54 on Bath

You’ll hear the word “suburb” bandied about, but don’t get the wrong idea: in Johannesburg, a suburb is simply a neighborhood. So 54 on Bath, though advertising its location in the suburb of Rosebank, is actually located in the most central part of the city, on Bath Avenue (no points for guessing the number). And it’s a favorite among South African travelers for good reason. It’s a member of Tsogo Sun, Africa’s leading hotel chain, and therefore offers a range of familiar amenities: free wi-fi, spacious guest rooms, tasteful décor, tech-forward facilities for business travelers.

Design-wise, 54 on Bath doesn’t stray far from the brand’s standard: guest rooms and suites are large and elegantly outfitted with huge windows, fluffy feather-top beds, roomy work desks, and sleek bathrooms, all in a sophisticated palette of black and white, charcoal, teal and chocolate brown. Welcome details include big flat-screen TVs, minibars, Illy coffee machines, and black-out curtains.

Comfortable as these accommodations are, the hotel’s public spaces are where 54 on Bath has something more original to offer. There’s a modern fitness center, and a classy lobby with a white baby grand piano. But the hotel’s crowning glory is its gorgeous outdoor swimming pool — long, narrow, and beautifully illuminated at night — on the fourth floor. It’s bordered on one side by an inviting grassy lawn, and adjacent to the champagne bar and Level Four restaurant, it’s a prime spot for afternoon tea or sunset cocktails.