The Peech Hotel

Melrose, in the upscale northern suburbs of Johannesburg, is already an auspicious setting for a boutique hotel, but the Peech Hotel’s setting, just across the road from a park, affords it an extra measure of tranquility. And tranquility is an attribute that a hotel like the Peech can use. This is no nightclub with rooms — quite the opposite, it’s an upscale residential-style lodging whose genteel atmosphere feels at times something like a country estate.

The original rooms and suites occupy the original house and a separate building in the gardens, and they’re plush, stylish, and more than spacious enough, decorated in an eclectic style that’s equal parts heritage and contemporary. Newly added are the so-called luxury rooms, which are larger, somewhat more modernist-influenced in design, and add large walk-in showers and patios. And soon to open is the Peech Villa, which is essentially a two-bedroom version of the luxury rooms — not bad at all, though there isn’t a substandard room in the house.

Food and wine are of particular concern in Johannesburg, and you’ll find some thought has been put into it here. Peech Bistro offers simple, local, seasonal fare, with an unmistakably high-end presentation — and a selection of South African wines to match.