The Last Word Long Beach

Overall Impression As soon as I entered The Last Word Long Beach’s homey lounge I fell in love. The small property’s beachside location and its common area beachfront views were outstanding. A few minutes later I was further enamored with the privacy and beach views from my room. I was drawn to sit under the warming rays of the sun on my porch.

At first, it was sunny and windy. Soon the sky clouded over and the temperature dropped. It remained chilly and cloudy throughout my visit. The following day it rained, forcing me to cancel my plans and making it too chilly to sit outdoors or spend much time on the beach or poolside. In between rain showers I took a couple of strolls along the shore. Although only brave sportsmen in wet suits ventured into the cold water the beach was a pleasant place to walk and dip my toes in the cool sand. From the sofa in my room and from the dining room at meal times I soaked in the views of the beach shared by dog walkers, surfers and kite surfers. It was splendid. I also loved the sounds of the crashing surf. Despite the overcast and rainy weather I enjoyed my stay, in particular the stellar beach setting and water views.

The boutique property’s beachfront location combined with the staff’s friendly and helpful attitude, and my comfortable room with an outstanding beach view and private terrace would draw me back easily. It was a favorite property on that voyage. I would seriously consider a return visit and dedicated trip to Long Beach for a stay at The Last Word.

Children The property welcomed children five years of age and older.

Class of Accommodation Five Star Intimate Luxury Hotel

Connectivity There was complimentary high speed (10 megabits per second) WiFi in my room and in the common areas.

General Managers Jennifer Minny and Fanie Witbooi

Handicapped Access No

Length of Stay Two nights

Location The property was in the village of Kommetjie 45 kilometers from the Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa

Managed The Last Word

Owned Peter Fleck

Pets Allowed No

Size The half acre property had six rooms in a two story building and nine staff.

Year Opened-Renovated The property opened in 2005. In 2015, the lounge and rooms were refurbished.

Lobby and Common Areas The décor was meant to be “peaceful, comfortable and traditional.” The new looking furnishings were stylish, elegant and comfortable with pretty fabrics and cushions. The entrance of the building led immediately to common areas with living and dining space.

Bathroom Khaki stone tiles covered the floor and part of the walls. An oversize shower took up the left corner of the back wall. It was door-less and had a view of the beach across the room. There was a rain-shower showerhead, providing ample water flow. It required some tweaking to adjust the water temperature.

To the right of the shower there was a large bathtub. Above it to the left there was a rectangular mirror. There was not enough hot water to fill the bathtub the night I bathed. Next there were twin sinks beneath a large rectangular framed mirror. There was a vanity mirror attached to the wall. The bath toiletries were on metal shelves in the corner. Next to the sinks there was the water closet with a toilet.

Room I stayed in Room 4, a comfortable 53 square meter Elegant Suite on the ground floor. Thanks to its beach facing location it had stunning views. It was designed as a single open space divided into several distinct sections: bathroom in the back, sleeping space in the middle, living space in the front and porch outside. The room was steps from the entrance of the property and adjacent to the shared living and dining room areas. A handful of well placed pink rose petals added a whimsical touch to the room. It was decorated in white and earth tones and had tile flooring.

Features included high ceilings, recessed lights, framed and glass covered beach themed reproductions, elegant flower pattern curtains, oversize windows facing the garden and beach, and a small outdoor terrace. There was a vase with fresh roses atop the minibar cabinet. I could adjust the temperature in the room with a remote controlled air conditioner and heater wall unit and underfloor heating.

The sitting area had cloth furniture, including a love seat and two armchairs facing a rectangular wood coffee table. In the corner, there was a wall mounted LG flatscreen television. From the love seat in my living area I could hear muted conversation in the adjacent main area of the property. To the right of the entrance there was a vanity area with an armless cloth chair. Against the far wall there was a cabinet, which housed a mini bar with a small refrigerator, hot beverage service and snacks. Wood shutters provided privacy at night, covering the glass windows and doors leading to the terrace. On the small terrace there was metal patio furniture consisting of two lounge chairs, a table and two armchairs.

A firm and comfortable king bed with a duvet and four feather pillows, a white wood headboard and two identical night tables and lamps took up the central space. The property name and logo were embroidered on the center of the duvet in the same color of the fabric. There was a blue bench at the foot of the bed. The bed rested against a half wall that divided the bedroom and bathroom. There was no door between the sleeping area and the bathroom (except for one in the water closet). The back wall of the room (beneath the air conditioning and heating unit) was a wood built-in white wardrobe with hanging and shelf space and an electronic safe.

Food and Restaurant Breakfast was served between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. At the buffet table there were several cereals, deli meats, salmon and smoked venison, cheeses, fruit juices, breads and pastries, and fresh fruit salads. Also on offer was a made to order hot breakfast consisting mainly of egg dishes. At other times of the day, the staff were able to prepare simple dishes like salads and sandwiches as well as dinner with advance notice. Given the rainy conditions on my final night, it was wonderful to have dinner (a chicken salad with a side of steamed veggies) in the comfort of my room.

Amenities There were heated towel racks, underfloor heating, air conditioning and heating, electronic safe, sherry and mini bar (complimentary water, sodas, and wines were included). In the bathroom there were Healing Earth toiletries, including 200 milliliter size bottles of bath salts, foam gel, room mist spray, shampoo, body gel and body lotion as well as a single bar of rooibos soap. According to a flyer I found in my room, the Healing Earth ingredients were sourced locally and the products were handmade without any foaming agents. In addition they were biodegradable and harm-free. There were also shower caps, cotton swabs, and vanity kits. There were sunhats, beach towels, a beach bag, and beach wraps for use during my stay.

There was a telephone on the vanity table and a Philips radio with iPod docking capability on the right side night table. The volume control on the docking station was not working. On the wall, there was a flatscreen television with satellite programming, a Sony DVD player and a few DVDs available on loan from reception.

There was complimentary hot beverage service and snacks such as cookies, and dried fruit and nut mix from The Treat Company. There were pretty fresh flower arrangements in the common areas. At turn down, there was a bottle of water and a moist red velvet cake with vanilla frosting and chocolate sprinkles.

Facilities Swimming pool

Pool The 20 square meter size pool in the garden level was too chilly to swim in during my winter visit. It ranged in depth between 1 meter and 1.7 meters.

Other Although the Garmin GPS directed me correctly to the address, because of a “road closed” sign due to roadwork I turned too soon and missed the property. A nearby vendor directed me easily to the right place. Before I had a chance to ring from the driveway call box someone opened the gate. I drove straight into a partially covered parking space immediately adjacent to the entrance. There was limited parking behind the gate. Because I was one of two guests during my off season visit I was able to park my car securely in the driveway, steps from the door. My room keys included a gate opener.

At times, I could hear the exterior sounds of workers and large trucks on the street in front of the property, nearby dogs barking, and the surf, my favorite. I turned in my laundry Monday morning and received it back Tuesday morning. Check out time was 11 a.m. sharp. The World Travel Awards recognized the property as South Africa’s leading Beach Hotel in 2013 and 2014.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date of Review September 2015

Reviewers

Photos and Article by Elena del Valle

Service There was twice daily service. Jennifer Minny, the manager during my stay, was cheerful, friendly and extra attentive. The rest of the staff I met, including Zolani, the evening server and sometime cook, Lucy and Joan, were attentive and warm in their demeanor. I was a tad frazzled when I arrived because of rental car issues en route there and a slight difficulty finding the property in the village of Kommetjie near Cape Town, South Africa. Between the smiling faces of the staff and the relaxed ambiance I began to settle down. Thanks to manager Jennifer Minny’s refreshing can-do management style I was able to temporarily sort out the rental car issues, which allowed me to begin enjoying my stay.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes