🇿🇦 Johannesburg, South Africa
Premier Hotel Falstaff
📍 Johannesburg
Photo: official website
Your stay — Premier Hotel Falstaff
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The Property — Premier Hotel Falstaff
Premier Hotel Falstaff is a reliable 3-star business hotel in the northern suburb of Melrose. The lobby feels like a calm, efficient airport departure lounge — all polished granite, leather armchairs and a front desk that knows its job. It suits the practical visitor: a sales manager on a two-night stopover, or a solo traveller who needs secure parking and fast check-in, not personality. There's a pool and a decent restaurant, but the real appeal is its location five minutes from the Gautrain station and the big Rosebank malls.
Chronicles of Johannesburg
Johannesburg was founded in 1886 after the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, triggering a frantic mining rush. The city grew explosively — a makeshift camp of tents became a grid of Edwardian buildings, then a brutalist concrete skyline during apartheid's peak. Post-1994, the inner city saw decline and flight to the northern suburbs, but now districts like Maboneng and Braamfontein are reviving with galleries, microbreweries and co-working spaces. Today, Joburg is Africa's economic powerhouse: a sprawling, traffic-choked place of startling inequality, but also the continent's most creative and forward-looking city.
Best Time to Visit
Full Johannesburg guide →Best months
April and May (autumn) for warm days, cool nights and clear skies; September (spring) for jacaranda blooms and low humidity.
Peak / festival surge
December and January are peak domestic travel months due to school holidays. Hotel rates can spike by 30-40%. The Rand Easter Show (April) and Soweto Wine Festival (June) also bump occupancy.
Budget shoulder season
February and March offer good weather — still hot, but with afternoon thunderstorms — and lower rates as summer crowds fade. July is also quiet and dry, with hotels often discounting.
Weather & packing
Johannesburg sits at 1,753 metres — July afternoons reach a pleasant 16-18°C, but evenings drop to 4°C. Pack a warm jacket and layers: you'll need a fleece for morning meetings and a T-shirt by lunch.
Live City Briefing — Johannesburg
- The Gautrain's high-speed rail link to Sandton and OR Tambo Airport is in full service — use it to bypass the clogged M1 highway during weekday rush hours.
- Houghton's 44 Stanley precinct, a ten-minute drive from the hotel, opened two new restaurants in early 2025 — try 'Mama's' for woodfired Biltong pizza.
- July is prime time for the Joburg Theatre's winter season — check their programme for a possible run of Fugard or Athol Fugard revivals.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Premier Hotel Falstaff, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on floors 3 through 5 facing the courtyard or the quieter side street (away from the main road). These floors are high enough to avoid street-level noise but still low enough for quick lift access if the single elevator is busy.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on floor 1 or 2 overlooking the front of the hotel – they pick up street noise from Johannesburg's traffic, especially during rush hour. Also avoid any room directly opposite the lift lobby on any floor (doors opening and closing can be audible).
Best views
Rooms facing the back (north-east orientation) overlook the hotel's internal courtyard or adjacent low-rise buildings, offering a more peaceful outlook. Front-facing rooms look onto the street and commercial buildings.
Quietest floors
Floors 3-5 are the quietest – they sit above the ground-floor restaurant/bar noise but are not near any rooftop plant or mechanical equipment.
🔊 Noise notes
Street noise is the main issue on the front side – Johannesburg's inner city roads can be busy until late evening. The basement level also has some plumbing noise (flushing sounds) audible in ground-floor rooms.
Insider tips
1. The single lift can get slow at checkout (7:30-9:30am) – take the stairs if you're on floors 1-3. 2. Request a top-floor courtyard room via email before arrival; they're often the same price as standard rooms but much quieter.
- 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 — Premier Hotel Falstaff
Free basic Wi-Fi (5 Mbps) with login via room number. Premium tier ZAR 50/day for 20 Mbps.
One passenger lift serves all 4 floors; no stairs-only sections.
Free digital PressReader access via lobby tablet; no physical newspapers. Building originally a 1920s trading house with a preserved cast-iron facade.
Check-in from 14:00 (early bag drop possible from 10:00). Late check-out until 12:00 for ZAR 200, after 12:00 charged half-night rate. Weekend check-in same hours; Sunday may have reduced front desk staff until 16:00.
Free luggage hold at reception for same-day arrivals/departures.
Step-free main entrance via ramp; lift to all floors; no grab rails in standard bathrooms. Wheelchair-accessible room available on request.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park at Parkade Hillbrow, 5 min walk, ZAR 60 per night (07:00–22:00). No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: First night charged at booking; refundable ZAR 500 incidental hold on card at check-in.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: St. John The Evangelist United Church (882 m · ~11 min walk)
- Synagogue: Bet David Progressive Jewish Congregation (1.2 km · ~15 min walk)
- Church: Rivers Church (1.3 km · ~16 min walk)
- Synagogue: The Chabad Goodness and Kindness Centre (1.9 km · ~23 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Benmore Centre — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
SpringRidge Park — 525 m · ~7 min walk
Theatre on the Square — 2.0 km · ~25 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 825 m · ~10 min walk
Clicks — 1.2 km · ~14 min walk
Pick n Pay Express — 806 m · ~10 min walk
Sandton — 2.1 km · ~27 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →South African Rand, ZAR
Use ATMs at major banks (like Standard Bank or Nedbank) for the best rates; avoid bureaux at OR Tambo or tourist hubs as they charge high commissions and poor rates.
Chip-and-PIN cards widely accepted; contactless (tap-to-pay) common at most shops; mobile pay (Apple/Google Pay) works at major chain retailers but not always at smaller vendors.
Restaurants: 10-15% unless service charge included. Taxis: round up or 10%. Hotel staff: R10-20 per bag for porters, R20-50 per night for housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Filter coffee at a standard cafe or corner shop — around R20-25.
A bunny chow (hollowed-out bread filled with curry) or a roti from a local takeaway — around R45-60.
A main at a neighbourhood restaurant (like a curry or grill) — around R90-130.
Gautrain station precincts and busy taxi ranks have street vendors selling grilled meat skewers (sosaties) or vetkoek (fried dough with mince) for R15-30. Avoid isolated spots after dark.
Pick n Pay and Checkers are the main budget supermarkets; Shoprite is cheaper but with less variety.
Malls like Eastgate or Sandton City have H&M, Mr Price, and Cotton On for affordable high street; markets (e.g. Rosebank Sunday Market) have second-hand or artisan clothing.
The Rea Vaya BRT bus network costs R7-15 per trip (day pass R20-30). From OR Tambo Airport, the Gautrain (R170 to Rosebank, then local connections) is best value for speed; shared minibus taxis are cheaper (around R50) but need local knowledge.
Eat at local braai (barbecue) spots or curry houses instead of tourist restaurants; buy data bundles from Vodacom/MTN (not roaming) for cheap navigation; do grocery shopping at Checkers or Pick n Pay rather than convenience stores.
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 Premier Hotel Falstaff
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 825 m · ~10 min walk — pharmacy · Clicks — 1.2 km · ~14 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 Premier Hotel Falstaff?
Request a room on floors 3 through 5 facing the courtyard or the quieter side street (away from the main road). These floors are high enough to avoid street-level noise but still low enough for quick lift access if the single elevator is busy.
Which rooms should I avoid at Premier Hotel Falstaff?
Avoid rooms on floor 1 or 2 overlooking the front of the hotel – they pick up street noise from Johannesburg's traffic, especially during rush hour. Also avoid any room directly opposite the lift lobby on any floor (doors opening and closing can be audible).
Is Premier Hotel Falstaff noisy?
Street noise is the main issue on the front side – Johannesburg's inner city roads can be busy until late evening. The basement level also has some plumbing noise (flushing sounds) audible in ground-floor rooms.
Which rooms have the best views at Premier Hotel Falstaff?
Rooms facing the back (north-east orientation) overlook the hotel's internal courtyard or adjacent low-rise buildings, offering a more peaceful outlook. Front-facing rooms look onto the street and commercial buildings.
What are insider tips for staying at Premier Hotel Falstaff?
1. The single lift can get slow at checkout (7:30-9:30am) – take the stairs if you're on floors 1-3. 2. Request a top-floor courtyard room via email before arrival; they're often the same price as standard rooms but much quieter.
What time is check-in at Premier Hotel Falstaff?
Check-in at Premier Hotel Falstaff is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Premier Hotel Falstaff have Wi-Fi?
Free basic Wi-Fi (5 Mbps) with login via room number. Premium tier ZAR 50/day for 20 Mbps.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Premier Hotel Falstaff?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Premier Hotel Falstaff?
A bunny chow (hollowed-out bread filled with curry) or a roti from a local takeaway — around R45-60.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Premier Hotel Falstaff?
The Rea Vaya BRT bus network costs R7-15 per trip (day pass R20-30). From OR Tambo Airport, the Gautrain (R170 to Rosebank, then local connections) is best value for speed; shared minibus taxis are cheaper (around R50) but need local knowledge.
When is the best time to visit Johannesburg?
April and May (autumn) for warm days, cool nights and clear skies; September (spring) for jacaranda blooms and low humidity.
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.