The Westcliff - Johannesburg, South Africa 

Location

Rooms

All our rooms have windows that open, while double-glazing, heavy drapes and individually controlled air-conditioning ensure a haven of peaceful seclusion at any given time. Mood lighting is standard, plush robes are provided and in-room dining is available around the clock.

Each of the extravagantly-sized bedrooms and suites at The Westcliff has been individually decorated by renowned South Africa interior designer, Graham Viney. No two are the same in terms of shape, layout or décor. The configuration of The Westcliff – nine villas and no central lobby – provides cosily intimate settings which assure privacy.

Dozens of the features found in every room at The Westcliff have come into being as a result of the personal experiences of James B Sherwood, Chairman and founder of Orient-Express Hotels. Having travelled the world continuously since 1955, he insists that the Group’s hotels provide five-star comfort while avoiding the impersonality of large hotel chains.

Some of these features unique to The Westcliff and other Orient-Express hotels include the pop-up television at the foot of the bed, sound-proofed street-facing windows, luggage and hanging areas in large bathrooms so that clothes can air and steam. All televisions have integral VCR players and each hotel provides tapes or discs of all Academy Award-winning films - since “Wings”, the very first dating from 1927! There is also a selection of movies with an Orient-Express connection including Murder on the Orient Express, From Russia With Love, Strangers on a Train and Shanghai Express.

All rooms have a writing bureau, international plugs, two-line touch-dial telephones with data ports and voicemail, satellite television and video recorder. A butler station with mini-bar is standard and guests may request bottled water and a daily newspaper. The spacious marble bathrooms, all of which are en-suite, feature bath and shower, handwash basins and heated towel rack. Shaving mirrors, shaver sockers, bathroom scales and illuminated make-up mirrors, as well as a range of luxury toiletries are provided.

Facilities

Dining

Dining presents endless opportunities for the senses to be indulged at The Westcliff, and the hotel’s chefs exploit every opportunity to do this. Their culinary expertise is internationally respected, their flair legendary.

Specialising in international dishes with a distinctively South African flair, La Belle Terrasse and The Loggia have gained enviable reputations for their cuisine, relaxed atmosphere and superb service. Afternoon tea is served daily in the Conservatory while the Polo Lounge and Terrace is a celebrated rendezvous.

La Belle Terrasse and Loggia
The La Belle Terrasse and Loggia feature international cuisine with distinctively South African flair, in an elegant and traditional fine dining environment.

The Conservatory
The Conservatory is the ideal venue for all-day light dining and refreshments, where guests can enjoy the spectacular views across the elevated pool deck to Forest Town and the Zoological Gardens beyond.

The Polo Lounge
With its informal atmosphere and cosy furnishing, not to mention the great selection of traditional cocktails and mixers, the Polo Bar is the ideal spot to rendezvous before dinner in La Belle Terrasse – or afterwards for a night-cap or cigar.

Hotel policies

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