When we opened our doors in 1998, we thought we were establishing a guest house for corporate clients. However, we quickly realised that due to our ideal location in Sandton, the heart of medical treatment centres, we have become a haven for people either supporting a loved one in hospital or going through some kind of medical treatment themselves.

As our lodges grew and expanded over the next few decades, so did our relationships with medical professionals in and around Johannesburg, and we effortlessly became the go-to solution for people who did not just need accommodation but kindness, genuine relationships, and quick, efficient solutions for any situation.

During the pandemic, we evolved and offered a refuge to COVID-19 patients for the biggest hospital group in South Africa. We found it fascinating that our patients did better mentally and physically compared to all the other units in which patients were placed. This intrigued us, as well as the hospital group, and we came to realise that what we offer here is an essential element of treatment that hospitals have stopped supplying: we genuinely care for our people. Kindness and a “personal touch” are no longer afforded to patients in corporately owned institutions. Our team realised that we have a calling to genuine care for all patients, and their loved ones. We knew that we have a responsibility to offer this to the world. It was an honour to find this vocation.

We were willing to risk everything to carry on supplying this level of committed care, creating an entirely different concept in which we put hospitality back in hospital and medical recovery.

Around the same time, our newly realised calling was put to the test when my precious father needed to be admitted to a hospital. We knew that he would not do well in the ICU, where he would be isolated and treated during the horror of the lockdown. We made the decision to care for him ourselves, knowing that it might mean he would die if intensive medical intervention we could not provide was required. We felt it was worth the risk to spare him the trauma of hospitalisation.

My dad did not die. He made an extraordinary recovery, which we credited to the fact that he had his loved ones around him, privacy, and a view of a garden and a pool. He was cared for by staff who were not overworked or underpaid; staff who had time to get to know him knew his likes and dislikes and really loved him. We made sure that his dignity was always protected, and because he knew his loved ones were supported and cared for too, he could relax and just get on with getting better. This is what we offer to everyone who stays with us. We are committed to giving this level of service and dedication to every single person, as it does not just give them a better experience but also provides much-needed help and support for their loved ones. It gives us a purpose and an amazing reason to get up each morning and do the work we are called to do.

We made a conscious decision not just to do one type of care or one type of accommodation, as we know that no situation fits into a box. Everyone has a unique story and individual physical, emotional, and psychological needs. We care for people at each stage of their medical journey, whether they are just in Sandton for a diagnosis or medical examination, right through to end-of-life care. We genuinely care for our guests every step of the way.

Our Hospitality Lodges are so much more than the best possible place to heal, recover, or spend your last days in beauty and peace. It is a place where you can be seen, find compassion, and make the best decisions about your care. Real hospitality is not what we do; it is who we are.

Zazen has a mission to provide quality palliative care to all those who need it, cross-subsidising those who can pay, with those who can’t, to ensure our services reach as many people as possible.

Zazen is a non-profit organisation and is fully registered with all medical aids in South Africa, allowing it to be financially sustainable.

At Zazen, you will be cared for by our palliatively trained multi-disciplinary team of nurses, doctors, and social workers. We also welcome the presence of your chosen spiritual team while you’re staying with us.

Overnight stays at Zazen can support you with symptom management, to provide your loved ones with a short break, or Zazen can be used when you reach close to the end-of-life stage, for a dignified death outside of the home.

Our partnership with Sunninghill Guest Lodge means you will have the privacy of your own small cottage, with a private bathroom where your family and loved ones are welcome to come and visit as often as you’d like.

The lodge also provides 24-hour carers, like you would have at home, to ensure you and your loved ones are comfortable and cared for at all times.