‘Perfect Base’

NOT ON TRIPADVISOR

There’s something deeply satisfying about strolling to a street lined with pavement cafes alongside bars spilling out onto the roadway; dining al fresco in Africa is always going to beat a meal in a sanitised mall. If Melville is too grungy (or too far south), you want to be within strolling distance of 4th Avenue, Parkhurst’s bustling restaurant strip. There are quite a few options, but

I was most excited by Matthew and Lisa Kretzschmar’s spot on 16th Street, just two blocks from 4th. They’ve created a compact one-bedroom, semi-detached cottage with lofty lounge, lovely little atrium and private entrance behind secure gates. It’s well decorated, well equipped and there’s a fold-out sleeper couch if you’re travelling with kids. But the best thing here is the hosts – engaging, kind, discreet. Within minutes of meeting they felt like friends; apparently many guests become just that. If travel is all about making new connections, this is the spot to check into.

cost R600 a night (sleeps two to four). contact 083-602-5248, airbnb.com (search for ‘Perfect base to explore Parkhurst, Joburg and SA’.)

alternative If you’re looking for a very stylish bolthole, and happy to pay a bit more, Gwen’s ‘The Cottage, Randburg’ is a gorgeous studio that costs R800 a night. Or check out Jo’s one-bedroom ‘Scarub Cottage on 11th’, a bargain at only R325 a night. Both on airbnb.com.