Inchanga Ranch Hotel is different in that all the dorms and private rooms are all separate and scattered around the main building on a big, open piece of land amidst the northern part of Johannesburg.
The Location
This hostel is located in Fourways, the northwestern part of Johannesburg. It is quite far from the airport and buses. They do offer a shuttle service, and unless you rent a car it will be difficult to get there and around. They have tons of parking available, and it's quite easy to find if you have a map. The hostel is on a big property that is also part of an equestrian centre. So even though the hostel is in Johannesburg, it feels like the countryside.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There are three dorms, with six to ten beds per dorm. Each dorm also has its own bathroom, with one shower, toilet, and basin. These are clean, but look rundown. Showers are not very strong, and some of the nozzles of the shower heads seem blocked. The dorms are co-ed, but the bathroom facilities are not very private, there's no proper door to close to toilet, and shower has glass doors.
There are quite a few "single" accommodations. These single accommodations are all loose-standing buildings and look same as chalets. These chalets can sleep one to four people and have either a double bed or two single beds, and a double bunk. They all have their own bathrooms, with toilet, shower, and basin. They even provide a towel and soap. These houses also have a small table with chairs, coffee and tea making facilities, and a TV.
Common Spaces
The communal kitchen is in the main building and is clean. They have adequate implements, but do seem sparse. The bar area is lively, with double glass doors that open up to and overlook the pool. The pool is partly underneath the trees and very close to small brook that runs through the property. There are no lounge and TV facilities in the main building, just the seating area in the bar. The hostel also does not offer any meals. The establishment offers internet but at the time of our stay, the computer was broken. The hostel also offers horse riding -- in fact, the hostel is on the same property as the equestrian centre, and the reception can help set this up.
Summary
The location of the hostel is great -- it has a country feel to it yet it is situated in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Another plus point of this hostel is that all the housing -- the dorms and private rooms/chalets -- are not connected but separate houses, which makes for a less crowded feeling, even if it is fully booked.
The reception staff weren't too helpful, and the non-working internet not working is very inconvenient as it is a long walk/shortish drive to a shopping centre to find internet.
— Exklusive Hostelz.com Übersicht
February 2008
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