Guide to Gay Friendly Hotels in Johannesburg South Africa (2023 Updated)

South Africa is considered to be one of the most  friendliest destination for gay tourism in Africa along with other former colonies , tourist don’t feel the threat if they act normally and most of the hotels chains in the capital are gay friendly hotels Johannesburg.

LGBT Scene in Johannesburg is mostly located around Melville area and Ratz Bar Melville, The Factory and Babylon The Joburg Bar are the most famous hangouts for gay couples in Johannesburg.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in South Africa have the same rights as non-LGBT people. South Africa has a complex and diverse history regarding the human rights of LGBT people. The legal and social status of between 400,000–over 2 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex South Africans has been influenced by a combination of traditional South African mores, colonialism, and the lingering effects of apartheid and the human rights movement that contributed to its abolition.

Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city and capital of Gauteng province, began as a 19th-century gold-mining settlement. Its sprawling Soweto township was once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Mandela’s former residence is now the Mandela House museum. Other Soweto museums that recount the struggle to end segregation include the somber Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, a former prison complex.

1. Arum Place Guest House 4* – Gay Friendly Accommodation Johannesburg

This stylish guest house is located on the outer fringe of Melville in Johannesburg and features a pool and tastefully decorated rooms with wooden floors. Free WiFi is through the property.

The individually decorated bedrooms at Arum Place Guest House all have en-suite bathrooms, some with freestanding tubs. Every room has satellite TV and access to a patio or balcony. Various rooms are equipped with a kitchenette.

A deluxe English breakfast is served in the elegant dining room or out on the patio. Dinner are available upon request, and the many trendy restaurants and pubs of 7th Street are just a few minutes’ walk away.

Imagine a guest house in trendy Melville, in Johannesburg South Africa with all the style, luxury and space that you expect from a four star establishment with the warmth and homeliness that you will only find at your own home. Overlooking the Melville Koppies, Arum Place Guest House is a small private retreat, although only a minute’s drive away from the Melville buzz. The spacious rooms with wooden floors and steel pressed ceilings are beautifully restored and individually decorated.

Four luxurious rooms with full en-suite bathrooms are situated inside the main house and three self catering units are available for longer stays. Three of the rooms have king-size beds which can be converted into twin beds on request. Each room has been decorated, furnished and equipped according to the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa’s (TGCSA) criteria for four star grading.24 Hour sincere and friendly hospitality by live-in owners.

Spacious clean rooms, heart fully caring management and staff. Arranged late night airport pickup service;pick up and drop off and recommendation to Melville local downtown restaurant; early morning confirmations as per site visit and arranged 5:30 a.m. local transport to Kruger Safari pick up location. More than adequate breakfast…and although out-of-the-way for nightlife and independent city walk arounds; the management really cared about my safety and all around comfort to and from and stay at their property. Great for solo and gay couple travellers.

The property is in a quiet tree lined residential part of Melville, with the guest house having beautiful interior gardens and well maintained swimming pool. Very secure. The breakfasts were substantial and delicious.

Arum Place Guest House is a winner on all levels – the rooms (we stayed in two different rooms over three stays) are spacious, clean, comfortable and very reasonably priced; the breakfasts are plentiful and tasty with cold and hot options; there is a lovely internal courtyard (and with one room a private ‘terrace’) where you can sit and chill out if you wish; the Melville area is pleasant and feels safe and there are good restaurants and bars close by; and the hosts were incredibly helpful each time we were there, providing good advice about places to visit/eat/best way to do something, providing lifts to and from places, arranging airport transfers etc..

Gladys and David are excellent hosts – truly care about helping make your stay in Joburg whatever you wish. They serve a great breakfast – fresh fruit, hot croissants and whole grain breads, eggs any way, juice, bacon, and more. Even hot cereal if we wanted.

A friendly breakfast room and tables led to us spending a fun day with a nice German couple touring the city by bus our first day, and meeting another great group of folks the last morning. Gladys and David helped with transport – arranging or driving to and from the airport, other sights like Cradle of Humankind a ways out of town, and even back from dinner in the dark. The room was comfortable, clean, and had a little kitchenette, altho we didn’t end up using it because breakfast was so great and dinner spots were fun down the hill in Melville.

his is a very lovely guesthouse, beautifully decorated and makes you feel at home (a very genteel home that is : ) All rooms are individually decorated and unique. Our room ”Touch of Grey” was elegant yet welcoming, the bed excellent, the bathroom huge with a very good shower – all you could wish for. Breakfast has both cold and hot options; the omelettes were just delicious!

The neighborhood is leafy green and very peaceful; yet we could walk to the main street for dinner etc. Our host went out of his way to ensure that we made the most of the two days we had, with just the right recommendations, and even took the trouble of driving us to the Cradle of Humanity which is outside of the city. We felt very privileged and lucky to stay the three nights, and would love to come back any time.

How much does a room costs at Arum Place Guest House ?

Prices start 84$/night for Double Room.  The Luxury Double Suite  is  94$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

Where to book online – Arum Place Guest House – Gay Friendly Accommodation Johannesburg – you can find the best hotels deals in Johannesburg during The ULTRA Johannesburg 2020 which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Johannesburg on Booking.com or  Trip.com  or Hotelscombined.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

2. Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! by Marriott Melrose Arch 4* – Gay Friendly Hotels Johannesburg

Situated in the centre of Johannesburg, within the Melrose Arch Precinct, this design hotel offers luxury accommodations, a 2-minute drive from the M1 motorway. It features a large outdoor pool.

Guestrooms at the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! by Marriott Johannesburg Melrose Arch feature luxury bedding and floor-to-ceiling windows. All rooms include an LCD TV, a lap-top size safe, and tea and coffee making facilities.

The in-house restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Protea’s elegant bar serves signature cocktails and milkshakes in an energetic and lively setting. The hotel’s Lobby Lounge is located nearby.

The urban, experiential and edgy Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Johannesburg Melrose Arch is the hot-spot in the trendy Melrose Arch Precinct in Johannesburg, South Africa, a unique city within a city that boasts a variety of trendy retail, gourmet restaurants & leisure amenities. This experiential hotel guarantees to spice-up any visit to Jozi and is aimed at the traveller who enjoys being amidst the energetic urban vibe of the cool city life.

The hotel offers the ultimate convenience and accessibility to the M1 highway, Sandton business centre and OR Tambo International Airport. Shuttle transfers to and from the Sandton Gautrain Station are also available. Return to your room, which offers an urban style that will take you back to a bygone era of old Hollywood glamour. And if it’s too early for bed – the Bar, which is open from 10h00 until 04h00 serves specialty cocktails in an energetic and lively setting.

I have been twice at Protea Fire&Ice hotel and I had always a good stay. The rooms are big enough, with a comfortable bed and a nice in room shower. The insulation towards outside are good, a bit worse the one towards the other rooms.

The breakfast is large and you can find both sweet and salty solution. It is in a wonderful area, with shops and restaurants available. It is a good solution for a stay in Joburg.

Beautifully designed and decorated hotel. Rooms were large. The beds were very comfortable. The breakfast buffet was excellent. A great choice of foods and a omelette station. The surrounding area was very nice with a great selection of restaurants and shopping within a short walking distance. The staff was great. The only problem we encountered was trying to adjust the water temperature. It would be ice cold one minute and then boiling hot the next.

The Melrose Arch is like a city in the city. It’s safe and there are lots of shops and restaurants here, so you can easily go around, even in the night.

The hotel is located in this “ gated “ area. Very professional reception, all people are so friendly. Quick check in with a smile. The rooms are medium size. The bed is good and the linen perfect. WiFi is good and there is a small desk in the room for work. Breakfast is good and the juice bar feels very health.

This is a stylish, boutique hotel with every facility you expect from such a hotel and is situated in the heart of the city of Johannesburg. The lobby was rather small and is kind of crowded but we were not bothered by it. We stayed here for two nights and we immensely enjoyed our stay. The breakfast buffet was huge and the waiting staff there were more than friendly. Rooms were modern and nice though there is no clear separation between the living space and bathrooms. I think it’s a hotel of choice.

Safely inside a gated area, the hotel has a modern design throughout. Hotel rooms are perhaps on the small side, with the shower area divided by a curtain that some might not like. The buffet breakfast is excellent, don’t miss the juice bar! Rooms were clean and neat and the service was very good. The lobby area is somewhat small, but front desk staff were helpful. Pool would have benefited from a thorough clean, algae was visible even from the surface. Located within easy walking distance to a shopping area and many excellent restaurants, we were happy with our choice.

Great modern hotel with Hollywood theme, fantastic rooms, excellent dining room, especially for breakfast and a superb bar with an outstanding selection of single malts. Location is perfect in an upscale gated community with access to shopping of all kinds and fabulous restaurants within easy walking distance.

This first class hotel is located in the Melrose Arch Precinct and a great location for shopping, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. looks like they renovated the hotel in a modern way. They greeted our tour with a milkshake before giving out our keys to the rooms. The room is not large and has the shower in the corner of the room and a sink and mirror right next to it with a shower type curtain around it, which doesn’t make sense.

There is a small private vroom with a toilet. It’s like an open concept in a house but it’s in a room where the shower is in the bedroom. Hard to explain and kind of weird. My husband didn’t like the decor at all since it looked too feminine with colors of black, white and gray. Has pictures of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe on the walls. Room service took over 45 minutes to get some ice, after another call to remind them. The staff has not been as friendly as other hotels we stayed in. Buffet breakfast was very good with many choices. No slippers or robes in the room either.

Wonderful, modern hotel with pleasant atmosphere. Neighborhood is safe and nice to walk around at night: great restaurants, bars, shops… didn’t try the swimming pool because we were just staying one night, but it looked very inviting :-). Definitely recommend this hotel when staying in the area.

How much does a room costs at Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! ?

Prices start 84$/night for Double Room.  The Luxury Double Suite  is  94$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

Where to book online – Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! by Marriott Johannesburg Melrose Arch – Gay Friendly Hotels Johannesburg – you can find the best hotels deals in Johannesburg during The ULTRA Johannesburg 2020 which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Johannesburg on Booking.com or  Trip.com  or Hotelscombined.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

3. Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa 5* – Gay Friendly Hotels Johannesburg

Featuring luxurious and spacious suites, Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa includes a spa and outdoor pool. It is located in Johannesburg’s suburb of Sandhurst and includes 3 restaurants, free WiFi, and free parking.

Each elegant room at the Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa incorporates African art. Each room has a balcony overlooking the garden and the pool. They also include a satellite TV.

The dining areas include Qunu, Grei and The Terrace.

Guests can relax and enjoy the massages at the spa. A steam room and a fitness centre are also available.

The Saxon has a story to tell. Originally a private home and host to many honoured guests including World Leaders, Celebrities and guest alike. The art within the hotel portrays lives lived with guests and friends spending time together. Elegant. Luxurious. Unforgettable. Merging the finest culinary experiences, the ultimate in luxurious accommodation and the award-winning Spa, the Saxon will take you on an unforgettable journey.

This is truly the place you can call home. Let the Saxon treat you to personalised, discreet service and unparalleled South African hospitality. The Saxon is Johannesburg’s most luxurious hotel and one of the worlds top award winning hotels.

My partner actually arranged our stay as a surprise for our anniversary. Upon arrival we were upgraded to the presidential suite which just completely blew our minds. As a young gay couple in South Africa, especially outside of Cape Town, we don’t really expect people to always go out of their way for us, but the Saxon staff saw us, asked my partner if the stay was a surprise for me, and when he said yes they very excitedly ushered us to our suite and made our stay just perfect including a romantic turn down at night.

We travel a lot and have stayed in amazing places around the world and so it was ironic and beautiful in a way to have found the hotel to ruin all other hotels for us right here on our doorstep. Thank you to the wonderful staff and management of this fantastic property, you made a very special day truly exceptional and has now set the benchmark, the one to beat, for anywhere else we might stay in the future.

Incredible hotel, wonderful spa, truly attentive staff, and good (but not exceptional) food.

The entire Saxon property – both hotel and villas – is located within a walled compound in the Sandhurst neighborhood of Johannesburg. Once you enter the property, you feel far removed from any city in the lushly planted grounds.

We stayed in one of the villas. The rooms was spacious, the bed was great, the amenities and free mini-bar were well-stocked, and the deck faced a park-like section of dense green plants and trees. Very calming and quiet. Our room also came with the personal butler service, which proved handy. He scheduled restaurant reservations, spa treatments and arranged for the car service to the airport. When our flight home was delayed by eight hours, he even arranged for us to be able to stay at no extra charge in our villa until 5 pm, when it was finally time for us to go to the airport.

As for the property. The villas are connected to the main hotel area (which includes the restaurants and spa) by a long, modernistic-looking skyway (with elevators at both ends). The main pool area is gorgeous, and has an open-air/covered restaurant and bar adjacent to it. The lobby area is stylish.

The spa is incredible. Do the rasul (steam room with mud/salt) treatment, as it was great. The rasul room is also nicely done in colorful mosaic tiles. The massage treatments were also good.

The Qunu restaurant is nicely designed, and with an incredibly well-trained, high-end server staff. The food itself was fine, but nothing exceptional.

The room, hotel facilities, restaurants and service are all right up there with the best places we have stayed around the world. It is an oasis in the middle of the city both relaxing and quiet. The room was immaculate, well presented and comfortable, the pools and grounds similarly beautiful. Most impressed with the range of dining options – wide ranging menu to suit all and lovely restaurants within the hotel building. we especially enjoyed dining outside on the terrace where the food and service are excellent but the experience less formal.

ROOM

Stayed in a suite which was incredible. Massive and spacious. Felt like I needed to get an Uber from the desk I was working at to the bathroom.
The bed had to have been the best part of the room experience definitely the most comfortable bed I have ever ever slept in. Well maybe the Bristol hotel in Genoa Italy was better. But still the sleep at the Saxon was amazing. Great little complimentary snack box and mini bar.

FOOD

Ate here both nights. The first night on the terrace and the second night I was in room dining. Had fish on both nights which was excellent. Well cooked tasty and a decent portion. The second night was amazing with a Butler delivering the food to my room which was just what needed after a hard days work. Food also came super quickly. The home made bread basket made me go off my Banting diet. Incredible.

Breakfast was great with a really nice selection of delicate items. Served in Qunu. Something for everyone. Ordered scrambled eggs with some brilliant gluten free bread. Not a massed produced breakfast.

Apparently they have a dedicated pastry kitchen. Definitely want to go back for afternoon tea.

HOTEL DECOR

Decor is Afro-Chic, very South African, very relaxing. The Mandela prints in the conference Centre and library are quite amazing. Apparently he stayed here when he came out of prison.

TERRACE AND POOL

The terrace is amazing during the day. Great for people watching and business meetings. A pool is in front of the terrace with a deck for sun lounging. There is a also a warm pool behind the bar and an incredible koi pond.

CHAUFFEUR

Had a great trip the one day in the hotel’s s-class mercedes. Very cool way to arrive at your client.

Can’t find anything to fault the place with. Saxon is just amazing. A special oasis of tranquility and amazing service in the hussle and bustle of Joburg.

Will definitely be back.

How much does a room costs at Hotel Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa ?

Prices start 700$/night for Suite Luxury Room.  The Presidential Suite is  1350$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

Where to book online – Hotel Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa  – Gay Friendly Hotels Johannesburg – you can find the best hotels deals in Johannesburg during The ULTRA Johannesburg 2020 which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Johannesburg on Booking.com or  Trip.com  or Hotelscombined.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

4. Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff Johannesburg 5* – LGBT Friendly Hotels Joburg

Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff is a luxury 5-star hotel located within 1 km from the Johannesburg Zoo. Featuring an expansive lush garden, the hotel offers a restaurant, fitness centre. The hotel has a wellness centre where guests can enjoy massages and beauty treatments.

The elegant rooms feature air conditioning and come complete with a seating area, flat-screen satellite TV and minibar. Extras include an iPod dock, as well as free WiFi.

At Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, there are a variety of restaurants and menus comprises of South African culinary delights and international flavours. The Cellar Door is where guests can enjoy a food and wine pairing experience in an intimate dining room.

The hotel’s nature-inspired spa boasts a haven of relaxation offering a sauna, hot tub and a selection of treatments.

Four Seasons Hotel Westcliff Johannesburg welcomes you to a self-contained sanctuary in the affluent Westcliff residential area. Perched on a cliff side, this urban resort offers panoramic views over the dense tree canopy of the city’s prestigious northern suburbs. The ambiance is like a sun-splashed Mediterranean village laced with courtyards, fountains and gardens.

Fully transformed, the hotel’s 117 guest rooms and suites offer cool, contemporary decor inspired by modern Africa. Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff Johannesburg is a lively social hub for the city’s elite, and the first choice for business and holiday travelers – providing a pampering start or finish for a South African safari.

The location is extremely scenic, with rooftop views over trees towards the city centre. The flowers in the grounds were beautiful. The staff were attentive, obliging, and the suite we had extremely spacious. The breakfasts in View restaurant were superb. We would definitely stay here again if in Johannesburg.

Beautiful hotel with very attentive staff. The Deli arranged a special vegan breakfast for us. Staff was always available to carry our luggage. The spa was clean and bright. There was a beautiful rimless pool. The views were amazing from our room and from the upstairs restaurant. Beautiful property. It was not in an area for walking around outside, but there were beautiful places within the property.

Location: It’s located on a hill overlooking the city Zoo and the city from a distance, their gardens are manicured and so beautiful with lots of flowers (believe me, its perfection). Most rooms have lovely panoramic views, as well as their restaurants.

Rooms: Spacious and nicely designed with a subtle African theme, huge marble bathrooms. The hotel is composed of 2 story small buildings along a main road and gardens, it’s very picturesque. The interior design, tech and bathrooms in rooms at the Saxon Hotel rooms is more impressive and modern than at the Four Seasons, but views here are much better (in our opinion this is the only aspect where the Saxon Hotel wins, but at a higher price).

Restaurant: We had dinner at Flames and breakfast at View. Breakfast was perfect in terms of variety, views and service. Dinner was good but we found service to be below the standards in comparison.
Service: the best, every single member of the staff is truly kind and attentive, always with a smile. Front desk and the concierge runs a smooth and elegant operation; the four seasons app for requests responds within seconds!

In conclusion, if you are to choose the best luxury hotel in Jo’burg, go to the Four Seasons (best service, best atmosphere, best views, best food and breakfast, wonderful rooms) you won’t regret.

How much does a room costs at Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff ?

Prices start 300$/night for Garden View Deluxe King Room. The Panoramic View Premier Room is  405$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.

Featuring a spacious marble bathroom, these Premier Rooms each offer a seating area with comfortable armchairs, a flat-screen satellite TV and a minibar.

Where to book online – Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff  – Gay Friendly Hotels Johannesburg – you can find the best hotels deals in Johannesburg during The ULTRA Johannesburg 2020 which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Johannesburg on Booking.com or Trip.com  or Hotelscombined.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.

 

5. The Peech Boutique Hotel 4* – Gay Friendly Hotels Johannesburg

The Peech is Johannesburg’s eco-friendly,  & gay friendly and chic boutique hotel. Situated centrally in Melrose, between Rosebank and Sandton.

King-size beds and spacious bathrooms with rain-showers are some of the features of the stylish rooms and suites. Guests at the Peech Hotel can enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi and iPod sound systems.

The Peech Hotel has a bistro restaurant with champagne bar. A Planet Fitness gym is adjacent to the hotel. A boardroom and events space is also available.