SandiSplash

St Andrews is a 5 star boutique hotel situated in Bedfordview. I didn’t really know it existed until my fiancé booked us in for a weekend to hear me say “Yes”.

St Andrews over looks Gillooly’s Farm and that’s the first thing I noticed as we walked from the parking to reception: a full view of the little lake and the lush green trees and grass at Gillooly’s Farm. The hotel actually borders the Gillooly’s Farm but it’s fenced so you can’t quite get access through there; although, that area is a pretty good spot to sit on the grass and take in the picturesque scene.

This was my first time staying at a 5 star hotel in South Africa and when I heard about the price for a night, I was really shocked that my fiancé would spend that much! But after that weekend, I realised it was totally worth the price.

The rooms are super spacious; it doesn’t just feel like a bedroom. There were the usually 5 star amenities in the room but I really loved the open plan bathroom. I love big showers and this one was a shower for 2 to match the his and her basins. There were two shower heads and each had its own taps to control the water temperature and pressure. I decided there and then that if I ever get to design my own bathroom, that’s exactly what I would like my shower to look like. I also love that there’s a strong wifi signal in the room.

The luxurious feel of the hotel feeds through from reception right through to the rooms and other areas like the spa. I generally feel that massages are a waste of time. There’s my brain going into overdrive and I’m supposed to just chill there and be pampered when I feel I need to be productive. Afterwards I felt completely relaxed despite my racing thoughts. All I wanted to do was take a nap next to the pool.

The hotel restaurant is Trents at St Andrews and I was totally blown away by both the service and food. The staff was really friendly – chatty, offering to take our photos and constantly topping up our glasses. We had a springbok carpachio starter served in a balsamic reduction. My fiancé always chooses better mains than I do; it was a pepper beef fillet served with potatoes and artichokes. The food was delicious – definitely one of the better restaurants I’ve been too. I definitely recommended you try this restaurant if you’re celebrating a romantic special occasion.

In no time, my surprise weekend getaway had come to a close. We had breakfast at the restaurant and I was still wishing I could have spent a longer time there. I kept forgetting that I was still in Joburg the entire time I was there. If you’re looking for a weekend getaway in the city, then you should definitely consider this.