The Fairlawns Boutique Hotel

The Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa boasts 19 highly individual, world class, exclusive suites comprising 12 Courtyard Suites, 6 Premier Suites and a Presidential Suite.

Courtyard Suites
These original 12 Suites, built in 1997, are 54m2 in area, individually decorated with beautiful hand-painted techniques, high corniced ceilings, sumptuous fabrics and custom designed period furniture.

They comprise: The Windsor, The Empire, The French Provencial, The African, The Louis, The Bismark, The Swedish, The Scottish, The Mural, The English Manor, The Florentine and #12 still known as The Honeymoon Suite.

In-room facilities include

Facilities and Services available at The Fairlawns Hotel & Spa include

Our focus is to provide personal, flexible service in a refined and exclusive establishment.

The Fairlawns is the perfect venue choice for more intimate, sophisticated functions. There is a banquet menu selector to enable GUESTS to design their own menu. There is a limited selection of wines available on the Banquet Wine List, as only readily available wines are on offer to avoid disappointment.

A function may be defined as anything from 10 to 100 GUESTS and may range from private breakfasts, lunches, dinners and cocktail parties, to corporate functions that include presentations, launches or black-tie affairs. Our STAFF will gladly supply you with all the possible permutations and advise ways to make your function a memorable one.

We have a list of preferred suppliers for flowers, music and sound equipment, but are happy to liaise with organizers who have their regular suppliers. Please bear in mind, however, that there are cut-off times and noise level restrictions that have to be applied for the comfort of fellow GUESTS.

For smaller, intimate functions the Private Dining Room and the La Scala Room are ideally suited. For numbers over 30, the de Beers room is available, which can seat up to 100, banquet style.

The Fairlawns opened its doors as a boutique hotel in January 1998, with the original 12 courtyard suites, the restaurant and bar.

Today there are another 6 premier suites and a presidential suite, a conference centre, a large fully equipped gym and a spa. Once the private home of John and Anna Thacker, the current owners, the property was bought from the Little Brenthurst Trust of Oppenheimer fame, (hence the Oppenheimer Suite), and consisted of a 10 acre property with horses and stables and rolling lawns (hence the name Fairlawns). Portions of the property have unfortunately been sold off, but it has managed to retain its stately, park-like ambience with huge mature trees and prolific bird-life. The external architecture is Palladian, but there are a myriad styles in the bedrooms, one to definitely suit every taste.

Apart from the beautiful surroundings, which without exception seems to elicit the response "one would never say one is in Johannesburg", the warm, homely ambience is unerringly remarked upon as is evidenced by the comments in the visitors' book. As one visitor commented "a home away from home, only better". We believe that in this 21st century with its mass production of products and services which are becoming increasingly uniform across the globe, people from all walks of life appreciate being acknowledged as a very unique individual, in very unique surroundings. We strive to achieve that.

Our focus is to provide personal, flexible service in a refined and exclusive establishment. A full English breakfast and continental are included in the room rate and may be taken anywhere, anytime.

There is no cut-off time for in-house GUESTS and they may request breakfast by the pool, on The Rose Terrace, or in their suite should they so desire. However, the buffet is removed at 10h30 am. The lunch and dinner menus are a la carte.

Our candlelit dinners can be served in either the Private Dining-Room, in the restaurant or on the terrace. In the summer, GUESTS may request a table be set on the lawns under the stars, or near the lit fountains, a service which we are happy to provide.

A light lunch menu and room service menu are also available. In the evenings, relax with an aperitif on the tranquil terrace or sip cognac in front of the winter fire in the Colonial Bar, with its hand-carved elephant heads.

In winter, GUESTS congregate around the welcoming fireplace for some good old-fashioned gemutlichkeit.

The bar is a fully stocked, award-winning bar. To date, 2 merit, 3 platinum and 1 diamond award (one of only 5 National recipients) have been awarded by Diners Club "Wine list of the year" award.

The Rose Terrace is open to non-residents for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

Spas are no longer the domain of the spoilt and pampered. In the frenetic pace of urban life we ignore looking after our bodies, mental equilibrium and spiritual well-being at our peril.

We need to occasionally relax, empty our minds and soothe our souls in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. For those of us who cannot find the time or means to visit tropical spas, TheSpa @ The Fairlawns, right in the heart of Sandton, seeks to recreate the principles of holistic healing in a pampering environment.

The newly built Balinese Spa Garden, with its hydrotherapy treatments, relaxation and dining pavilions and outdoor massage areas is as close as one is going to get this side of the Indian Ocean to what we all instinctively crave - time-out to renew our batteries, get our skins to glow and our energies to flow.

Welcome to our haven.

Spa GUESTS are welcome to make use of the Balinese Spa Garden, with its hydrotherapy, relaxation and dining areas. It is, however, for the exclusive use of GUESTS who have booked treatment packages.

Treatments available include:

Our conference facilities are ideal for more intimate team building, management strategy or brain-storming meetings, ensuring privacy and pleasant surroundings. There are few clues that one is actually in the middle of the city. After conferencing, delegates are welcome to gather in the bar, or sit on The Rose Terrace to enjoy a sundowner. A full day conference package (DCP) is offered, although half-day options are available, as well as tailor made accommodation packages. A dedicated, fully equipped conference centre offers the following meeting rooms:

Boardroom:
Size: 6.5 x 6.8 m
Seats 12

De Beers Conference/Banquet
Size: 15 x 9.8 m
Seating:
U-Shape 40
Schoolroom 78
Cinema 120
Banquet 100

Cecil J Rhodes
Size: 6 x 8 m
Description: Boardroom-style
Horseshoe boardroom table - seats 16
With voice conferencing facilities

Barney Barnato
Size: 15 x 9.8 m
Description: Conference/Banquet
Seating:
U-Shape 40
Schoolroom 78
Cinema 120
Banquet 100

La Scala
This is a lovely combination room with both seating and dining facilities, perfect for smaller functions wishing private pre-dinner drinks, or conferencing in a more relaxed atmosphere, with 2 french doors leading onto the garden.

Standard Day Conference Package (DCP):
Includes arrival, mid-morning and mid-afternoon tea/coffee/snacks; lunch; use of standard equipment; venue hire; pens, pads, mints and mineral water.

Standard equipment: screen, whiteboard, flipchart, TV and video.

Additional charges:
Sound equipment, data projector, video conferencing.

24 hour overnight conferencing package, which includes standard DCP, plus accommodation on a dinner (set menu), bed and breakfast basis.

The Fairlawns is the ideal venue for the more mature, smaller wedding. There are restrictions concerning cut-off times and music volume, so if the bridal couple have a big blast in mind, we encourage them to choose a more party-orientated venue. Ceremonies can be held in the gardens, but the actual reception is held in the de Beers function room, in view of the increasingly unstable weather conditions.

There are a selection of banquet menus from which the bride can choose, as well a selection of presentation styles, ie. Cocktail, sit-down, buffet, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Choices are made in consultation with our F & B department in order to ensure that the best option is selected for the day. As no two weddings are the same, we invite people to come on a site visit, preferably by appointment, in order to discuss your particular needs.

For the bride and her retinue we have wonderful pre-wedding packages to relax and beautify them on that special day.

In view of the small and intimate nature of the hotel, it is ideal for weddings that have to cater for overseas visitors, who can enjoy the excitement and ambience of the day in a congenial, exclusive environment. Either the entire hotel, or the Courtyard section, or the Premier Wing section can be block-booked. For special discounts relating to block-booking please contact our reservations staff. Please note, however, that total exclusivity cannot be ensured unless the entire hotel is booked.

The Hotel also has a gold Rolls Royce Silver Shadow which is available for transferring the bride and her father. What bride doesn't want to feel queen for a day and what better way than arriving in style?

Should the bridal couple decide to spend their first honeymoon night at the hotel, we have a selection of magnificent honeymoon suites. The Presidential Suite has also recently been made available for honeymooners at a very special rate, in order to fully utilize the wonderfully romantic main bedroom and bathroom with its 1.8m diameter Jacuzzi bath and steam shower. The standard extras for honeymoon packages are sparkling wine, fruit, flowers, candles and a petal turn-down, but by arrangement special requests can be organized.

Distances