Lakeview Backpackers

a warm welcome to south africa. extremly nice and helpful owner. you feel more like staying at your friends' place. sweet puppy dogs. unfortunatelly we had only one night but we will for sure come back.   — Customer review (2011-12-15) Hostelbookers

it was peaceful   — Customer review (2011-12-10) Hostelbookers

Ronel was super helpful, organising transport etc. would stay there again.   — Eva Morgan (2011-09-22) Hostelbookers

The owner goes way out of her way to help guests out. Awesome place to stay!!!!!   — Customer review (2011-09-14) Hostelbookers

The owner picked me up at the airport as part of the price for the lodging. It was a good value for the money. I was able to store my extra luggage with Lakeview for free while I spent the week in Swaziland and for a reasonable fee the owner delivered it to me at the airport between my flights.   — Timothy Krohn (2011-07-05) Hostelbookers

I don't normally write reviews for places, but the service I received from the Lake View staff was above and beyond anything I've experienced before. It was a crazy day/experience, so let me explain: I live in Mokhotlong, Lesotho and was heading to Joburg to catch a flight the next day. I was travelling on a Saturday and only staying the one night. I told the owner that I would be arriving around 5 or 6 in the evening and that was the last time we spoke before I left. Didn't exactly work out as planned... Nothing went right- I was taking public transportation and we didn't leave Lesotho until 6, my phone died, no one else had a phone I could use, I was the last person to be dropped off in the taxi, etc... Long story short, I didn't arrive in Joburg until 2 am. I had to use the taxi driver's phone and try to get a hold of the hostel to tell them where I was. Two friends of the owner spent nearly two hours trying to track me down until they eventually convinced the driver to meet them at a petrol station. It wasn't until after 3 am that we arrived at the hostel. It was crazy. That kind of service is unprecedented. I met up with the owner's friends (at 3 am on a Saturday night!) and both of them just kept reiterating that the whole ordeal was not a problem because it only mattered that I was safe. I was only staying one night and they went through all this trouble to make sure everything was ok. I was very impressed and I owe a big thank you to everyone at Lake View. Basically, the house is beautiful, has a pool, the rooms are comfortable, nice kitchen, free airport service, and the staff is incredible. Highly recommended.   — Eric Sponseller (2011-06-07) Hostelbookers

the staff is very friendly and the place is amazing.   — Mirela Fernanda Galvão Paraná (2011-06-07) Hostelbookers

The owner is a really nice and helpfull person, she drove me around for the supermarcet and helped me with my sim card of my mobile, so i would say perfect location for johannesburg!   — Customer review (2011-05-16) Hostelbookers

I arrived the place after I had to stay 1 day in J'burg since I missed my flight and lost my luggage. The lovely manager helped me a lot, drove me to some stores so I would buy stuff I needed, drove me to the airport for free (costs 150-200 Rands in Taxi - I know it since by mistake I didn't call her on my way to the hotel and took a taxi instead) & even gave my a lift to the Casino at night in a symbolic price. I highly recommend the place thanks to an excellent treatment.   — Guy Yehuda (2011-05-03) Hostelbookers

What a great place, Ronia was the best! Picked up and dropped off at the airport for free, she even took us out to pick up some things and later fed us at her bbq! Highly recommend this place, the bed was so cosy we didn't want to leave. Will always stay here, best hostel we have stayed in in 8 months of traveling!!   — tamara shaffer (2011-03-24) Hostelbookers

Lovely clean comfortable home away from home. Quiet and relaxing. Ronel is a wonderful and friendly host- a great welcome to Johannesburg and will go out of her way to help you with anything you need.. The free airport pick up and drop off if safe and convenient and adds extra value for money. Nice pool and great location overlooking lake and park.   — Customer review (2010-08-29) Hostelbookers

Friendly, caring & professional young proprietess who went out of her way to be helpful. I hignly recommend this hostel.Yael Kimmelman, Israel   — Yael Kimmelman (2009-06-16) Hostelbookers

I highly recommend this new hostel! The friendly young proprietess runs it from her home, happily picked me up and dropped me off at the airport, gave superb hospitality, lovely breakfast, spotless room and made me feel at home - more like a bed and breakfast.   — Yael Kimmelman (2009-06-02) Hostelbookers