Brown Sugar backpackers in Johannesburg is set on a large hillside property overlooking the city, this ex-mafia mansion has space for everything from a swimming pool to an African village of wooden cabins.

Weave your way up through the backpacking lodge to find the first floor bar area with its pool table and giant balcony. Now, follow your nose and track down those delicious braai* smells or keep heading up, up, up ’till you reach the rooftop where a night time carpet of twinkling lights of Johannesburg flicker below you. Now that you’re warmed up, head down to the steps that lead up to the pool at the top of the hill for a quick cool down. Then up down your way to your room for a rest. Phew!

Brown Sugar backpackers is 15 minutes from the Johannesburg international airport and 10 minutes from the Johannesburg central bus and train station. Hire a car or a scooter and hit the Bruma Flea Market and Eastgate Mall, stroll to the golf course and parks, go mall trawling in Sandton, gamble at Monte Casino, get digging at Gold Reef City or book a tour here and visit the Apartheid Museum, Soweto or Kruger Park.