Hyatt, Rosebank, Johannesburg

In my previous life as a serious business journalist, the Hyatt in Rosebank was my favourite meeting place.
It was a three-minute walk from the office, with a nice lounge or a sunny patio for interviews, and it served the biggest glasses of wine. They were pricy, for a cash-strapped journalist, but someone else was usually paying.
It was great fun to go back recently and check in for an overnight stay. Especially when they put me on the executive floor, with a dedicated check-in service and complementary wine and canapés in the early evening. They serve a light breakfast on the business floor too, although there was enough choice of foods to set me up for the day.

The hotel in Rosebank is a great base in both business and leisure, because when work’s over, it’s an excellent hub for shopping, eating and the cinema. The hotel is right opposite the Gautrain too.
An R80 million refurbishment in 2013 has spruced up the décor in its 244 rooms. It has a masculine touch designed for functionality and comfort with no annoyingly fussy chi-chi frills. There are elegant black tiled bathrooms, a laptop-sized safe, a work desk, free Wi-Fi and free access to Press Reader, where you can download from 2,500 local and international newspapers.

The 24-hour gym has the latest machinery, and there’s an outdoor pool, Jacuzzis, steam rooms and a sauna. I had an excellent facial in the Amani Spa that included a face and foot massage. Despite all these tempting distractions the Hyatt is still very much a business magnet, with plenty of boardrooms and deals still going down in the lobby and terrace.
The oneNINEone restaurant is a delight that will change your opinion of hotel food. With so many local restaurants to lure you away, the Hyatt really had to make an effort to make its restaurant worth staying in for. It succeeded. The wine menu is expansive and the food menu nicely succinct. Blacked sea bass with prawn saffron risotto and vegetable pot au feu at R190 was delicious, and so generous that I couldn't manage dessert. For lunch you can opt for a business menu that guarantees you’ll be out within the hour.