The Michelangelo Towers

Overall Impression While I had been to Sandton City, one of Johannesburg better known upscale malls, many times in past visits to South Africa’s largest city, I had never visited The Michelangelo Towers, a condominium hotel building on the edge of the mall. The luxury building, our one of our last stops during a three week summer visit to South Africa, offered many advantages for first time and veteran visitors to the African metropolis. My favorite feature was the panoramic view of the city from our two bedroom apartment.

From 24 floors above the ground the city of Johannesburg looks particularly attractive and the floor to ceiling glass walls that spanned the entire living and dining areas and part of the master bedroom made the view that much more interesting. During the day, we could see parts of Nelson Mandela Square and the Sandton area as well as a hazy cityscape in the background. At night, we were surrounded by a sea of lights.

Our unit, part of the hotel offerings within a condominium building where locals resided, was a two-bedroom suite although we thought of it more as an apartment. It had most of the conveniences of an apartment plus the bonus services of a hotel like twice daily room service and laundry service. It also had the spacious interior, facilities and decorative features of an apartment including a well equipped kitchen, two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a guest bathroom.

In addition to the many desirable features of the apartment itself, the building had a fitness center, two swimming pools, a spa and a restaurant where we enjoyed breakfast every morning. Thanks to its location next to several connected upscale shopping malls, The Michelangelo Towers, Sandton City, and Nelson Mandela Square, we had indoor access to safe and convenient strolling and shopping including a supermarket and multiple restaurants. There was also convenient access to the city’s convention center.

The apartment was professionally decorated with most of the comforts of home and the bonus services of a hotel. The extra space and complimentary high speed Internet access also made it particularly convenient for an extended stay and remote work. We would recommend this property for first time visitors to Johannesburg and anyone else seeking spacious accommodations in the upscale Sandton area near the Convention Center, shopping malls and popular restaurants.

Assistant Concierge Paris Makgari

Class Of Accommodation Luxury hotel in a residential apartment building

Connectivity There was a one hundred mega byte high speed Internet cable connection at no additional cost to guests. We connected easily using a data cable.

General Manager Johan Troskie

Handicapped Access There were elevators to the suite floors and valet parking floor.

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location In the Sandton neighborhood of Johannesburg, South Africa

Managed Legacy All Suites Management Services Pty (Ltd)

Owned In addition to individual owners, Group Five Ltd. owned 50 percent of The Michelangelo Towers

Pets Allowed No

Size There were 194 apartments in the 33 floor building although only 92 were part of the rental pool. Legacy employed 48 people and out sourced additional work.

Year Opened-Renovated The property opened in 2006

Lobby And Common Areas The lobby and public areas had a contemporary elegant design. Apartment interiors were designed by Stephen Falck or Lionel Levine.

Bathroom Each bedroom had an en suite bathroom, a granite top with sink and a bathtub and shower combo with a half size beige and clear double shower curtain. The bathtub had a granite base with black with brown accents identical to the granite on the kitchen counters. There was also a convenient half bathroom for guests near the entrance.

Suite We stayed in Suite 2409, a spacious north facing, two-bedroom, two and a half bathroom suite at the end of a hallway on the 24 floor of the 33 floor tower. Although the number “2” from the “2409” sign had fallen we could clearly recognize it was our suite and use the electronic key to unlock the door. Inside there was a small foyer leading to a guest bathroom on the right, a full size kitchen on the left and the first bedroom on the right across from the kitchen. High ceilings, beige walls and smooth dark wood floors in the common areas lent the rooms a serene and elegant touch. The bedrooms were carpeted while the kitchen and bathrooms had beige tile floors. There was framed original artwork in the common areas.

The bedrooms had identical beige with black diamond pattern wall to wall carpeting, extra large wood bed frames, striped grey and beige bedcovers and double grey curtains. The smaller bedroom had a queen bed facing a built-in floor to ceiling closet and LG television.

The kitchen had granite counters and floor to ceiling wood cabinets. It was equipped with most appliances including a full size Siemens refrigerator freezer, stocked with minibar beverages. There was a tray of minibar goodies on the kitchen counter. There were Bosch microwave and conventional ovens and an electric stove. There was a coffee maker, electric water heater pitcher, toaster, Tissolli stainless steel pots and pans, cutlery, fine English Dudson china dinnerware, and glassware.

Next there was a dining area with seating for four and immediately adjacent to it a living area with comfortable cloth furniture. A wood dining table, four armless cushy red chairs and a hanging lamp occupied the dining area. In a corner, facing the wall, there was a small wood desk and an armless chair where the internet connection was located.

In the living room there was a patterned two seat sofa with soft green, burgundy and beige coloring framed by beige armchairs on each side and fronted by a wood coffee table on top of a pale rug. In front of the coffee table there was an LG plasma television. The most striking feature of the living and dining area and the bedrooms as well was the floor to ceiling north facing glass walls with views of the area surrounding the Towers, including Nelson Mandela Square and Johannesburg beyond that.

Across from the sofa, a door led from the living room to the master bedroom. It was populated by a king bed framed by night tables, a small wall facing desk with an armless chair, a large mirror and an armoire with an LG television. In the corner, across from the master bathroom there was a small floor to ceiling built-in closet with storage space and an electronic safe. Although there were minor signs of wear, like a fallen number on the door and stained carpet in the bedroom, overall our accommodations were good looking and comfortable.

Food And Restaurants We enjoyed breakfast at the Tower’s in house restaurant 8. The buffet breakfast consisted of three kinds of fruit juice, four types of cereal, four kinds of cold cut meats, several smoked fish choices, cheese, pastry and fruit platters, and bread. Cooked to order hot dishes were available from the breakfast menu. We sampled the pancakes and French toast. Except for several loud guests on cell phones the dining room was pleasant.

Amenities Legacy brand toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, foam bath, shower cap, and sewing and nail kits) cotton bathrobes, slippers, electronic safe, complimentary bottled water (500 milliliter Legacy bottles).

Facilities Two gymnasiums, indoor heated pool, outdoor pool, spa, sauna, and restaurant.

Fitness Center And Spa There was a 480 square meter spa and a 235 meter gym with Genesis cardio equipment.

Pool There were two pools. An indoor pool on Level 11, 4 meter by 11 meter (1.2 meters depth) and an outdoor pool on Level 8 that was 6 meters by 15 meters and 1.2 meters deep.

Other Although check out was 10 am, the staff kindly allowed us a late check out so we could easily transition to the Tower’s sister property the Michelangelo Hotel next door. For the most part, it was quiet within the apartment. At times, we could hear some street noise and at night we heard the sounds of a weekend concert taking place at Nelson Mandela Square.

Cleanliness Very good

Date Of Review November 2007

ReviewersArticle by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service Our suite was serviced twice daily, in the morning there was a full service and in the evenings there was a brief turn down service. The staff members we interacted with were pleasant, helpful and polite. Duty Manager Melissa and Helga from reception in particular stood out for their attentiveness. Staff at the reception desk seemed short handed. The few times we approached them we had to wait ahead of other guests and there were other guests waiting for us to conclude our business. Having said that the wait was brief and the staff were helpful.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes