Live like the King
Heritage hotel
New-world luxury and old-world charm meet at the Taj Cape Town
Located right in the historic heart of Cape Town—where slaves, farmers and colonialists once lived and worked—stands a building that has an equally rich heritage. Originally home to the Temple Chambers (1896) and South African Reserve Bank (1921), and later the Board of Executors (BoE), the Taj Hotel seamlessly merges old history with new luxury.
Upon arrival, this fusion is quite evident: Contemporary architecture shares the space with original fittings such as the chandeliers, the heavy grills and doors at the pedestrian entrance (which still bear the old Reserve Bank’s lion heraldry), and the restored clock above the doors that exit onto St George’s Mall. On the ceiling above the lobby is the outline of the old barrel-vaulted skylight, supported by three Portuguese Skyros marble columns.
Where to sleep
Spread across the two historic buildings as well as the more modern Tower, are 176 rooms that have spectacular views of either the bustling city or the iconic Table Mountain. Whether you choose to lay your head in the Heritage rooms and
suites, Luxury Tower rooms and suites, the premier Presidential Suite on the 16th and 17th floors with its wraparound terrace, or the 13-roomed Taj Club with private Club Lounge on the second floor, you will be ensconced in sophisticated luxury—with all the amenities you’d require.
Join the Club
The Taj Club provides a selection of services and facilities on a complimentary basis for all guests staying on the Taj Club floor and in all one- and two-bedroom suites.
These amenities include:
● Dedicated butler service throughout your stay
● Private in-room check-in
● Private breakfast in the Taj Club Lounge
● Daily international newspapers
● Two-hour use of a boardroom, once during your stay
● Daily high tea in the Lobby Lounge on the ground floor
Where to relax
It’s not all work at The Taj Cape Town. To relieve the stresses of your business duties, take some time out for a massage at the Jiva Grande Spa where the wisdom and heritage of the Indian philosophy of wellness and well-being are brought together in the signature treatments and holistic therapies.
Other wellness and leisure facilities include an indoor heated swimming pool, fully equipped Technogym, separate male and female saunas, a steam room and a vitality pool.
Where to dine
For some of the finest Indian cuisine outside the subcontinent, book a table at the Bombay Brasserie, the hotel’s signature specialty restaurant. In its opulent but classic setting, the venue’s atmosphere is as rich and satisfying as the traditional dishes prepared by the skilled Indian chefs.
Mint Restaurant is a more relaxed affair for all-day dining—including a splendid breakfast buffet that has become the talk of the town with its array of healthy (yet decadent) natural treats.
In the mood for a late-afternoon tipple or a nightcap? The Twankey Bar offers up everything from fine wines and spirits, to locally crafted beers and gins—and employs fascinating cocktail-making methods from woodchip smoking and blazing, to teapot brewing. Local tapas and daily specials are also served. (The bar is named after the statue right around the corner, regarded as one of the most controversial sculptures in the entire city. It was designed in 1894 by architect George Murray Alexander: a shepherdess as a symbol of the benevolence of the BoE. But locals deemed the work so poor and laughable that they called it “Widow Twankey”, after a comical Aladdin pantomime character of the day—a dame portrayed by a male actor!)
Other venues where you can put your feet up are the Cigar Lounge with its fine whiskeys and cognacs; and the Lobby Lounge under the impressive barrel-vaulted skylight, which offers afternoon tea.
Visit www.tajhotels.com for further information and to book your stay