The Westcliff Hotel Johannesburg, South Africa  Overview Designed by Sir Herbert Baker and built for Sir William and Lady Dalrymple in 1908, it was declared a national monument in 1979 and now houses the offices of the Order of St John. Sir William, a mining magnate, and his wife Isobel, an actress, were known for entertaining on a grand scale and for their celebrity guests - Princess Alice of Athlone was among those who stayed at Glenshiel. It was only in 1922, the year of the infamous Miners' Strikes, that development in Westcliff began in earnest. This was after an application to build “a single flat” in the suburb was approved by an “inattentive clerk”. E M Macphail writes in "The Story of Westcliff" that an attractive gabled apartment building was built. Christened Westcliff Flats, it was later to be renamed Murray Gordon Mansions and occupied the site where The Westcliff Hotel now stands. Murray Gordon Mansions was eventually left in trust as an old age home. However the trust encountered financial difficulties and the property suffered from neglect. A suggestion that the building be restored came too late and it was demolished in 1975. Early in 1993 developers acquired the site with the intention of building eight up market cluster homes for the younger set. Murmurs began to rumble through the suburb, with the schism between old money and new threatening to disrupt the genteel nature of this privileged habitat. The developer envisioned “something palatial in Tuscan terracotta.” The end result was impressive, but the timing poor. The market was uncertain and the buildings stood empty for two years before being acquired by The Orient-Express Group. (Although, perhaps as legend has it, the embittered ex-resident of the old age home who had cast a curse upon the site –“No one will ever live here!” – was responsible). Curse or no curse, the destiny of the site was to change. It became a hotel in the tradition of the grand hotels of the world and, in fact, no-one does live there … MAP 67 Jan Smuts Ave Westcliff Johannesburg, 2193 Directions: DIRECTIONS TO HOTEL: FROM JNB - JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: FOLLOW THE R24 / N3 TO JOHANNESBURG. HIGHWAY WILL SPLIT INTO THREE KEEP TO THE LEFT AND FOLLOW THE N3 N12 / N3 JNB SIGN. PASS VAN BUUREN OFF RAMP AND FOLLOW M2 TO JOHANNESBURG. HIGHWAY SPLITS AGAIN INTO M1 SANDTON/PRETORIA M1 BLOOMFONTEIN AND M2 ROODEPOORT. FOLLOW M1 SANDTON/PRETORIA. PASS SMIT STREET OFF RAMP AND EMPIRE ROAD OFF RAMP KEEP LEFT AND TAKE JAN SMUTS AVENUE OFF RAMP ON THE LEFT. FOLLOW JAN SMUTS AVENUE UNTIL YOU SEE WESTCLIFF DRIVE ON YOUR LEFT. TURN INTO WESTCLIFF DRIVE AND TURN RIGHT INTO THE HOTELS GATES. CORPORATE LOCATIONS: AIG 4 KMS ANGLO AMERICAN 4 KMS BIDVEST 3 KMS BILLITON 3 KMS CITIBANK 5 KMS DE BEERS 6 KMS HSBC 2 KMS JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE 4 KMS KPMG 2 KMS MORGAN STANLEY 3 KMS SA BREWERIES 3 KMS SOCIETE GENERALE 3 KMS US CONSULATE 3 KMS WARBURG DILLON REID 5 KMS Transportation: AREA TRANSPORTATION- . -AREA TRANSPORTATION- . - THE WESTCLIFF CAN PROVIDE MICROBUS AND MERCEDES BENZ TRANSFERS TO OR FROM JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BY REQUEST. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS FOLLOWS- TYPE OF VEHICLE MICROBUS ZAR 450 EACH WAY -MAX 7 PASSENGERS MERCEDES BENZ ZAR 450 EACH WAY -MAX 3 PASSENGERS NOTE- RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE . - TO SECURE A HOTEL CAR AIRPORT TRANSFER PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFO IN THE /SI- FIELD- GUESTS CREDIT CARD NUMBER AND EXPIRATION DATE VEHICLE PREFERENCE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS FLIGHT NUMBER AND ARRIVAL TIME. . - DRIVER WILL HAVE A SIGN BOARD WITH HOTEL/GUESTS NAME IN THE BAGGAGE AREA. Amenities & Activities Services -SERVICES AVAILABLE- -SERVICES- AUDIO-VISUAL EQPT RENTAL BABY-SITTING BELL SERVICE - 24 HOURS BUSINESS CENTER BUSINESS SERVICES BUTLER SERVICE CAR RENTAL CHECK CASHING CONCIERGE - 24 HOURS CURRENCY EXCHANGE-24 HRS DRY CLEANING IN-ROOM CHECK-IN IN-ROOM CHECK-OUT LAUNDRY SERVICE LUGGAGE UNPACKING MASSAGE - FEE PHYSICIAN ON CALL PORTER - 24 HOURS ROOM SERVICE - 24 HOURS SECRETARIAL SERVICES SECURITY - 24 HOURS SHOESHINE SHUTTLE TO BUSINESS DIST TURNDOWN SERVICE VALET HIGH SPEED INTERNET - FEE   Facilities -FACILITIES- -FACILITIES- CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF A MEDITERRANEAN HILLSIDE VILLAGE THE WESTCLIFF CASCADES DOWN THROUGH LANDSCAPED GARDENS IN A SERIES OF PICTURESQUE VILLAS SURROUNDED BY LUSH GREENERY, SPARKLING FOUNTAINS AND COBBLED PATHWAYS. THE WESTCLIFF OFFERS A SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL WITH VIEWS OF THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS WORLD-CLASS DINING BEAUTY SPA AND EXERCISE ROOM BUSINESS CENTER BAR AND LOUNGE MEETING AND BANQUETING FACILITIES AND ACCESSIBLE ROOMS. SERVICES INCLUDE BUTLER SERVICE 24 HOUR ROOM SERVICE AND CONCIERGE SERVICES. 84 ROOMS 36 SUITES 3 FLOORS 9 BUILDING/WING S BUILT- 1997 FACILITIES - AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT BANQUET ROOMS BAR / LOUNGE BUSINESS CENTER CONFERENCE FACILITIES CONNECTING ROOMS ELEVATORS - 5 EXERCISE ROOM MEETING ROOMS PARKING-COMPLIMENTARY POOL - OUTDOOR RESTAURANTS - 2 SPA FACILITIES TENNIS COURTS BUSINESS CENTER - THE WESTCLIFF HOTEL OFFERS A COMPLETE RANGE OF BUSINESS SERVICES THROUGH ITS ON-SITE BUSINESS CENTER. BUSINESS CENTER IS OPEN 0600-2300 7 DAYS A WEEK. SERVICES INCLUDE- BINDING CELLULAR PHONE RENTAL COLOR PRINTING COMPUTER RENTAL CONFERENCE ROOM RENTAL DICTATION/TRANSCRIBING FACSIMILE-SEND/RECEIVE LASER PRINTING MAIL/COURIER SERVICE PHOTOCOPYING TYPING/WORD PROCESSING VIDEO CONFERENCING HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS Y WI-FI INTERNET ACCESS SPA/HEALTH CLUB/FITNESS CENTER - WITH MAGNIFICIENT BREATHTAKING VIEWS THE WESTCLIFF HEALTH CLUB IS A UNIQUE AND LUXURIOUS PART OF THE FACILITIES AT THE WESTCLIFF HOTEL. THE CLUB OFFERS A FULLY-EQUIPPED GYMNASIUM FITTED WITH WORLD-RENOWNED BRANDS AND ON-HAND ASSISTANCE FROM QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS WHILE YOU ARE TRAINING AT THE CLUB. ALTHOUGH THE GYMNASIUM IS OPEN FROM 0600 TO 2000 IT IS AVAILABLE FOR GUESTS USE AT ALL TIMES AND IT WILL BE OPENED BY SECURITY IF NECESSARY. THE GYMNASIUM PROVIDES A VARIETY OF STATE-OF-THE-ART FITNESS EQUIPMENT INCLUDING STAR TRAC TREADMILL STAR TRAC EXERCISE BICYCLE STAR TRAC STAIRCLIMBER VECTRA 3800 MULTISTATION WITH BENCH PRESS LAT PULLDOWN LEG EXTENSION ETC DERRICK REED ROWING MACHINE NIKE SLIDEBOARD PLUS FREE WEIGHTS. FOR ADDED ENJOYMENT THERE IS A 20-CHANNEL TV WITH VIDEO Policies GUESTS MUST CANCEL 48 HOURS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED ARRIVAL, LOCAL HOTEL TIME, TO AVOID A PENALTY OF ONE NIGHT ROOM CHARGE PLUS TAX. EXCEPTION: WESTCLIFF SPECIAL PACKAGES ARE CHARGED 100 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL FEE IF CANCELLED.