Fifty-three rooms and suites across ten acres of landscaped gardens, on the private estate where Nelson Mandela once lived while completing his autobiography.
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Overview
A Private Home, Turned Sanctuary
Once the private residence of Johannesburg billionaire Douw Steyn, The Saxon became a boutique hotel that Nelson Mandela continued to visit long after editing his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, on these same grounds.
Ten acres of landscaped gardens make it hard to believe Sandton's economic heartland sits less than ten minutes away — an elegant fusion of contemporary design and traditional African art fills every space, drawn in part from Douw Steyn's own private collection of Ghanaian fertility dolls, tribal masks and Benin bronze leopards. Fifty-three rooms and suites range from Executive Luxury Rooms to the three Presidential Suites and the two-bedroom Nelson Mandela Platinum Suite, each with large picture bay windows and latticed shutters overlooking the gardens or pool. A showstopping infinity pool anchors the grounds, mirrored by a second, quieter pool tucked beneath fig trees between two koi ponds.
A suite dedicated to Nelson Mandela. The Nelson Mandela Platinum Suite is named in honour of the former president's stay here after his release from prison, and remains one of the hotel's most requested accommodations.
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Rooms & Suites
10ac
Landscaped Gardens
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Underground Wine Cellars
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Suite Named for Mandela
Suites
Garden Views, Latticed Shutters
Rooms range from Executive Luxury Rooms to Presidential Suites, each with large picture bay windows overlooking the gardens or pool.
Nelson Mandela Platinum Suite
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Executive Luxury RoomsWell-appointed rooms with large picture bay windows and latticed shutters, ensuring quiet and privacy while overlooking the gardens or pool.
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Presidential SuitesAdditional lounge and dining areas with personal butler service, set within the main house's garden walkways.
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Saxon Luxury VillasSeven suites with balconies, shared lounges, kitchens and a private heated pool, contemporary cool meeting traditional tribal African design.
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The Nelson Mandela Platinum SuiteA two-bedroom suite with its own infinity pool, dedicated to the former president who once called these grounds a retreat.
Experiences
History, Art & a City of Gold
The Saxon's Sandhurst address puts Johannesburg's layered history and modern energy within easy reach of a genuinely tranquil private estate.
Wellness
Saxon Spa
Soothing water features, a striking fireplace and the healing influences of copper and Himalayan salts create a genuine urban retreat.
History
Nelson Mandela House
Mandela's original Soweto home and the nearby Apartheid Museum offer a deeper look at South Africa's recent history.
Culture
Constitution Hill & The Old Fort
A former prison turned home to South Africa's Constitutional Court, rich with the country's political history.
Art
African Art Collection
The hotel's own halls display Douw Steyn's private collection of African art and artefacts, worth exploring on arrival.
Safari
Shambala & Madikwe Extensions
The Saxon serves as a natural urban bookend to a safari extension in the nearby Waterberg or Madikwe reserves.
Wine
Underground Wine Cellars
Two cellars — one for reds, one for whites — hold some of the world's finest selections, available for private tastings.
Dining
Qunu, Named for Mandela's Village
The hotel's signature restaurant takes its name from Nelson Mandela's adopted home village, serving sustainably sourced dishes rooted in South African tradition.
01Qunu, for springbok loin and South African cheese platters
02The Terrace and Olive Bar, for alfresco lighter meals
03Morning and afternoon tea in the Piano Lounge
04Private silver-service dinners in the wine cellars
Qunu — Sustainably Sourced, Locally Inspired
Location
Sandhurst, Minutes from Sandton
The Saxon sits in the secure, tree-lined suburb of Sandhurst, within ten minutes of Sandton, Johannesburg's economic heartland.
Set within a secure, gated residential estate in Sandhurst, close to Sandton City and Hyde Park Corner.
Roughly 35 minutes from O.R. Tambo International Airport, and closer still to Lanseria.
A natural stopover before or after a safari extension to Shambala, Madikwe or Sabi Sand.
Listed among Travel + Leisure's World's Best and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
Fly
O.R. Tambo International Airport is roughly 40km, about 35 minutes by car.
Transfer
The Gautrain connects O.R. Tambo to Sandton Station, with a pre-booked hotel transfer available onward.
Combine
The Saxon works well as an urban bookend to a safari in Shambala, Madikwe or the Sabi Sand region.
A Presidential History
Where Long Walk to Freedom Was Finished
Few hotels anywhere carry the historical weight of The Saxon, where Nelson Mandela once retreated to complete his autobiography.