RELATED LINKS Return to 10 Great Golf & Spa Getaways

Hotels

• Mount Grace Country House Hotel is situated in the Magaliesburg Mountains, about an hour from the city. This is a tranquil property with 90 accommodations in four complexes, each set at a different level and all surrounded by lush foliage. All rooms are spacious and comfortable, with tasteful furnishings and decorative accessories. Doubles, including breakfast, from about $450 USD.

  Ph: +27 14-577-1350
  www.grace.co.za

• The Grace Rosebank is a quiet and restrained hotel with a paneled lobby and adjacent library, reminiscent overall of a large English country house. There are 75 good-sized rooms, comfortable rather than luxurious; try for one with a balcony. A fourth-floor restaurant gives onto a greenery-surrounded terrace with a lap pool. Doubles from about $300 USD, including breakfast.

  Ph: +27 11-280-7200
  www.grace.co.za

• Ten Bompas is a ten-room, boutique hotel where design has been the guiding principle, with each room's décor produced by a different designer. Contrary to what is true of other properties of this type, in this case it all works out very successfully, yielding accommodations that are both beautiful and comfortable. Located in the northern suburbs of the city. Doubles from about $350 USD, including breakfast and, surprisingly, laundry.

  Ph: +27 11-325-2442
  www.tenbompas.com

Dining

• Linger Longer is a charming restaurant situated in what was once a private home. Start with the grilled black mushrooms topped with crab meat, mussels, shrimps and hollandaise grattinée; and then the beef, lamb and venison trio with roasted garlic and fried polenta. If you can handle it, the wild berry mousse served in a chocolate cup with a cassis coulis is superb. Excellent wine selection at various price levels. Dinner for two about $60 USD.

  Ph: +27 11-884-0465

• The Butcher Shop and Grill occupies a lively room with lots of exposed wood and mirrors. The order of the day here is meat, of course, cut to your size preference and prepared in just about any way you can imagine. There's a selection of chicken, fish and seafood for those who don't indulge in red meat, and believe it or not, a tasty halvah ice cream among the desserts. Dinner for two, without wine, about $40 USD.

  Ph: +27 11-784-8676
  
  

• Ile de France is very French — patés, souffles, organ meats, roasts and all the trimmings. At least a half-dozen types of French oysters are on the menu in season, and classics such as cassoulet or bouillabaisse are as good as you'll find in France. There's a generous selection of French wines, as well as South African; prices very fair. Dinner for two, with wine, about $55 USD.

  Ph: +27 11-706-2837

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