4 13th avenue Houghton estate, Houghton, 2198 Johannesburg, South Africa
#3 of 159 hotels in Johannesburg
Guests' ChoiceBased on 48 hotel reviews
9.6Cleanliness
9.9
Comfort
9.9
Location
9.5
Facilities
9.6
Staff
9.9
Value for money
9.5
Free WiFi
8.8
Each review score is between 1-10. To get the overall score that you see, we add up all the review scores we’ve received and divide that total by the number of review scores we’ve received. We are currently testing a weighted review system in Malta, Iceland, Australia, Greece, Brazil and North Carolina. For properties in these regions, the more recent the review, the bigger the impact on the total review score calculation. In addition, guests can give separate ‘subscores’ in crucial areas, such as location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value for money and free Wi-Fi. Note that guests submit their subscores and their overall scores independently, so there’s no direct link between them.
You can review an Accommodation that you booked through our Platform if you stayed there or if you arrived at the property but didn’t actually stay there. To edit a review you’ve already submitted, please contact our Customer Service team.
We have people and automated systems that specialise in detecting fake reviews submitted to our Platform. If we find any, we delete them and, if necessary, take action against whoever is responsible.
Anyone else who spots something suspicious can always report it to our Customer Service team, so our Fraud team can investigate.
Ideally, we would publish every review we receive, whether positive or negative. However, we won’t display any review that includes or refers to (among other things):
To make sure reviews are relevant, we may only accept reviews that are submitted within 3 months of checking out, and we may stop showing reviews once they’re 36 months old – or if the Accommodation has a change of ownership.
An Accommodation may choose to reply to a review.
When you see multiple reviews, the most recent ones will be at the top, subject to a few other factors (what language a review is in, whether it’s just a rating or contains comments as well, etc.). If you like, you can sort and/or filter them (by time of year, review score, etc.).
We sometimes show external review scores from other well-known travel websites. We make it clear when we’ve done this.
These guidelines and standards aim to keep the content on Booking.com relevant and family-friendly without limiting expression of strong opinions. They are also applicable regardless of the sentiment of the comment.
Contributions should be travel related. The most helpful contributions are detailed and help others make better decisions. Please don’t include personal, political, ethical, or religious commentary. Promotional content will be removed and issues concerning Booking.com’s services should be routed to our Customer Service or Accommodation Service teams.
Contributions should be appropriate for a global audience. Please avoid using profanity or attempts to approximate profanity with creative spelling, in any language. Comments and media that include 'hate speech', discriminatory remarks, threats, sexually explicit remarks, violence, and the promotion of illegal activity are not permitted.
All content should be genuine and unique to the guest. Reviews are most valuable when they are original and unbiased. Your contribution should be yours. Booking.com property partners should not post on behalf of guests or offer incentives in exchange for reviews. Attempts to bring down the rating of a competitor by submitting a negative review will not be tolerated.
Respect the privacy of others. Booking.com will make an effort to obscure email addresses, telephone numbers, website addresses, social media accounts, and similar details.
The opinions expressed in contributions are those of Booking.com customers and properties and not of Booking.com. Booking.com does not accept responsibility or liability for any reviews or responses. Booking.com is a distributor (without any obligation to verify) and not a publisher of these comments and responses.
By default, reviews are sorted based on the date of the review and on additional criteria to display the most relevant reviews, including but not limited to: your language, reviews with text, and non-anonymous reviews. Additional sorting options may be available (by type of traveller, by score, etc.).
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, express or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.
End of dialog content
Showing 1 – 25
Reviewed: 2 July 2024
Pitsi
South AfricaNothing at all. All went well.
The breakfast was awesome. The property location is easily accessible.
Stayed in June 2024
Reviewed: 29 June 2024
Kagiso
South AfricaIt feels like “home”
Stayed in June 2024
Reviewed: 21 June 2024
Rafael
South AfricaThe rooms are awesome - but we didn't fully understand how to open the blinds/curtains, which remained closed during our stay.
A place of historical significance within South Africa. View beautiful images & painting of Mandela. The Sanctuary Mandela opened in late 2021 - so place / furnishing is new and well maintained. The onsite restaurant, Insight caters to a fixed local dinner menu enjoyed by Mandela himself. You have to try the oxtail! Staff arranged a lovely romantic turndown for the evening!
Stayed in June 2024
Reviewed: 27 May 2024
Angus
South AfricaOur experience at Sanctuary Mandela was exceptional from when we arrived to when we departed. The food, ambience and service went beyond our expectations. Thank you for making our stay incredible.
Stayed in May 2024
Reviewed: 20 February 2024
Rebecca
United KingdomVery minor point but the doors should be better soundproofed. We could hear everything from the restaurant very clearly which to some extent takes away the feeling of privacy in the bedroom
Beautiful setting, lovely staff, great food.
Stayed in February 2024
Reviewed: 12 January 2024
Luiza
BrazilShower head could be improved in room “tata” (nothing major)
PERFECT hotel!!! 5-star feeling, truly!!! Historical site (Mandela’s house during his presidential years, beautifully renovatex). super exciting to get to stay there and see all of the carefully curated pieces of art around Nelson Mandela’s life and history. Easy to get cabs and uber around it. Very comfortable beds, AMAZING food and bar. Super friendly staff. Simply surreal experience, can’t recommend it enough!
Stayed in January 2024
Reviewed: 21 October 2023
John
United KingdomSee my last review
See my last review. We used the hotel as the first and last night of a safari trip
Stayed in September 2023
Reviewed: 21 October 2023
John
United KingdomSame lunch and dinner menu
Fantastic property with a great history, staff could not have been more helpful, the tour was great
Stayed in September 2023
Reviewed: 20 October 2023
Michael
United StatesWe loved every minute of our stay. And our only regret is that we had to leave and return home. We miss everything about Sanctuary Mandela - particularly the kindest and most caring staff.
We could not have been happier with the total experience at the Sanctuary! The staff became like family the first day of our first of 2 stays there. And now a month later, we're still in awe of them.
Stayed in September 2023
Reviewed: 11 September 2023
Mzimase
South AfricaThe order had to be repeated twice as the eggs were not done well as per request
Staff through out the hotel were attentive and helpful
Stayed in September 2023
Reviewed: 3 September 2023
Richard
AustraliaNothing at all!
Everything! The interior design is very attractive, both the individual rooms and the common areas. The staff were friendly and welcoming. The meals were interesting and delicious.
Stayed in August 2023
Reviewed: 17 July 2023
Jamie
United StatesThe property was gorgeous! The staff was absolutely amazing and made us feel like family! The food was delicious! Everything was perfect and I can't imagine staying anywhere else while in Johannesburg!
Stayed in July 2023
Reviewed: 24 June 2023
Lucy
United KingdomPool was shady but not a problem for us!
Great breakfast , staff were friendly and went above and beyond to help us celebrate our daughter-in-law’s birthday
Stayed in June 2023
Reviewed: 2 June 2023
Shelley
Australiaeverything
Stayed in May 2023
Reviewed: 2 June 2023
Amanda
AustraliaEverything, it oozed with warmth, happiness and history. The food is also fabulous.
Stayed in June 2023
Reviewed: 21 May 2023
Miriam
United KingdomNothing!!
Attentive staff with sweet & extremely thoughtful personalised touches for our stay. Our room and bathroom were great. Breakfast (included) and dinner were super delicious and Mandela’s previous chef was part of the team - how amazing is that!? Talk about eating with history. The hotel itself is full of history and we loved the tour around residence. Highly highly recommend this hotel!
Stayed in May 2023
Reviewed: 18 May 2023
Ntsoaki
South AfricaI love everything about this gem. However it will be great if they can consider to have rates for locals, unless their niche market is Europeans /Foreign nationals who pay with💰and £
The staff member’s smile with the words “ Welcome Home” I travel a lot and never have I been welcomed like this. I felt like I was home and my family & friends were welcomed exactly the same way hours later after my check in. Throughout our stay the staff’s professionalism was impeccable. Their love for people is commendable, the food is on another level👌🏾
Stayed in May 2023
Reviewed: 22 March 2023
Khathutshelo
South AfricaAbsolutely nothing. Could stay there endlessly.
Omg... I loved everything. From parking until I checked out. What a pleasant experience. The people, facilities, breakfast. I did not want to leave. One of my best experiences. The staff is the best
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 20 March 2023
Maggie
South AfricaThe service was the best and friendliest service iv'e have Nationally as well as internationally.
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 6 March 2023
Joan
CanadaOur stay was exceptional in everyway!!! The warmth of all the staff was above and beyond anything we have experienced anywhere. Truely, memorable.
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 6 March 2023
Barry
South AfricaThere is nothing notable. It was great! I cant fault the hotel on anything at this time. They have been communicative, they were attentive and the experience was amazing.
The staff were so warm and welcoming. They were extremely attentive and the room was spacious, it was decorated superbly and it was a great night out. We were surprised by the attentiveness of the staff at every turn. We had left for a dinner reservation outside of the hotel and when we had returned, we had already had our turndown service sorted and a small cookie and water waiting when we had returned. The shower was great and the amenities were really top class. Sleep was amazing. Room is really dark so we had a really great sleep. In the morning, we had the most amazing breakfast and the staff were really attentive and even remembered that my partner was allergic to mushrooms and had noted it on the breakfast plate. Thank you for the most amazing visit. We will be back!
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 5 February 2023
Sadiki
South AfricaThere's nothing we didn't like.
Everything was on point. 💯
Stayed in February 2023
Reviewed: 12 November 2022
Viviana
United StatesThe only feedback for something to improve is the speed of the restaurant at breakfast time. The food is delicious, but if one is rushed to get into a meeting or tour, then needs to plan well ahead. Coffee, cappuccino and lattes are made right away but eggs and other items took to long.
Arriving into Sanctuary Mandela one feels a sense of peace. A beautiful home with large rooms, secure, clean, and tastefully decorated with art and photographs that reminds us of Mandela and his life. Everyone in the staff was amazingly welcoming, warm, making sure I felt “at home”. Beautiful people all around, who engaged me with kindness, and respect, making sure I had anything I needed. Delicious food at the restaurant, following Mandela’s own favorite meals. Full bar including coffee with wonderful bar tenders who made sure drinks were just right. I loved watching the mentoring of new interns that I saw happening at the hotel. Kindness all around. Library and music. Kevin, the manager, went out of his way to make sure my stay was perfect, and also reached me at the airport to hand me a tube of pictures I had bought from a Soweto artist and had forgotten at the hotel when I checked out to go to the airport, "I brought them because I knew they mattered to you" he said. His gesture was the final touch on an amazing stay.
Stayed in October 2022
Reviewed: 22 October 2022
Colleen
United StatesThere was nothing I didn’t like about the property.
The property was very beautiful and filled with many historical facts about the life of Nelson Mandela.
Stayed in October 2022
Showing 1 – 25
Booking.com is part of Booking Holdings Inc., the world leader in online travel and related services.
We have more than 70 million property reviews, and they're all from real, verified guests.
1
The only way to leave a review is to first make a booking. That's how we know our reviews come from real guests who have stayed at the property.
2
When guests stay at the property they check out how quiet the room is, how friendly the staff are and more.
3
After their trip, guests tell us about their stay. We check for naughty words and verify the authenticity of all guest reviews before adding them to our site.
If you booked through us and want to leave a review, please sign in first.
End of dialog content