Tucked away quietly in the rich Johannesburg suburb &mdash Houghton &mdash is fairly simple looking white facade. Upon glancing it may seem an ordinary house. But it is inside the corridors and 9 rooms that hold the stories of a legend. Previously former South African Nelson Mandela&rsquos house, the place has now been converted into a boutique hotel.
Named Sanctuary Mandela, the property for long had been defaced, but now post an extensive floor-to-ceiling remodelling, receives ample sunlight through it bay windows. Housing nine rooms and with a capacity to accommodate eighteen guests, the property feels like Mandela&rsquos home with multiple portraits of his on the walls. Objects and belongings that adorn the house here also display his role as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, an anti-Apartheid activist, political leader amidst other roles. One can also find monochrome photographs and copies of his books inside.
As for the decor, think retro &mdash mid-century styled furnishings, pressed-metal ceilings along with hints of African tribal art and craft. Moving on to the restaurant and its gastronomic offerings, travellers here can cherish the former President&rsquos favourite homely dishes, prepared by his private chef for two decades. The property&rsquos surroundings feature lush green gardens with quiet nooks and corners for peace and tranquility. That&rsquos not all, travellers will also find a swimming pool and fully stocked bar here as well.
The Presidential Suite at the property is what was previously Mandela&rsquos bedroom. However, guests can not rest where he did and post the remodelling the bathroom stands in the exact same spot where his bed was once.
The house is the same place where Mandela came after he spent 18 years in the prison in Robben Island. The now converted hotel pays tribute to his body of work and a lifetime of achievements.
