Cape Grace

Overall Impression Our second visit to the Cape Grace was once again a pleasure. We only had one afternoon and night to spend in Cape Town (our international flight departed the following morning) and although there were many choices near the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront our initial visit to the Cape Grace was so positive we decided to return. Staff were attentive and polite and the facilities were just as handsome and comfort oriented as the last time although our room had signs of a little wear. The small hotel, offered well designed, luxurious, waterfront accommodations for business and pleasure oriented guests with great attention to detail.

The only thing we could begrudge the Hotel was the lack of Internet connectivity in our room making it necessary for us to trek to the lobby to check emails (we hear all rooms have access now). One of the things we loved about the Cape Grace was its ready comfort and the amenable attitude that made requests seldom feel intrusive or cumbersome, even when we knew they might have been. It is one of those places we long to return to because we feel welcome and comfortable.

Class Of Accommodation Five stars (awarded by South African government)

General Manager Nigel Pace

Guest Liaison (Instead Of A Concierge) Denise Van Blerk

Handicapped Access Two handicapped accessible rooms, one on the ground floor, and another on first floor. These rooms had wider doorways and were slightly more spacious on the inside to allow for maneuvering of a wheelchair. The bathroom was equipped with hand bars and rails.

Internet AccessAlthough the suites had Internet access, even our upgraded fourth floor Loft had none. There was a common room in the lobby with computers and painfully slow Internet access and we hear now there is connectivity in all the rooms.

Length Of Stay One night

Location Adjacent to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront mall in Cape Town

Owned And Managed Meikles Africa Limited

Size 121 rooms, four stories 2,719 square meters (27,190 square feet)

Year Opened-Renovated 1996; the latest renovation (carpet replacement) was in 2006

Lobby And Common Areas : Classic contemporary style with comfort oriented touches throughout . Rich colors and fabrics enhanced the cozy ambiance, which was peppered with 2,000 works of art and historic prints. Some of the artworks included: Scottish artist Glen Scouller’s work in the reception area; South Africans Gerhard Batha’s paintings in the elevators and lobby and Ricky Dyaloyi’s paintings in the hotel’s restaurant. The Spa Mosaic Mural, created by South African Lovell Friedman, portrayed a “spice related thematic expression.”

Room Our spacious 530 square foot Superior Room was bright and homey. It filled with light when we opened the curtains and double-glazed doors that led to our small balcony with a view of the marina. It was decorated in light colors and included a king bed with a night table on each side, a comfortable reading chair and foot stool with an adjacent table, a television on a stand with a safe in the bottom. There was a good size walk-in closet next to the bathroom with a vanity area in front of it. A complimentary coffee and tea service including fresh milk were on a table near the entrance next to the mini bar. There was a fax and modem line though the only high speed access to the Internet, unless you had a local Internet Service Provider, was in the business center in the lobby.

This time we stayed in a 376-square foot Loft Terrace Room on the fourth floor (last time we stayed in a Superior Room on the second floor). Although the Luxury Room was a lesser category room, it was larger and had a wider layout. On the other hand, the Loft Terrace Room had an appealing view of the marina (and construction) and nearby apartment buildings and a slightly bigger 108-square foot balcony (the Superior Room balcony was 91 square feet). It was also especially convenient for spa treatments. The hotel spa was just down the hall making it possible to walk in robe and slippers to the treatments without running into other guests in the elevators.

Our large bathroom featured a water closet, his and hers sinks, a shower and a separate bathtub.

Restaurant We enjoyed the buffet breakfast with made to order hot dishes and a la carte lunch at one.waterfront Restaurant. It seemed designed with comfort and style in mind. The service was attentive and the food savory. Though the restaurant was mostly empty at lunch time, the meal was delicious and filling. Other than a slightly inappropriate comment from a server, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal experiences.

Amenities Terrycloth bath robes and slippers, wonderful Charlotte Rhys toiletries, mini bar stocked with local gourmet snacks, tea and coffee service featuring fresh lemon and milk.

Facilities Spa, one.waterfront Restaurant, Bascule Whisky Bar and Wine Cellar specializing in whisky (420 varieties), gift shop, Internet/business center, Boardroom for up to 10 people, and library, one of our favorite areas of the hotel. Coffee (and tea) service was complimentary in the library in the morning.

Pool There was a 15-meter (45 feet) long and 6-meter (18 feet) wide outdoor heated pool in an enclosed area adjacent to the dining room. The maximum depth is in the middle 1.5 meters (4.5 feet)

Spa Owned and operated by the Cape Grace , the 263 square meter (2,600 square foot) roof top spa was opened in November 2003.

Awards-Recognitions The Cape Grace was voted “Best City Hotel” by Tatler (U.K.) in 2005; “Best City Hotel in Africa, the Indian Ocean & Middle East” by Condé Nast Traveller (U.K.) 2004; and “Best City Hotel in Africa & the Middle East” by Travel & Leisure (USA) 2004. Most recently, it received 1st prize in the accommodation section of South Africa Tourism’s inaugural “Welcome Awards.”

Conference Facilities A meeting room with capacity for 10.

Other Member of the Leading Small Hotels of the World. We found the Cape Grace website useful and informative. It even included a map of the interior of the hotel and the general location of the rooms and public areas.

When we decided to exercise, we were pleasantly pleased to find out that the Hotel was affiliated with an excellent, clean and well equipped nearby club (Virgin Active) with all the bells and whistles. They provided complimentary private roundtrip transport in a chauffer driven Mercedes sedan. The Hotel offered guests complimentary transport within 10 kms of the Hotel property. Other than seeing eye dogs, pets were only allowed under special circumstances.

Check-In-Check-Out Process Ease Excellent

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit November 2005

Reviewers Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service The staff were professional, customer oriented, and welcoming without an ounce of stuffiness. We enjoyed the cordial greeting by name seconds after we entered the hotel (the porter must have checked our luggage tags) and personalized check-in. We appreciated the delivery of our sweater less than five minutes after we carelessly left it behind in the dining room.

Shortly after we arrived, we requested recommendations for dinner and were rewarded with a wonderful suggestion we would have been unlikely to find on our own. They offered 24-hour room service.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes