Hyde Park is one of the most sought-after suburbs in the country to call home.
Few Johannesburg addresses are as prestigious as Hyde Park. Named after the iconic London suburb, Hyde Park, Johannesburg, enjoys the same enviable reputation as its English sister suburb. But this address doesn’t come cheap.
From luxury apartments costing in the early millions of rand, to secure cluster homes priced up to R30m and stately mansions with asking prices up to a whopping R50m, you’ll need some hefty cash if you want to join Joburg’s elite property owners. So why is everyone clamouring to live here?
Serene, calm and stately
Established in 1955, Hyde Park is one of Joburg’s older suburbs, and you can feel this sense of history when walking around in it. “I really love the big old trees that line the streets”, says Ammerance Kidson, a Hyde Park resident who loves jogging in the suburb for exercise. Andrew Ozioro, a Hyde Park newcomer, agrees, saying that the area has a calm, relaxed and serene feel to it.
Proximity
Ammerance says that she loves how central the suburb is to her work, shops and world-class restaurants. Andrew agrees that Hyde Park’s location is one of his favourite things about the area. “I really like being so close to Sandton and the cluster of suburbs we in Joburg call the Parks,” he says. Being right next door to Rosebank, Sandton, Melrose and various main roads, everything you need is just a short drive away.
Shopping
Hyde Park Corner is one of the country’s most exclusive shopping centres. When it first opened in 1969 it was the first “fully enclosed, decentralised” shopping centre in South Africa. Today it is still known for its luxury brands and high-end shopping experience. From Burberry to Cartier, Chopard to Givenchy. Strolling through the mall, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. Unlike many other shopping centres, Hyde Park Corner benefits from lots of natural light. Ammerance says that although she hates malls in general, Hyde Park Corner is one shopping centre she actually enjoys spending time in.
Scale
If it’s a mansion you’re after, Hyde Park has them in spades. According to a recent press release from Seeff, the area is home to some of the country’s wealthiest multimillionaires.
One new development, Hyde Park Terrace, offers lavish triple-storey units with multiple en-suite bedrooms, state-of-the-art kitchens, and covered terraces for sophisticated outdoor living. The 12 recently completed homes in the development range from 450m2 to 565m2 under roof, so if it’s grand scale you’re after, Hyde Park is the place.
Variety
It’s not all massive mansions in Hyde Park, though. Bronwyn Hillis says that when she and her husband moved back from London, she was looking for secure living with easy access to the shops, and Hyde Park fit the bill perfectly. “We rented a converted apartment opposite Hyde Park Corner and were so happy there,” she says. “I also loved the grand, high ceilings and the large rooms, as well as access to a well-maintained shared garden.”
Eat and drink
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to living the good life in Hyde Park. Sip on a beer as you watch the sun go down at the Hyde Park Southern Sun Sandton hotel and then nip downstairs for some sushi or dim sum at the Asian restaurant So Yum. You can also enjoy an Italian meal with friends in the open courtyard at Modo Mio in Shepherd Market, or pick up some great Chinese takeaway food at Yung Chen next door if you feel like eating in. Ammerance mentions the wine bar Ace & Pearl in neighbouring Craighall Park as a favourite of hers, where you can nibble on some tapas while you peruse the fine wine selection.
Whatever your reason for choosing Hyde Park as your home, there’s no denying that living in the suburb carries with it a certain prestige that you won’t find just anywhere in the city. With its established trees, exclusive living and central location, it’s no wonder this suburb is so sought after.
Try the following restaurants, bars and speciality shops at Hyde Park Corner:
- Create your own salad at Life Grand Cafe.
- See the latest exclusive cookware range from Le Creuset.
- Take the kids for an ice cream at Häagen-Dazs.
- Pick up a piece of art at the regular exhibitions held in the centre.
- Buy someone a special a gift at L’Occitane.
- Choose a writing instrument at Montblanc.
- Pick up a new handbag at Burberry.
- R18,9m: Average asking price (five-bedroom house)
R3,23m: Average asking price (flat)
R2,9m: Average asking price (complex)
R15,500: Average asking rental (two-bedroom apartment)
Property market composition: Hyde Park
33% Flats
18% Complexes
Demand
- 4% of total sales listings for Sandton/Bryanston (North) area
- 3% of Web page views
- 2% of total rental listings
Hyde Park is in the Sandton neighbourhood. Get a feel for the neighbourhood through this amazing video:
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
