This very spacious, safe and secure 'Ex-Mafia' mansion was built in the 1970's by an infamous drug lord. When the Godfather moved out the backpackers moved in and they made this castle their home since 1999. The current owner (since 2005) has made many renovations and improvements to the hostel to accommodate all types of travellers. We have everthing you need!
We offer a FREE PICK UP service from ORTIA (OR Tambo International Airport) and PARK STATION (The central bus and train station) when you stay with us.
A buffet type BREAKFAST is INCLUDED in the rates and consist of: Eggs, bread, jam, cheese, cold meat, fresh fruit, cereal and muesli, yogurt, fruit juice, tea and coffee. On Sundays we have freshly baked muffins. Breakfast is served from 07h00 to 10h00 daily.
We have Wi-Fi internet, so bring your own device, buy a voucher and share your African experience with your friends and loved ones back home. Note: Internet in South Africa is not free as overseas. We hope that this will change soon.
We are a haven for people who prefer to do their own thing. You will experience a next to home feeling at our establishment and never feel crowded or boxed in, unless you want to join in on the action.
The property stretches over 3000 square meters and set on a variety of levels with a sparkling swimming pool at the top of the hill. The well-stocked bar doubles as a reception in the evening. You can book all your transfers, car hire, Baz Bus tickets, dinners, internet and tours to Soweto, Apartheid Museum, Kruger Park and the big bad city centre.
We have our own drivers and vehicles due to the poor public transport in Johannesburg (South Africa) for your convenience and offer transfers at the set rates. Meter taxi's are very expensive and our rates are always cheaper. We are 5 minutes from Eastgate International Shopping Mall which contains all the major banks, shopping, eating and cinema facilities you could ever want. The Bruma African Flea Market, biggest in Joburg, is on the same route and you can buy cheap African Art and Crafts and soveniers for your friends and family before you fly out.
The staff at Brown Sugar are specialists in advising travellers on the best and quickest ways to obtain visas for countries such as Mozambique and Zimbabwe and, on request, we take our guests to the relevant embassies and help them with application forms and photographs and more. For those travellers needing visas for Angola, the embassy is within walking distance of the house.
Brown Sugar has all the amenities and facilities you would expect. We have a large kitchen with a gas stove and all the crocery, cutlery, pans and pots to whip up and enjoy your own meals. Free tea and coffee all day long for our guests. We offer pub lunches (truly South African) from 12h00 to 15h00 daily and prepare fresh home cooked dinners every evening from 19h00 to 19h30 and very popular with guests.
Relax at the sparkling swiming pool and soak up the African sun for a golden brown tan to show off to your friends when you return home (Northern hemisphere). The swimming pool terrace, rooftop and bar patios offers some of the best views of the Eastren suburbs.
ACTIVITIES
Browse our web site and go to the ACTIVITIES page to view all the tourist attractions, clubs and activities in and around Brown Sugar and or Joburg. We have added active links for your convenience to view, read and plan your trip in advance so that you don't miss a beat while on holiday in our beautifull country.
We have an ELECTRONIC BOOKLET with all the facilities on what ison offer at Brown Sugar Backpackers Lodge.
We cannot wait to meet you and show you Joburg!
Main Reception Hours
From 07h00 to 20h00
Bar Reception
06h30 to 07h00 and 20h00 to 23h00
If you need to enter or exit the hostel between 23h00 and 06h30, please notify the staff to gain access codes and remote control.
PLEASE NOTE AND RESPECT OUR NON-SMOKING AREAS:
* ALL Bedrooms, Cabins and Dorms
* Kitchen
* Dinning room
* Non Smoking Lounge
* Internet and Telephone Area
* Main Reception
Guests are welcome to smoke in the bar lounge, all patios and balconies, at the swimming pool and on the cabin veranda's and the boma area.
Luggage Storage: All left luggage must be marked clearly with a name, surname, date left and contact details on the provided luggage tags.
Left luggage will be kept/stored for a maximum of 10 (ten) days at no charge, thereafter we will charge ZAR20 per day for up to 60 (sixty) days.
Payment is required on check in where we accept cash and all major credit cards. If you open a tab or if are not sure how long you want to stay, we require your passport to be handed in at reception until the account is paid in full on departure.
