Question 1

What is the difference between a guest house and a hotel?

Accepted Answer

The simplest way to think about it: a hotel is a building designed around a front desk, while a guest house is a home designed around its guests. Hotels typically run 50 to 300 rooms with shift-based staff, standardised furnishings and a lobby built for volume. A guest house runs a handful of rooms, usually in a residential suburb, and is run day to day by the owners or a small permanent team.

Question 2

Is it cheaper to stay at a guest house or a hotel?

Accepted Answer

Sandton hotel rates and Rivonia guest house rates can look similar on a booking site, but the headline number is rarely the number you pay. Hotels commonly charge separately for parking, breakfast, and sometimes Wi-Fi beyond a basic tier. Add those to a three-night stay and the gap opens quickly.

Question 3

What questions should I ask before booking a guest house?

Accepted Answer

Start with the practical basics: what is included in the rate, what the check-in and check-out times are, whether parking is on the property and behind a gate, and what the cancellation terms are. Get the answers in writing on WhatsApp or email so there is no ambiguity later.

Question 4

How far in advance should I book a guest house?

Accepted Answer

A guest house has a fraction of the rooms of a hotel, so it reaches full occupancy far sooner. As a rule of thumb, book two to four weeks ahead for a normal midweek business stay, and six to eight weeks ahead if your dates fall over a major Sandton conference, a school holiday, a long weekend or December.

Question 5

What should I expect when staying at a guest house for the first time?

Accepted Answer

The first surprise is arrival. There is no reception desk and no queue — you are expected, the gate opens, you park at the property and someone walks you to your room and shows you how things work. Because of that, hosts ask for an approximate arrival time. It is not bureaucracy; it is so somebody is there for you.

Question 6

Are guest houses as safe as hotels?

Accepted Answer

The category tells you nothing. A large hotel with a busy public lobby and open parking basement can be less secure than a small guest house behind a gate on a boomed street. What matters is the specific property: perimeter, access control, parking, lighting and whether anyone is on site overnight.

Question 7

Is breakfast included at a guest house?

Accepted Answer

Bed and breakfast rates should include breakfast by definition, but the word covers everything from a croissant and coffee to a full cooked plate. Before booking, ask what is actually served, at what times, and whether it is included for every room type on the property.

Question 8

How do I know if a guest house has good Wi-Fi?

Accepted Answer

Every listing says free Wi-Fi and almost none of them says what that means. The useful question is: is it fibre or LTE, what is the line speed, is it uncapped, and does the signal reach the rooms rather than only the lounge. A host with genuinely good internet will answer with numbers.

Question 9

What happens if I arrive late for my booking?

Accepted Answer

Guest Houses do not run a 24-hour reception, so a late arrival needs a person to stay up or a plan to be made. Almost every host will do this happily. What causes a genuine problem is arriving at 23:00 unannounced at a property where the gate is locked and everyone assumed you were a no-show.

Question 10

Can I check in early or check out late at a guest house?

Accepted Answer

Published check-in and check-out times exist so housekeeping can turn rooms over. At a small property those times are a default rather than a rule, and the answer to an early arrival or a late departure depends on one thing: whether someone else is booked into your room that day.

Question 11

Is a guest house a good choice for business travel?

Accepted Answer

For a work trip the things that actually matter are a quiet room, a real desk, reliable internet, secure parking, breakfast early enough to make a 08:00 meeting, and a short predictable commute. A well-run guest house delivers all six, usually better than a mid-tier hotel and usually for less.

Question 12

How do I get the best rate at a guest house?

Accepted Answer

Booking platforms charge the property a commission, typically 15 to 20 percent. That cost is inside the rate you see. Booking direct removes the middleman, which is why a direct enquiry very often produces a better number, a better room, or both. It is not haggling — it is simply where the money goes.

Question 13

Is Dunton in a safe area?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Dunton sits inside a boomed-off, access-controlled Rivonia suburb in Sandton. The area is quiet and walkable inside the boom, access is controlled, and guests park securely on the property behind automated gates.

Question 14

Is there parking at Dunton?

Accepted Answer

Yes — ample covered and secure parking on site. There's parking for every room, including covered bays, on the property behind automated gates and electric fencing. It's free for guests, with no need to book a bay or park on the street.

Question 15

How fast is the Wi-Fi at Dunton?

Accepted Answer

The Wi-Fi in each room runs at ±500 Mbps — not just in the public areas. We run an uncapped fibre line across the property, covering every room, the dining room, boardroom, patio and garden. It comfortably handles Teams and Zoom video calls, VPN access, large file transfers and 4K streaming — several guests at once, at no extra cost.

Question 16

Does the Wi-Fi keep working during load-shedding?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our fibre router, network switches and access points are on backup power, so the ±500 Mbps line stays up through load-shedding and unplanned outages. You can stay on a client call right through a slot without switching to mobile data.

Question 17

What happens during load-shedding or a power outage?

Accepted Answer

A backup generator carries the property through load-shedding and unplanned outages, covering lights, plug points in the rooms, the Wi-Fi network, security systems, gates and the kitchen. There is a short changeover pause when the generator picks up, then everything runs as normal — no candles, no cancelled meetings.

Question 18

How does backup water work when the municipal supply is cut?

Accepted Answer

We store water on site and feed it into the property automatically when municipal supply is interrupted or pressure drops, so showers, basins and toilets keep working. The pressure system runs off backup power too, which means water and power outages at the same time still don't interrupt your stay.

Question 19

Can I work from Dunton during an outage?

Accepted Answer

Yes — that is exactly what the setup is for. Every room has a proper desk, chair and plug points on backup power, plus ±500 Mbps Wi-Fi in the room itself. Our boardroom is available for meetings, and long-stay corporate guests use Dunton as a working base precisely because power, water and connectivity stay on.

Question 20

Is there a gym at Dunton?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Dunton has a private gym in the garden, free for guests. It has a treadmill, exercise bikes and an elliptical, a cable/lat machine, free weights and a dumbbell rack, adjustable benches, a punch bag, exercise balls, mats and fans — so you can keep your training routine without leaving the property or paying for a day pass elsewhere.

Question 21

What are the check-in and check-out times?

Accepted Answer

Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out is by 10:00. If you arrive outside our 14:00–21:00 check-in window, just WhatsApp us and we'll make a plan. Late check-out is also available by arrangement at R100 per hour or part thereof, depending on whether the room is needed again that day.

Question 22

Is breakfast included?

Accepted Answer

A full buffet breakfast is included in every rate, incl. VAT — self-catering apartments included. Breakfast hours are flexible: as a guide we serve weekdays (Monday–Friday) from 07:00 and weekends & public holidays from 08:00, and earlier or later breakfasts — or a breakfast pack for an early departure — are happily arranged on request.

Question 23

Can I get a beer or a glass of wine at Dunton?

Accepted Answer

Yes — beers & wine are available on request. We're not a full bar, but just ask Gigi or Iris and we'll have something chilled for you.

Question 24

Can I smoke at Dunton?

Accepted Answer

Strictly no smoking in the rooms — but smokers are well looked after: we have many designated smoking areas for guests at our two decks and the gazebo.

Question 25

Do you have braai facilities?

Accepted Answer

Yes — a braai area in the garden and a fire pit are available for guests. We set everything up and supply the essentials on request, so you can braai without packing a thing.

Question 26

Can I arrive late?

Accepted Answer

Check-in is from 14:00 to 21:00. Late arrivals are by arrangement — just WhatsApp us if you land late and we'll make a plan.

Question 27

What is your cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

Payment in full is due 7 days before arrival. If you cancel 14 or more days before arrival we keep 50% of the total; cancellations within 7 days are charged in full.

Question 28

How do I pay for my booking?

Accepted Answer

You can pay by EFT, credit/debit card, or a secure payment link sent to you by email or WhatsApp. Your stay is payable in full 7 days before arrival.

Question 29

Can I book and pay on the same day I arrive?

Accepted Answer

Same-day bookings are only allowed with cash or card payments.

Question 30

Can I get a late check-out?

Accepted Answer

Yes, by arrangement. Late check-out is R100 for every hour or part thereof, depending on whether the room is needed again that day.

Question 31

Do you offer a shuttle service?

Accepted Answer

Yes — we arrange reliable shuttle services at competitive rates: airport, Gautrain and local transfers, door to door with trusted drivers. OR Tambo is about 32 km away (±35–45 min) and Lanseria is closer at roughly 30 minutes, while the Gautrain from Sandton to OR Tambo takes about 14 minutes. Pricing is quoted per trip — just ask us on WhatsApp or when you book.

Question 32

Do you accommodate long-stay guests?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely — our furnished apartments are ideal for monthly stays, each with a full kitchen and full DStv. Competitive long-term monthly rates are quoted on enquiry. Use our corporate & long-stay form or WhatsApp us for a quote.

Question 33

Can I host a small wedding, baby shower or conference at Dunton?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Corporate conferencing is available in our private boardroom for up to 14 delegates — screen, ±500 Mbps Wi-Fi in each room, backup power & water and catering from our own kitchen, with packages quoted on enquiry (see Meetings & Boardroom). We also host intimate weddings and anniversaries, baby showers, kitchen teas, milestone birthdays and family gatherings in the garden, on the patio and in our dining room, with rooms on the property for guests who stay over. Send us your date and we'll put a quote together for you.

Question 34

Can I have dinner at Dunton?

Accepted Answer

Yes — home-cooked dinners are available Monday to Thursday at R300 per person (incl. VAT), excluding drinks and extras. Just arrange your dinner in the morning so we can shop and cook fresh, and it's served in the dining room or brought to your suite that evening. Beers & wine are available on request.

Question 35

Do you welcome sporting or cultural groups?

Accepted Answer

Yes — sporting and cultural groups are very welcome, whether you're travelling for golf, netball, clay shooting or a cultural event. We offer ample covered, secure parking (including space for trailers), a full buffet breakfast with flexible hours to suit early starts, king-size beds in almost every room, and the braai and fire pit to unwind afterwards. Group rates are quoted on enquiry — send us your dates and numbers or WhatsApp us for a quote.

Question 36

Where in Sandton are these self-catering apartments?

Accepted Answer

4 Dunton Road, Rivonia, Sandton — about 10 minutes from Sandton CBD and the Sandton Gautrain station, with Rivonia's restaurants and shops within walking distance.

Question 37

Do the self-catering units have full kitchens?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Studio Apartments, Fountain Apartment, First Floor and Ground Floor Apartments, Luxury Garden Suite and Executive Suite all have their own kitchen with fridge, hob and a dining area. A microwave is available on request.

Question 38

How much do self-catering apartments in Rivonia cost?

Accepted Answer

Self-catering rates start at R1 575 per night single and go up to R3 600 for four guests in a two-bedroom apartment. All rates include breakfast, ±500 Mbps Wi-Fi and 15% VAT.

Question 39

Can I stay long term at Dunton?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the apartments are popular with contractors, relocating families and corporate guests. Every apartment has a full kitchen and full DStv, and competitive monthly rates are quoted on enquiry. Enquire with your dates and we'll quote a monthly rate.

Question 40

Is the apartment serviced?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all units are serviced daily, and a laundry service is available on request.

Everything guests ask us before they book.

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