I just found out from Gracy Travel that there is a Hotel on the third floor in the international transit area of JHB International Airport. If you stay there, you do not have to get an RSA firearms permit, as you never actually enter South Africa. It's operated by Protea. Gracy said they have just booked their first hunters there and will report back on how the accomodations are.

Also, it is said to be dirt cheap (like 25 bucks per night).

This might be an alternative to Afton House and the hassles of registering and checking firearms.

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operated by Protea. Gracy said they have just booked their first hunters there and will report back on how the accomodations are.

Also, it is said to be dirt cheap (like 25 bucks per night).

Here's a link that describes the hotel. I'd love to know more about it. I flew on KLM last time and the flight arrives quite late. I'd rather not have to go through customs, etc if I'm just making a connection early the next day.

-Steve

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Originally posted by GAHUNTER:
I just found out from Gracy Travel that there is a Hotel on the third floor in the international transit area of JHB International Airport. If you stay there, you do not have to get an RSA firearms permit, as you never actually enter South Africa. It's operated by Protea. Gracy said they have just booked their first hunters there and will report back on how the accomodations are.

Also, it is said to be dirt cheap (like 25 bucks per night).

This might be an alternative to Afton House and the hassles of registering and checking firearms.

We stayed in it last year. Not fancy, but adequate. Cost us a lot more than 25 bucks, however. Maybe they added one if Gracy is just now trying it.

I stayed there early this year (March). It was clean, but quite used (1950's chic). I think it cost me about $60 for a half day's stay... would have been about $80 for a full night/day. I was on my way to Zimbabwe with a 10 hour layover and it sure was nice to have a shower and a bed to fight some jet lag.

Maybe Gracy has a discount?

I'd make sure that my guns, etc. were booked through to the final destination, in any event. Optima is not a bad idea to make sure that your guns/baggage doesn't get put aside somewhere and not get on your plane, IMHO.

Judge,

On long layovers (overnight), booking through only works if you are flying SSA all the way. Apparently SSA and Delta have not had a good divorce and your rifles will have to be rechecked in Joberg from Delta to SSA.

gracey just got us booked with air miles for next august on the new delta flight. we have to stay overnight in joberg with luis (something to look forward to) but they now have a representative at the airport to walk their customers through the firearms line. actually I find the overnight in joberg with luis to be quite relaxing after the miserable airbus flight. sort of lets you get caught up to the time lag etc.

That ATL/JNB commute is the airplane ride from hell. At it's conclusion, a hammock swinging in some quiet corner of a dark room would suffice for me, and I have stayed in some crummy African hotels.

The Delta divorce doesn't surprise me. I know I complained loud and long about the incredible deterioration in SAA's service, as SAA has crumbled into a real Third World carrier in the past few years. Usta be a great airline, but political correctness and the discontinuation of the 747 on that route makes for miserable traveling. The cabin service sucks, and the cabin crew, with a couple of notable exceptions, possess the social graces of a pack of blithering idiots. Never again. Never again, and I used to ride them regularly during the middle 90's. If I ever return to RSA, it'll be on any carrier but SAA.