The Westcliff. If you live in Joburg, that's a name synonomous with luxury, fine dining, and great views.

If you don't live in Joburg, you might know it as the sister hotel of Cape Town's much-loved Mount Nelson, which, like The Westcliff, is owned by the Orient-Express chain of five-star hotels.

And that pedigree alone is enough to make one salivate at the thought of staying there — especially if, like me, you're fond of the little things in life that make lying in bed on a Sunday morning extra-special.

Red roses for a special occasion

On our Saturday evening visit, I couldn’t help noticing a bouquet of red roses, stashed discreetly next to the entrance to La Belle Terrasse, the hotel's flagship restaurant.

We’d elected to sit on the terrace overlooking the hotel pool, with a magnificent 180 degree of Johannesburg by night, from the Le Corbusier-like blocks of Joburg General Hospital in the east, with the Hillbrow Tower, and the M1 highway over Parktown, to the landscaped grounds of Joburg Zoo directly in front of the hotel, and then Rosebank and the Sandton CBD in the west.

Everyone remarks on the Westcliff Hotel’s magnificent view, and magnificent it certainly is, but in a city which resolutely turns its face from sweeping vistas and prefers to closet itself behind high walls and heavy gates, the impact is even more remarkable. This must be one of the few city buildings that actually takes advantage of its location.

That view, coupled with the restaurant's reputation for superb food and discreet service has helped make it a magnet for wedding proposals, young lovers, and birthday celebrations.

All the same, I wondered about those roses. "Are they for someone in particular?" I enquired of the manager.

"Yes," he whispered conspiratorially. "Someone is getting married tonight, if all goes well, and the roses are for the lady."

"You must let me know how it goes!" I shot back.

A little later he came past with a big smile. "You can clap now!"

A young bespectacled man is on his knees, hugged by a blonde woman, oblivious to the rest of the world.

I was suprised how quickly it happened — I would have waited till dessert to propose, but they'd hardly opened their menus — but apparently the men prefer to get it over with quickly. Luckily she said yes, otherwise, I imagine, the delicious food wouldn't have tasted half as good.

That would have been a pity, because my three-course meal — strawberry and scallops salad, ravioli de langoustines, and apple mousse — was certainly one of the best meals I've had in the city, with exquisitely delicate flavours and impeccable presentation.

Village-style layout

Well-known interior designer Graham Viney was responsible for the country house ambience of the hotel's 115 rooms, and our bedroom's colour scheme was a restful beige, with a soft comfy sofa and kingsize bed as essential elements.

What I appreciated most, however, was the balcony design. While each room has a private balcony, the hotel's design is such that no guest can ever see into another room's balcony. Balcony views include the quiet cobbled courtyards with their water features, views over the city, or towards the hotel gardens.

In fact, the Westcliff owes its attractive Mediterranean village-style layout to the fact that it was originally conceived as an upmarket townhouse complex, and only later as a hotel. Though its rambling, hillside layout presents a logistical challenge for staff, I did enjoy the feeling of seclusion that came with it.

Sunday morning came all too quickly, and I enjoyed a farewell swim in the infinity pool before breakfast, savouring that view one final time...