Amber House

Welcome

Sawubona, and welcome to Amber House. We are glad you are here.

This cottage is yours for your stay. We live next door, so we are close if you need something, and we will leave you in peace if you do not.

Coffee, tea, and rusks are in the kitchen. The Wi-Fi password is just below. If the lights go out, read the power and backup note before you look for a tripped switch. It is usually not a switch.

WhatsApp is the best way to reach us. We answer quickly during the day, and we keep a phone nearby at night for anything urgent.

Lerato and Sam

Wi-Fi

The same password is on a card beside the kettle. The router sits in the lounge cupboard, on the backup power, so the Wi-Fi usually stays on if the mains power drops.

Check-in and check-out

Check-in

From 14:00

Check-out

By 10:00

Parking

Driveway bay marked Guest

The example address is 18 Fourth Avenue, Melville, Johannesburg, 2109. In this story, Fourth Avenue runs off 7th Street, and the cottage is the one with the yellow stable door.

If a flight or a bus makes 14:00 or 10:00 awkward, send a WhatsApp. We can often shift it a little.

Guest access codes

The gate, alarm, front door, and key box use codes. They are not written on this page. Enter the stay PIN from your booking confirmation, or the one we gave you at check-in.

House rules

• Please keep music and voices soft after 22:00. The bedrooms face the neighbours.
• No smoking inside. The stoep is fine. Cigarette ends go in the tin, not the flower pots.
• The cottage sleeps two. Please do not add an extra overnight guest.
• No parties.
• Lock the security gate when you go out. The key hangs on the red hook by the door.
• If your shoes are muddy, leave them on the stoep step.
• The green bin is recycling. The black bin is everything else. Bins go out on a Tuesday morning.
• The neighbour’s cat is called Mango. He may visit the stoep. Please do not feed him.

Power & Backup

This cottage has its own backup. A small inverter and solar setup keeps the lights and the Wi-Fi on if the mains power drops. It starts on its own. You do not switch it on.

• The lounge, kitchen, and bedroom lights stay on.
• The Wi-Fi stays on. The router is plugged into the backup.
• The two-plate gas stove works whether the mains power is on or off.
• Keep the fridge door closed so the food stays cold.
• Hot water comes from a geyser. After a long outage it can take a while to heat up again.
• If the backup lights go out as well, or you hear a beep from the inverter cupboard, WhatsApp Lerato and Sam. Please do not open that cupboard.

Restaurants and nearby

The three cafés are examples, so you can see how a host would write them. Melville Koppies, 7th Street, and the botanical gardens are real places nearby.

• Fig Tree Coffee

  Coffee, breakfast, and a slice of milk tart. About a five-minute walk along 7th Street.

• The Stoep Table

  An easy supper: pap, chops, and a quieter table if you book on a Friday.

• Milk Tart & Co.

  Lunch a little further up the hill, for a slow plate and a cold drink.

• Melville Koppies

  A real nature reserve on the edge of the suburb. Pleasant for a morning walk. Gates and guided days change, so check before you go.

• 7th Street

  The real main stretch of cafés and small shops in Melville. Easy to wander.

• Johannesburg Botanical Gardens

  In Emmarentia, a short drive from Melville. Lawns, ponds, and room to stretch your legs.

Uber and Bolt both work in this part of town. The Gautrain station is not a walk from the cottage.

Emergency

From a cellphone, 112 also reaches emergency services.

Your hosts