Capetown has an endless array of hotels and it’s tough to stand out. Being located on a private quay in between the yacht marina and the famous V&A Waterfront surely helps, and it is hard to find a better location than the one Cape Grace has. And while it is not uncommon for hotels to use a nautical theme in order to blend in with the surrounding area, the Cape Grace surely sets the example.
Arriving at the hotel feels like you’re arriving at your private yacht, and the staff seems like it has been waiting just for you. While you are swiftly whisked to your room, you’ll notice the interior design matches the nautical theme of the exterior. The hotel is shaped as a ship, with the pool in the front, and the spa all the way in the back. It’s a little bit like going on a cruise, but without getting seasick.
The rooms are all very spacious and the views on either the marina or Table mountain are simply stunning. My room had views of both the marina and Table Mountain and it feels like you’re a millionaire when you open your windows and enjoy the sight. The bed was massive and I like the fact that they took the nautical theme all the way through to even their bathrooms.
Even though it is tough to leave your room, you surely don’t want to stay in there all the time as the hotel has lots to offer. To start off with, there’s the small, but cozy pool area, where you can unwind from the buzzling city madness. Rather looking for something else? The spa might be your answer and the views you get from the terrace at the back of the hotel aren’t too shabby either. Their Kalahari signature treatments will get you out of this world, while their relaxation area will peacefully pull you back into it. Having your kids with you? Not a problem, the spa has specific treatments for little ones (under 11 years old) and teens (12 to 18 years old) to make sure you can have a relaxed family day. For the ones who prefer working out there is fitness on site too, but do you really want to break a sweat when you’re enjoying this amazing hotel?
Rather have drinks and food on your mind, you’re surely in the right place. Bascule bar is known far beyond the city borders and it boosts one of the biggest whisky collections in the world. Over 400 different whiskies are on offer, and some are very rare. Like the Glenfiddich 50 year old whisky which you can taste for 18.000 ZAR a glass. Only a few places around the globe are able to offer such a rare gem. Of course there’s more than just whisky to drink, after all, Cape town is located just minutes away from prime wine country. Hence why Cape Grace offers their guests the cape wine experience, a daily introduction to the local wines and the perfect way to taste some of the most amazing wines South Africa has to offer.
All those drinks might make you hungry too, so lucky enough the hotel has an amazing restaurant, called Signal. Here you’ll find some of the best food on offer in Capetown, and the setting just tops everything off. The staff are attentive and very friendly while making sure you have the best time enjoying your breakfast, lunch or dinner. I would recommend making a reservation if you would like to have dinner at the Signal restaurant as a lot of locals love to book a spot over here. And I can’t blame them, the food is simply superb. I tried the 6 course tasting menu including wine and it was very close to perfection. Knowing quite a bit about South African wines, they still were able to surprise me with a few hidden gems which they paired beautifully with the food. And don’t worry if you have any dietary requirements, they also have a vegetarian tasting menu or you can order a la carte.
One of the massive advantages of staying at the Cape Grace is their free transfer service within a 10 km radius. This means you can order a fancy BMW 7 series ride from the hotel to anywhere within the city center, or even some of the amazing beaches like Clifton and Camps Bay. It’s a level of service which is hard to find these days, and it just makes you appreciate it even more.
So by now you’ll probably be planning to stay at the Cape Grace hotel, but you just can’t figure out what you are going to do with the kids? Well, you’ll be happy to know that the hotel is doing everything they can to make the little ones feel as welcome as you. They even call them VIK’s (Very Important Kids) and rightfully so. Upon arrival there will be gifts waiting for them in the room. They organize daily all kinds of fun stuff like story-time or gingerbread decorating. You can use one of the game consoles or board games, request baby monitors, socket covers,…. You name it, they’ll take care of it.
As a result of this level of hospitality and luxury service, the hotel received countless awards throughout the years. It’s been consistently rated as one of the top hotels in South Africa, and was even chosen as one of the best hotels in Africa by Conde Nast.
So if you are looking for a place in Capetown where you can either stay with your family, or just relax as a couple, the Cape Grace should certainly be on your shortlist.
Kristofy Eyckmans was kindly hosted by Cape Grace in January 2018