up to 20 people, with spectacular views across the elevated pool deck.

The terrace and pool deck also provide a unique venue for informal cocktail functions. Conference packages include tea and coffee on arrival, mid-morning tea, coffee and biscuits served in the private venue, the use of all standard equipment, and a light served luncheon.

Equipped for Business:
The hotel provides a full range of business services, including high-speed, wireless internetaccess, direct dial telephones, fax and telex, message-taking and courier services, typing and word-processing, with minute-taking and translation available on request.

Please discuss your specific requirements with a Banqueting Co-ordinator or the Maître d’Hôtel. A minimum of four hours’ notice is required for the hiring of equipment.

Chef's Profile:
The Westcliff Hotel's cuisine has undergone a continental shift with the appointment of Executive Chef, Sven Niederbremer, who joined this five star de luxe property from Bremen in Germany.

Before joining his South African fiancée in Johannesburg and being appointed as The Westcliff Hotel's Executive Chef, Sven's most recent position was that of "Gourmet Consultant" for the Marriot Hotel in Bremen, where he supervised a restaurant for 120, a gourmet restaurant for 100 and banqueting facilities for 2500 guests. Arduous work - like 37 hour stints and preparing meals for 22 000 guests over a two week period at the ATP Tennis Tournament in Hamburg - present no problem for Sven. "Cooking is my hobby - it's really no work for me," he says unassumingly. When entertaining in private, his approach to food is unchanged- "at home I cook like I do for my customers" - with a roll of smoked sauerkraut with a thyme pistachio vinegar rating as one of his most popular signature dishes.

Having trained with some of the best European chefs (including Bernard Stumpf) from age 17 in Northern Germany, it equipped Sven for a stint at the Miami Beach Ocean Resort in the US and a Gourmet Tour to Spain in January 2000, where he spent two weeks working at four Michelin Star Restaurants (Reads, Es Mole den Bou, El Oliva and Chopin). In Mallorca he also had the opportunity to work alongside Eckhart Witsigman, one of the "Chefs of the Century".

This introduction to Spanish cuisine has left an indelible impression on the young German. "I really believe that the Spanish embrace the kitchen of the future," he says with enthusiasm. "The Spanish interact so beautifully with their food. Their cuisine is healthy, creative and naturally advanced in a futuristic sense," he explains.

Sven's plans for The Westcliff include designing more menus which focus on utilising local ingredients and produce while embracing a "back to basics" approach which is simple and inspired by quality.

PLAN AN EVENT:
The Westcliff is fully equipped to handle incentive and business groups, board meetings and special events. In addition to the function rooms in the hotel; the conference centre, Jacaranda Hill, has been designed to accommodate an executive conference or gala dinner for 150 people, a directors’ board meeting or an intimate dinner for 10.
Two of the four available rooms in the hotel may also be used as private dining rooms, accommodating up to 20 people, with spectacular views across the elevated pool deck.

The terrace and pool deck also provide a unique venue for informal cocktail functions. A professional banqueting team is also on hand to attend to every detail. Conference packages include tea and coffee on arrival, mid-morning tea, coffee and biscuits served in the private venue, the use of all standard equipment, and a light served luncheon.

CONFERENCE CENTRE:
The Westcliff Hotel has officially launched Jacaranda Hill, its gem of a showpiece - a classically elegant conference centre development which has taken shape over a fourteen-month period at a cost of $3 million (US). The imposing “Mediterranean Imperial” style building is reminiscent of the Sir Herbert Baker houses like Arcadia which grace Parktown and Westcliff Ridge.

Jacaranda Hill provides a venue for private or corporate entertaining in the grand manner evocative of the Rand in its heyday and is surrounded by splendidly landscaped gardens which have become the hallmark of the hotel. Set on the high ground above Jacaranda Hill, the Summer Terrace will make a perfect and elegant setting for garden weddings or outdoor parties. From this vantage point guests will be able to enjoy spectacular views across the Zoological Gardens, The Rand Regiments' Memorial and the well-forested gardens of the Saxonwold.

FUNCTION ROOMS:

Sir Herbert Baker Suite:
Ideal for weddings, conferences, seminars and media briefings accommodating 40 to 100 guests.

Lutyens Dining Room
Ideal for business meetings, presentations, formal dinners accommodating 12 to 20 guests

The Boardroom
Ideal for small business meetings and audio-visual presentations, with a maximum capacity of 12 people

The Orient Room
Ideal for small formal lunches or dinners, intimate private functions with a maximum capacity of 10 people

The Loggia
Ideal for formal banquets or cocktail parties, accommodating 50 to 80 guests

LEISURE:
Guests can cool off in two large, heated swimming pools and two plunge pools, and within the grounds there is also a floodlit tennis court with a resident coach and a gym with a team of personal trainers.

Golfers can enjoy the facilities of a nearby club, which offers guest membership benefits to guests of The Westcliff. To pamper the mind and body even further, qualified staff offer a wide range of treatments at The Health Spa. The Westcliff also boasts a superbly equipped Executive Gym.

Health and Racquet Club
Due to popular demand, The Westcliff has extended the use of its sporting, health and beauty facilities to non-residential guests.

The Swimming Pools
Guests can cool off in two large heated swimming pools and two plunge pools.

The Tennis Court
Within the grounds there is a floodlit tennis court, available for use throughout the day and night.

The Health Club
With magnificent, breathtaking views, The Westcliff Health Club is a unique and luxurious part of the facilities at The Westcliff Hotel

Jogging & Cycling
The neighbourhoods of Westcliff and Parkview are ideally suited to a variety of pleasant pastimes, such as jogging and cycling.

THE HEALTH SPA:
The Camelot Spa at the Westcliff provides holistic care for the skin and body, with a variety of advanced therapies for men, women and sportspeople.

Our philosophy is to offer the ultimate spa experience in a haven to rest, relax and revitalise. We have chosen our therapies based on our knowledge of the pressures and demands placed on the body by the stress of urban life.

With our commitment to holistic health we bring to you a new generation of therapies focused on natural plant and spa marine technology. We invite you to partake in the wisdom of balance, professionalism and dedication at Camelot Spa where each therapist places her heart and soul in every treatment.

"Pure escape for body, mind and soul"

JOHANNESBURG:

HISTORY:
The region surrounding Johannesburg has been inhabited for millions of years. One of the oldest human skeletons ever found was discovered in a cave in Sterkfontein, to the northwest of Johannesburg in 1998. The skeleton, nicknamed Mrs Ples, is one of the few examples of Australopithecus africanus ever found, and is believed to be approximately 3.5 million years old.

Johannesburg, to all intents and purposes the economic capital of South Africa and indeed even sub-Saharan Africa, arose from a dusty and underdeveloped mining town to become a metropolis attracting scores of immigrants from northern african countries to find work in the city colloqually known as eGoli, the City of Gold.

The city is straddled in the middle of South Africa, no harbour or seafrontage to provide wealth, as is the case with other major metropolitan centres in the country, Durban or Cape Town. That Johannesburg became what it is today is testament to the gold rush in the region towards the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century. Having initially discovered gold in the nearby Eastern regions of Barberton and the area now known as Pilgrims Rest in the 1880's, prospectors soon discovered that even richer pickings were to be had on the Witwatersrand region which now incorporates Johannesburg and the Vaal Triangle.

The town was initially much the same as any small prospecting settlement, but as word spread, people flocked to the area from all other regions of the country as well as from North America, the UK and Europe. As the value of control of the land increased, tensions developed between the Afrikaaners, who controlled the region during the nineteenth century and the English, culminating in the Anglo Boer War of 1899 to 1902. The Boers lost the war and control of this province, known as Transvaal, to the English.

When the British declared South Africa a Union in 1910, this paved the way for a more organised mining structure. The South African government instituted a harsh racial system whereby blacks and indians were heavily taxed, barred from holding skilled jobs and consequently forced to work as migrant labour on Johannesburg's growing crop of goldmines.

The regulations of apartheid were abandoned in February 1990, and since the 1994 elections, Johannesburg has, in theory, been free of discriminatory laws. The black townships have been integrated into the municipal government system, and to some extent, the suburbs have become multiracial.

GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE:
Johannesburg is located in the eastern plateau area of South Africa, known as the Highveld, at an elevation of 1753 metres. The city enjoys a dry, sunny climate with the exception of occasional late afternoon downpours from the months of October to April.

Temperatures in Johannesburg are usually fairly mild, with the average maximum daytime temperature in summer of around 27°C, dropping to an average maximum of around 20°C in winter. During the winter, the temperature occasionally drops to below freezing, causing frost. The annual average rainfall is 600 mm to 800 mm, which is mostly concentrated in the summer months.

Johannesburg's relatively dry climate has not stopped local residents and the city council from planting an abundance of trees, and the city prides itself on having the most planted trees of any city, or about six million, which has created a forest-like appearance, especially in the lush northern suburbs.

The different suburbs of Johannesburg are generally categorised by compass direction, as different areas of the city have greatly different personalities. Since Johannesburg is such a large city, there is great variety in the suburbs that comprise it. While the Central Business District and the surrounding areas were formerly highly desired wealthy areas, they have lost their former reputation after migrants took over abandoned buildings, and the crime level rose accordingly. The suburbs to the south of the city are mainly lower-class residential suburbs along with some townships, although most suburbs in the South tend to be extremely large and undistinguished.

The northern and northwestern suburbs have become the centre for the wealthy, containing the high-end retail shops as well as several upper-class residential areas including Houghton, where Nelson Mandela makes his home. The northwestern area in particular is vibrant and lively, with the mostly-black suburb of Sophiatown a hotbed of political activity and the Bohemian-flavoured Melville featuring lively gathering places and nightlife. Auckland Park is home to the headquarters of the South African Broadcasting Corporation and the University of Johannesburg.

To the southwest of the City Centre is Soweto, a mostly black urban area constructed during the apartheid regime specifically for housing African people who were then living in areas designated by the government for white settlement.

TOURISM:
Johannesburg is a transit point for connecting flights to Cape Town, Durban, and the Kruger National Park, hosts touristic attractions in and around the city, and is geographically close to rural game lodges and similar tourist attractions. Consequently, most international visitors to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once, which has led to the development of more attractions for tourists. Recent additions have centred around history museums, such as the Apartheid Museum and the Hector Pieterson Museum. Gold Reef City, a large amusement park to the south of the Central Business District, is also a large draw for tourists in the city. The Johannesburg Zoo is also one of the largest in South Africa.

Because Johannesburg is the economic and business hub of South Africa, it remains quite tourist friendly aside from issues such as crime. It features a variety of world-class hotels, shops, malls, restaurants and casinos, as well as safe drinking water, adequately maintained roads and infrastructure on par with other major global cities. English is spoken everywhere as a primary language.

The city also has several art museums, such as the Johannesburg Art Gallery, which features South African and European landscape and figurative paintings. The Museum Africa covers the history of the city of Johannesburg, as well as housing a large collection of rock art. The Market Theatre complex attained notoriety in the 1970s and 1980s by staging anti-apartheid plays, and has now become a centre for modern South African playwriting.

There is also a large industry around visiting former townships, such as Soweto and Alexandra. Most visitors to Soweto go to see the Mandela Museum, which is located in the former home of Nelson Mandela.

The Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is 25 kilometres to the northwest of the city. The Sterkfontein fossil site is famous for being the world's richest hominid site and produced the first adult Australopithecus africanus and the first near-complete skeleton of an early Australopithecine.