Johannesburg can be a hard sell. It's a pit-stop for some tourists - the pits for others. But the city of gold has an unexpected champion in Brixton local Karl Hermanus. His hosting skills have put the city on the global map.Hermanus has been part of the international community-driven hospitality company AirBnB for the past year. With AirBnB people open up their homes, or rooms in their homes, for holiday and short-term rentals. The virtual paperwork and money transfer issues are handled online by AirBnB.Over the past year Hermanus has hosted over 40 guests from the UK, France and Australia. They have all given him the full house of star ratings. The AirBnB rating system, along with guest and host reviews, are at the heart of what makes AirBnB work.All of his star ratings have earned Hermanus, an architect by trade, "super host" status - and a nomination at the company's annual global host awards that take place in Paris later this month. Paris is the city with the most AirBnB rentals.Said Hermanus: "I was surprised at the nomination for the host award. Initially I thought I was being invited as part of the 6000 hosts who will be at the symposium sharing ideas, learning new tips and all of that. But then they said 'please come, you've been nominated for an award', so I'm definitely going."In the beginning I didn't believe tourists would want to stay here in Brixton and I didn't think my house was big enough - my study is in the main house, and guests share my kitchen and bathroom, but they came, they stayed, and some even extended their stays."One American guest ended up buying a Brixton property. She commissioned Hermanus to transform her home and make it a bit more like his.He said: "We talked about extra security, about building windows higher up for privacy, but she wanted it to be open. She wanted to be able to see passers-by like she did sitting on my veranda."Hermanus's Chiswick Street home is one of the last remaining row houses in Brixton.He has twice had his car broken into, but Hermanus's response was to sell his car, cycle more, walk more and Uber more.It's what his guests have enjoyed too, walking the city with him, meeting its locals, finding their own hidden places to explore. Johannesburg is not New York or Tokyo.It's precisely why Hermanus loves it - and his guests too.No air headBrian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of AirBnB, didn't set out to upend the hotel industry or change the way we travel.Investors laughed at his idea. All Chesky wanted to do was provide an air bed and a rented space, plus breakfast in a stranger's house.Soon after the idea of airbeds was tested, rooms were allowed, and then houses, then tree houses, until a rule was made to allow only places that provided electricity to list.Staff reporter, NewsweekCool locationsRocket Factory City Studio ApartmentIndustrial studio apartment in the newly refurbished Rocket Factory building in Maboneng Precinct - the arty part of the city. City views , restaurants and next to the Museum of African Design. R586 a night.Click here to book.Harry Potter's Cupboard in PretoriaSleep in a cupboard-style space hosted by a big, friendly Zimbabwean who loves to share interesting stories. R200 a night.Cabin at a fly-fishing venue in PretoriaLocated on a 9ha fly-fishing farm. The cabin sleeps six and is self-catering. R800 a night.Click here to book. ..