Strange.... I posted a question this morning, and now it's gone! What happened?

We will be in Johannesburg for a few nights after touring Cape Town and surrounding areas and a 5 night visit to game parks at Kruger. We will end in Johannesburg and are looking for recommendations for a moderate priced hotel in Sandton where we can walk to shopping, restaurants, and public transport. Would like hotel in the $90 - $150 range if possible. We will not have a rental car. You people always come through with great advice and we are looking forward to your input.

it's there - click on your name and it will come up along with all the other posts you've done.

Arielle,

I just returned from South Africa and spent my last night at the Michaelangelo Hotel on Mandella Square. The area is safe, fun, full of restaurants - have dinner at the Butcher Shop (one of a kind steak restaurant)and an indoor shopping mall.

Enjoy!

Seems to me that the Michaelangelo is a 5 star hotel - not exactly in our price range. But, would like to know about any recommended hotels in this area that are in he 2-3 star category.

You might want to check out the Southern Sun group of hotels or the City Lodge family of hotels. They have a number of properties in Sandton and one of them will surely fit your budget. (We stayed at the Courtyard Hotel in Rosebank, part of the City Lodge group, on two occasions and enjoyed our stays very much.)

southern sun group, city lodge , are around the price bracket , but if you book over the internet, you should try the Balaalaika hotel in Sandton - very convenient and often have very good web specials good luck,.

that should be spelt'Balalaika'

We will be staying at the Balalaika Friday October 26th and will go to the Butcher Shop. Thanks for the recommendation. ez

EZ,
Have the 'rump'with 3 kinds of mustards. The meat comes with incredible french fries and tomotoe & onion salad - what a fabulous combination. BE SURE to book a table in the course of the day prior to going for dinner, as there may not be any tables available if you come without a reservation! I booked a table at 3pm for the dinner at 7pm.

Enjoy all!

Not sure what the rates are, but try the Sandton Hilton.

The Balalaika is running in the $285 range - way more than we want to spend. Hilton is also quite expensive. Will try the Southern Sun Group and City Lodges, but really prefer to be near Nelson Mandela Square so we can walk to restaurants and entertainment and be near public transport. Any other bright ideas out there????

The Southern Sun Group's "Garden Court Sandton City" (http://tinyurl.com/2el3ur), formerly one of the now rebranded Holiday Garden Court hotels, is (as the name hints) just down the road from Sandton Square and Sandton City. Perhaps 200m from the former and 300m from the start of the latter. There is also the "Garden Court Sandton" that is slightly further away, on the other side of Sandton City compared with Sandton Square. But also a short walk.

I can't think of any hotel that is within a few hundred metres of Sandton City that will be a lower cost than the Garden Courts. City Lodge Morningside will usually be a lower cost, and it's what I'd regard myself as "walking distance", but you may disagree.

If you want to consider that City lodge or any other hotel, I can bring out my "map book" and give you a good estimate of distances, rather than trying to visualise.

If you're looking at the City lodge website, there is also a "Town Lodge" in Grayston Drive. Probably a little closer to Sandton City than the City Lodge Morningside. But I haven't driven down that road for a while and I don't know how safe it is at night.

The Town Lodges are a grade below the City Lodges, and therefore lower cost. But although that means a smaller room and TV set (from what I remember, haven't stayed at either City or Town for many years), I used to prefer the Town Lodges. Because unlike the ubiquitous overhead shower in the bath, the Town Lodges don't have a bath but had (and I assume have) a decent size shower cubicle.

My first post should read ". . . rebranded Holiday Inn Garden Court hotels,"

I've just had a very quick look at my map. Distances from the Sandton Sun and InterContinental Sandton Towers (hotels on opplyosite of 5th street, and about the very centre of Sandton City/Nelson Mandela Square) are:

City Lodge Morningside: 3 km.
Town Lodge Sandton Grayston Drive: slight less, say 2 and 3/4 km.
Don Suite Hotels: A little over 1 km. There are two, both in the same road: Sandton III (www.don.co.za/hotellist2.php?Hotel_id=12) and Sandton IV (www.don.co.za/hotellist2.php?Hotel_id=6).

The latter may be worth looking at. They usually include a kitchen or kitchenette.

"hotels on opposite sides of 5th street"

Sigh.

Arthur, you're wonderful and so specific! Thanks for all the input and help. Thanks to you, we have narrowed the search and it appears there are a few good possibilities to choose from. I love this board!