johannesburg

The 10 Luxuries of the Saxon Hotel

The Saxon Boutique Hotel, Villas & Spa is a celebrated Johannesburg hotel which is well-known to luxury travelers as one of the finest boutique hotels in not just South Africa, but the world. The Saxon has hosted Oprah Winfrey, the Black Eyed Peas, Shakira and Kevin Spacey (how's that for a diverse sampling?) and features a distinguished collection of African art worth approximately 6.5 million South African rand (over $925,000).

If the art doesn't sway your fancies, the history will. The Saxon, a Leading Small Hotels of the World and Virtuoso member, was the private residence of insurance giant Douw Steyn until the year 2000. Nelson Mandela famously stayed there after his release from prison, and it was there that he edited his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. The former South African president continues to visit The Saxon today, reportedly every year around the same time -- but naturally, they're not saying when.

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Porsche Tuner Uwe Gemballa "Missing", Shadow Company Established

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Crimes and Misdemeanors

It wasn't so long ago – just a matter of weeks, really – that Gemballa had one of the best names in the business. And that business was tuning Porsches, among other exotic automobiles. But that was before the company's founder and chief Uwe Gemballa dropped off the radar, and things began to unravel in his absence.

The initial reports began surfacing last week, indicating that Uwe Gemballa had gone missing while on a trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. The reports seemed credible enough, as Jo'burg is known as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, where kidnapping is commonplace and violent crimes the order of the day. But while German authorities and Interpol began coordinating with their counterparts in South Africa, things started getting a little shady.

First came reports that the authorities had raided the Gemballa headquarters and seized the cars on the premises. Now further reports indicate that shortly before his disappearance, Uwe set up a second company with his 79-year-old mother as the sole shareholder, and granted his wife power of attorney to declare the principle company insolvent. The plot keeps thickening, and we doubt this will be the last we've heard of Gemballa and his trouble with the law.

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Tags: gemballa, germany, interpol, johannesburg, missing, missing person, MissingPerson, south africa, SouthAfrica, uwe gemballa, UweGemballa

Exclusive Supercar Country Club in South Africa

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Real Estate Developments

Roads keep getting more treacherous, and cars keep getting faster. That's a bad combination, especially in Johannesburg where car-jacking is at an all-time high. The solution? A country club catered specifically towards exotic supercars and their owners. Similar to the Monticello Motor Club that opened last summer near New York City, the Imola Race Resort will offer well-heeled South Africans a place to play with their expensive sportscars without fear of consequence. Replicating the layout of the vaunted Kyalami circuit that once was home to the South African Grand Prix, the track at Imola (which takes its name from another grand prix circuit in Italy) does away with unyielding safety barriers and replaces them with vast fields for run-off areas for those times when wealth exceeds driving skills. And to help exchange the former for the latter, there'll also be an advanced driving school on site, along with luxurious facilities for both car and driver. Situated on the grounds of the Waterford Golf & River Estate, membership at the Imola Race Resort will be limited to prevent overcrowding, and will undoubtedly command a high premium to join.

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Tags: imola, imola race resort, ImolaRaceResort, johannesburg, kyalami, south africa, SouthAfrica