The Lakewood Hotel and Conference Centre

The Lakewood Hotel and Conference Centre Overview

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to The Lakewood Hotel and Conference Centre on Vinton Road, I wasn’t expecting much from what looked like your typical business hotel setup. But you know what? This four-star property actually surprised me in ways I didn’t see coming. The thing about this part of Johannesburg is that it’s not exactly the tourist center everyone talks about, but that’s sort of what makes it interesting – you’re getting a real slice of how the city actually works, not just the polished bits they show visitors.

The conference center part isn’t just marketing speak either – I mean, there were genuinely interesting people coming and going during my stay, which gave the whole place this buzzy, productive energy that I actually found pretty engaging. The rooms are solid without being flashy, and honestly, the beds are way more comfortable than you’d expect for a business-focused spot. What really got me though was how the staff seemed to actually know their stuff about the area. When I asked about getting around Johannesburg, they didn’t just hand me a tourist map – they gave me real directions to places worth seeing and warned me about traffic patterns that only locals really understand. The breakfast situation is better than decent too, though it gets pretty busy during conference season, so if you’re not a morning person, maybe grab coffee elsewhere and come back when things calm down around 9:30.

Here’s the thing about staying in this part of the city – you’re not walking to major attractions, but you’re also not dealing with the chaos and expense of staying right in the heart of everything. I found myself taking short drives to explore different neighborhoods, which actually gave me a better sense of how diverse and interesting Johannesburg really is. The hotel’s parking situation is straightforward (thank goodness, because street parking around here can be a bit of an adventure), and the Wi-Fi actually works properly throughout the building, which isn’t always a given even at nicer places. By the end of my stay, I realized this spot works really well if you’re someone who wants a comfortable, reliable base without paying premium prices for location hype. The 7.3 rating makes sense to me – it’s not going to blow your mind, but it does what it promises well, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need when you’re trying to actually experience a city rather than just Instagram it.

The Lakewood Hotel and Conference Centre Accommodations

Reviews of The Lakewood Hotel and Conference Centre

• Good – Ivan from South Africa – August 28, 2025 (7/10)

  Newly renovated room everything was very modern staff were friendly and accommodating. The property felt very safe despite the location there were armed guards by the entrance.
  
  What could be improved: The room I stayed in was so recently painted that it was actually difficult to breath inside the room without opening doors and windows. Desk was quite small for work purposes.

• I had an excellent stay. – Kristin from South Africa – August 24, 2025 (9/10)

  The hotel and its grounds are clean and well kept. Everyone was very helpful and kind.

• Would have been nice if they provided breakfast. I was expecting more for the price. It’s too expensive but the workers – Lungile from South Africa – August 22, 2025 (6/10)

  The rooms are quite nice and clean
  
  What could be improved: The bed was not comfortable at all, no dustbins in the room. But very clean and fancy rooms.

• Convenient location – Xoliswa from South Africa – August 22, 2025 (8/10)

  Friendly staff- Anele was friendly and attentive, I forgot the other young lady's name – they both gave great customer service. The hotel has clean rooms, and it was very convenient for my travels. Highly recommend for anyone wanting a place to stay at during board exams.

• Very Good – Ngiba from South Africa – August 15, 2025 (8/10)

  It’s a cool place.
  
  What could be improved: They demanded R500 when I got there. It was kind off putting cause I wasn’t informed prior to my arrival.

• Disappointed by Poor Communication About Deposit Refund – Khanyisile from South Africa – August 10, 2025 (6/10)

  What could be improved: When I checked in, the reception staff informed me that I needed to pay a R500 deposit, which I did. They mentioned that it would be returned when I checked out. However, upon checking out, I was simply told goodbye, and only after I asked about the deposit did they explain that it would take 7–8 days for the refund to reflect. This delay was never mentioned when I paid the deposit, and I find that lack of communication quite disappointing.

• A very good place to go for a conference – Paul from South Africa – July 29, 2025 (8/10)

  Padel courts on site
  Clean
  
  What could be improved: No breakfast
  Staff needed more training

• Very Good – Naseema from South Africa – July 1, 2025 (8/10)

  Spacious,convenient,easy checkin,kids will love sporting facilities on-site,beautiful prayer room 4men,top restaurant located on site
  
  What could be improved: Abit dusty as newly built,noise easily heard from noisy guests,duvet covers can be secured in

• It's a decent place, i do think it's a bit expensive but not horrible – Rendani from South Africa – June 30, 2025 (8/10)

  Didnt have, they didn;t have the option
  
  What could be improved: Location isn't great, so there is a presence of heavily armed security and it makes one uncomfortable, but i dont think there's anything they can do about that.

• Pleasant – Julius from South Africa – June 6, 2025 (6/10)

  Room new and good sized
  
  What could be improved: Hotel still under construction and no reception when we returned had to stand outside in the street call security to unlock gate so we could get inside hotel and room not nice

Surroundings

Facilities