Sanctuary Mandela

What a truly beautiful little boutique hotel! The staff are unbelievably friendly and can’t do enough for you, welcoming you home the moment you arrive. There are only 9 bedrooms but each one has a connection to Nelson Mandela which is explained on your tour. The tour is really interesting and I highly recommend it. Food was incredible and plenty of it! Rooms are beautiful and have everything you need for a comfortable stay. I’m sad we only got to enjoy for one night, I’d return in a heartbeat!

Stayed at Sanctuary Mandala Hotel for one night before going onto our safari lodge as part of a tour. We were supposed to be staying at a different hotel outside of Johannesburg, but it was changed a few weeks before. So glad it was as the hotel was perfect. The hotel is in a quiet residential area about 27 kms from the airport. It should have taken around 30 minutes to get there but took around an hour because of all the traffic through the city. The hotel has 9 individual rooms built around what was Mandala’s home. The place is fascinating as its filled with memorabilia and is dedicated to his life. To add to the history, the staff were friendly and helpful, and the food (lunch, dinner & breakfast) was excellent. Do take the guided tour of the hotel if offered as it’s a fascinating look into the history of apartheid and Mandala’s life. The only disappointment is we spent only one night at the hotel and would have loved to have stayed for at least another night so we could have spent more time looking around and maybe get to use the hotel pool. If you get chance do stay at this hotel.

On Christmas, my family and I had the chance to dine at Sanctuary Mandela, and it was a memorable experience during our visit to Johannesburg for the holiday. We were initially disappointed to find that the menu had changed, but we were pleasantly surprised by the excellent choices available to us. As it was a holiday, the restaurant was quite empty, which suited us just fine. The staff were incredibly attentive, and their pride in their roles was evident. I particularly enjoyed a perfectly cooked steak, which was not only delicious but also beautifully presented. The drinks were also top-notch. It's worth noting that this restaurant is situated at a former home of Nelson Mandela, which has been transformed into a boutique hotel and restaurant.