The Peech

$ | Johannesburg, South Africa

OVERALL RATING | ★★★★☆

This hotel is reminiscent of a secret garden -mysterious from the outside, but an absolute delight within.

Highlights | Beautiful Grounds, Privacy, Safety

Lowlights | Low Walkability

DESIGN

Generally, I know what to expect from a hotel as soon as I arrive. From the lobby I can assess the hotel's theme, palette, and core design elements. Not so with The Peech. This hotel was a bit shy, revealing itself slowly as I worked my way into the property.

My first view of this hotel was a massive wall that revealed nothing of what was within. Once through the gate, I walked past a Koi pond and entered the lobby, which exuded a homey comfort with low ceilings, plush seating, and lots of natural light. From there I had a short walk through the grounds - lush, green, beautifully landscaped, and dotted with several standalone units that make up this property. The exterior design of these units is beautiful - richly colored wood paneling blends seamlessly into the surroundings, but also draws the eye.

Once at my room, I turned the key, opened the door to #17 and felt like I'd entered the guest room in the home of a family friend - well appointed but simple with several local touches. This hotel's design is not incredibly unique. It doesn't deliver a clear message - We're Sustainability Minded! We're Eclectic! We're Confused!. It simply says Welcome Home - your peace and rest are our priority.

This makes sense as the property was once a family home. In their transition to a hotel, they made excellent design choices that help create those desired "at home" feelings - comfort, calm, safety and welcoming simplicity.

LOCATION

In a traditional sense, The Peech does not have a prime location. It has a walkability score of 0.00 – you'll need a car to get to it, and you’ll need a car to get from it to any point of interest in the city. However from a Johannesburg perspective, its location is top tier because it's in a safe neighborhood. Johannesburg has a reputation as a high crime city. Is that reputation deserved? I cannot say. But safety was certainly top of mind during my visit, and as I got closer to The Peech, my concerns eased. The hotel is located in the Melrose neighborhood - a clean, quiet residential area. Sandton, Johannesburg's shopping, dining, and business hub, is about 10min away by car. Apparently there is a commuter rail station ~5min walk from the hotel, but I did not attempt public transportation during my visit.

ACCOMODATIONS

This property offers four room types - the Classic Rooms are their base offering, followed by Luxury Rooms, Peech Suites (1 room), and a Peech Villa (2 rooms). I booked a Classic Room, but was given a Luxury (yay for upgrades!).

Overall, the room was nicely appointed and thoughtfully designed with the bedroom slightly separated from the desk, minibar, and bathroom. The bathroom itself was quite large. Seating and storage space were limited, but it was manageable.

There are two elements of this room that charmed me. The first was a decorative screen above the bed. For me, the screen - crafted in South Africa of metal accented with threadwork - was the centerpiece of the room, especially when backlit. The second was a private garden and seating area, which were absolutely lovely when paired with a book and glass of wine.

The room included the standard amenities - water, tea and coffee station, minibar, robes, and bath products. There was also a flashlight in case of a power outage as the hotel does not run their generators during deep sleep hours. Luckily, I did not experience any power issues during my stay.

AMENITIES

As I mentioned, The Peech is not considered walkable. There are no restaurants or coffee shops nearby, so guests are quite reliant on the property when it comes to dining. During my stay, I typically had lunch somewhere out on the town while exploring. But I took my breakfasts and dinners at the hotel and I was not disappointed. The property has two restaurants – the casual Garden Restaurant, and Basalt, a more formal dining option. In addition, the hotel offers room service from it’s Garden Restaurant.

• Wifi

• Laundry Service (including Dry Cleaning)

• Patio or Balcony

• Nespresso Machine

• Stocked Minibar

• Room Service

• 2 Onsite Restaurants

• Pool

• Pool Bar

• Mini souvenir shop

CLEANLINESS

I found this hotel to be incredibly clean. No complaints on cleanliness.

STAFF & SERVICE

The Peech's staff and service met my expectations. A greeting from the gate watchman was my first interaction with staff, and he was quite friendly and welcoming. Lobby staff was also friendly and efficient. I ordered room service, which was delivered promptly and without any issues/missing items. I also dined at the Garden Restaurant and had a pleasant experience.

CHEAT SHEET

1. While in town, visit the Apartheid Museum. I hesitated to go - I expected to have a strong emotional response to the exhibits and didn't want to feel weighed down for days by the experience. But I am so, so glad I went. The museum is beautifully done - very engaging from the moment you enter, and very educational. As I expected, the experience was very emotional, but they manage the emotional arc well. In the beginning I cried sad/angry tears. In the end I cried happier tears. The strength, resilience, spirit of forgiveness, and courage displayed by South Africans is unparalleled in modern times. Below is an image of a line to vote in the first free elections post-apartheid. This single image stuck with me more than any other.

2. Go into The Peech's lobby restroom and check out the monkey lamp. 10/10!