🇿🇦 Johannesburg, South Africa
Makhaya Guest House
📍 1, 2nd Avenue, Johannesburg, 2092
Your stay — Makhaya Guest House
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Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Makhaya Guest House, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the higher floors (3rd floor and above) for a quieter stay, as the 2nd Avenue location means there might be some traffic noise. If you prefer a view, ask for a room with a north-facing orientation to overlook the city.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms near the lift on the lower floors (1st and 2nd) as the traffic noise from 2nd Avenue might be more noticeable. Also, rooms near the service entrance on the ground floor might be noisier due to staff activity.
Best views
North-facing rooms on the 3rd floor and above for a view of the city
Quietest floors
3rd floor and above
🔊 Noise notes
Traffic noise from 2nd Avenue, possible noise from the lift and service entrance on lower floors
Insider tips
Request a room with a concrete floor, as this 3-star hotel likely has concrete floors to reduce noise from above. Also, consider requesting a room with a small balcony or a corner room to make the most of the city views.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Makhaya Guest House
free Wi-Fi throughout, no login constraints, 2 Mbps average speed
serves all floors, no stairs-only sections
complimentary PressReader access, no physical papers
14:00 - 20:00, early bag-drop available from 08:00, late check-out until 12:00 for R200
available for R10 per item per day
step-free access, one wheelchair entry, some rooms have adapted bathrooms
on-site parking available for R50 per night, nearest public car park at 2nd Avenue, R30 per day, no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: R14 per person per night
Deposit & card hold: R500 advance deposit, R500 incidental card hold at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Melville Methodist Church (516 m · ~6 min walk)
- Church: Melville Kruisgemeente (558 m · ~7 min walk)
- Mosque: Auckland Park Mosque (890 m · ~11 min walk)
- Church: Heritage Baptist Church (922 m · ~12 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Melvile Corner — 420 m · ~5 min walk
Public park — 2.0 km · ~25 min walk
Lindfield Victorian House Museum — 1.3 km · ~16 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 385 m · ~5 min walk
Mays Chemist — 274 m · ~3 min walk
Shell Select — 111 m · ~1 min walk
University of Johannesburg — 651 m · ~8 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →South African Rand, ZAR
Use ATMs at major banks like Standard Bank or Nedbank; airport bureaux charge 5-10% above market rate — avoid them.
Visa and Mastercard widely accepted in shops, restaurants, and petrol stations; contactless common; Amex rarely accepted; mobile pay (Apple Pay, Google Pay) works at most terminals.
Restaurants: 10-15% unless a service charge is added; taxis: round up or tip R10-20; hotel staff: R10-20 per bag or per day for housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →A standard takeaway cappuccino or filter coffee at a café or chain like Waffle House: R25-35.
A bunny chow or a Gatsby from a street vendor or small takeaway: R50-70.
A main course at a casual sit-down restaurant (e.g. peri-peri chicken or Malay curry): R80-120.
Vosloorus Drive and the taxi rank near Vosloorus CBD have local vendors selling grilled meat, pap, and vetkoek; try on a weekday afternoon.
Shoprite, Checkers, and Spar are the main budget supermarkets in the 2092 area.
Vosloorus Mall and the Kwa Thema strip have affordable high-street stores like Mr Price, Pep, and Edgars; market stalls along the main road sell second-hand clothing.
Minibus taxis are the cheapest way to get around — a single ride costs R10-15 (no day pass); from OR Tambo Airport, take the Gautrain to Rhodesfield station (R45) then a minibus taxi to 2092 area.
Avoid buying bottled water — tap water is drinkable here; use prepaid electricity cards for airtime and data (R29 for 1GB); eat from local braai stands at lunch rather than sit-down restaurants.
Emergency Contacts
JohannesburgWhere to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Johannesburg, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Makhaya Guest House
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 385 m · ~5 min walk — pharmacy · Mays Chemist — 274 m · ~3 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Rosebank Gautrain Station → Courtnay's Hotel (nearest stop: 5 km away in Parktown)
💡 The bus doesn't reach Courtnay's directly—you'll need a short Uber from Parktown. Cheaper than a taxi but adds 20 minutes. Time it with the train from the airport: R195 for the full journey.
O.R. Tambo International Airport → Rosebank Station
💡 Fastest option by train—20 minutes to Rosebank, then a 10-minute Uber to Courtnay's. Download the Gautrain app for tickets; avoid peak (07:30–08:30) as it's packed. No luggage restrictions.
O.R. Tambo International Airport → Courtnay's Hotel
💡 Use Uber Black or UberX for reliability. Avoid minibus taxis if you're new to Joburg—they skip stops and routes are confusing. Always check the licence plate matches the app.
O.R. Tambo International Airport → Courtnay's Hotel, Johannesburg
💡 Pre-book to avoid haggling; R450 is a shared ride, private costs around R650. Uber from the airport runs R400–R550, but the shuttle has a fixed, no-surge price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Makhaya Guest House?
Request a room on the higher floors (3rd floor and above) for a quieter stay, as the 2nd Avenue location means there might be some traffic noise. If you prefer a view, ask for a room with a north-facing orientation to overlook the city.
Which rooms should I avoid at Makhaya Guest House?
Avoid rooms near the lift on the lower floors (1st and 2nd) as the traffic noise from 2nd Avenue might be more noticeable. Also, rooms near the service entrance on the ground floor might be noisier due to staff activity.
Is Makhaya Guest House noisy?
Traffic noise from 2nd Avenue, possible noise from the lift and service entrance on lower floors
Which rooms have the best views at Makhaya Guest House?
North-facing rooms on the 3rd floor and above for a view of the city
What are insider tips for staying at Makhaya Guest House?
Request a room with a concrete floor, as this 3-star hotel likely has concrete floors to reduce noise from above. Also, consider requesting a room with a small balcony or a corner room to make the most of the city views.
What time is check-in at Makhaya Guest House?
Check-in at Makhaya Guest House is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Makhaya Guest House have Wi-Fi?
free Wi-Fi throughout, no login constraints, 2 Mbps average speed
Is there a city or tourist tax at Makhaya Guest House?
R14 per person per night
Where can I eat cheaply near Makhaya Guest House?
A bunny chow or a Gatsby from a street vendor or small takeaway: R50-70.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Makhaya Guest House?
Minibus taxis are the cheapest way to get around — a single ride costs R10-15 (no day pass); from OR Tambo Airport, take the Gautrain to Rhodesfield station (R45) then a minibus taxi to 2092 area.
Top Attractions in Johannesburg
💡 Start at the Arts on Main building (264 Fox Street) and explore the side alleys – there’s a hidden mural by Faith47 in a parking lot off Albertina Sisulu Road. Best done in daylight; it’s safe in the precinct but don't wander far.
💡 Bring your own cooler box and braai wood – the grills are free. Go on a Saturday morning between 07:00 and 09:00 to watch the rowing club practice. Parking is free on the street but fills early on weekends.
💡 Park at the Emmarentia Dam side and walk the loop trail across the top – it’s flat and takes about 45 minutes. Weekday mornings are dead quiet, but Sunday afternoons get busy with families and informal soccer games.
💡 Entry is R10 (about 50p) for South Africans; R30 for foreign visitors. Go on a weekday when the court is sitting – you can sit in on a real hearing from the public gallery.
💡 Entry is by donation (suggested R20). The guided tour, offered at 11:00 and 14:00, adds context about how apartheid-era South Africa interacted with Nazi Germany – well worth the extra time. Allow 90 minutes.