Eco-chic at its finest… The Peech Hotel’s a gem
If you’re heading to Joburg for business or to visit friends and family, we don’t think you’re going to find anywhere quite like The Peech Hotel. It’s slap bang in the middle of cosmopolitan Melrose, but, set in an acre of beautiful gardens, it really is surprisingly peaceful and quiet… All green lawns and lush shrubs and oversized elephant ears.
And green is a theme that runs through the hotel; from the carbon-neutral environment, with water heating done via solar energy, to rain and grey water from the baths and showers used to irrigate the gardens.
We adore the new rooms. They’re clean, contemporary and modern, with grids that will become living walls once the jasmine that’s been planted grows a little more. It’s eco-chic at its finest. All gleaming oak floors, massive walk-in rain dance showers and spacious, peaceful, private patios perfect for coffee before breakfast, a quiet afternoon tea or a glass of red before bed. For families, there’s a two-bedroom villa that is just about as luxurious as you could wish for.
You could, if you fancied (and we do), spend a few hours around one of the two pools before exploring the area. Owner James’ wife, Vicky, the hotel’s sales and marketing spokesperson, has a list of unusual recommendations she shares with visitors, including lesser-known tours and interesting hotspots.
A recent addition to the hotel is the new Basalt Restaurant, already touted as the place to dine. Head chef, Freddie Dias, has spent kitchen time in some of the world’s finest Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as at Luke Dale Roberts’ The Pot Luck Club. He has developed an incredible menu. You haven’t lived until you’ve had his 10-a-day risotto.
The restaurant is open to the public (top tip; book well in advance), while the original hotel Garden Restaurant is reserved for staying guests only. The menu here is no less impressive. The side of bone marrow and parsley fries is specifically worth booking in for the night!
There’s a good feel about The Peech. There are hidden nooks and crannies for those wanting a little alone time, a central communal table in the dining room for single guests wanting company and conversation over a meal, the hotel is Fair Trade Tourism Certified, the staff hugely proud ambassadors, and a percentage of your room bill is given to charity (the hotel supports Little Eden, a home for children with severe intellectual disabilities).
Originally a family home, it has retained that feel, so is really lovely and hugely recommended.
Rates are from around R3 250 a room a night. Children are welcome.
Details: 011-537-9797 or [email protected]
61 North Road, Melrose, Johannesburg
