I’d just been to see Sex and the City 2 so my trip to the Taj Cape Town was exactly what I needed – a little slice of New York in the heart of the Mother City. The Taj Cape Town is opposite Parliament and the historic slave’s quarters as well as Company Gardens – our very own Central Park.
As I pulled up in the Taj’s black Range Rover, courteously sent to pick me up from Rhino Africa HQ, the doors to the magnificent buildings were flung open with such vim and alacrity by the bell boy that I knew I was in for something special. The Taj is an Indian owned chain of opulent worldwide hotels and a welcome addition to the Cape Town accommodation scene. These guys certainly know a thing or two about slick service delivery…
The lounge lobby brought back memories of Grand Central station in New York, but it’s actually the main chamber of the old South African Reserve Bank (in case you were genuinely confused), dazzlingly restored but retaining the splendid, marble columns and floors, and the lofty, domed ceiling complete with minstrel’s galleries. High tea is served here where you might like to choose from one of the twenty-four traditional, Indian teas. If you’re looking for something rather stronger than tea, then resist the temptation to reach for your secret hip flask (or is that just me?) and head for the decadence of the cigar lounge with a devilishly tempting selection of cognacs and a roaring log fire (in winter of course).
This a serious hotel with 167 rooms and suites spread throughout three buildings – the old reserve bank (flag stone), the board of executives building (white) and the tower building (modern steel and glass). There’s a confusing array of rooms available which vary in size, aspect and style. You’ll either have a high-rise cityscape or a view of Table Mountain. The rooms are large and comfortable with exquisite Indian fabric designs. In the sumptuous Heritage Suites you’ll find powder-blue panelled Victorian walls, while in the more modern luxury tower rooms, you’ll find more space and rather more burnt orange and autumnal hues. All of the enormous bathrooms have been finished in exquisite, beige marble with gorgeous, art-deco mirrors. Oh, and they all have Sony Bravia flat screens which you can effortlessly hook up to your laptop through the state-of-the-art i-Bahn system.
There aren’t many taller high rises in Cape Town, so the higher you go, the more magnificent and uninterrupted the views. Seeing Table Mountain from the dizzying height of Presidential Suite roof terrace was certainly a moment I shan’t forget in a hurry. Not a president in sight though. The Presidential Suite has two bedrooms, a tiny gym, a treatment room, a steam shower, a sitting room large enough for a football team, an office (which must have the best office views in Cape Town) and more of the latest Bang & Olufson gadgets than you can shake a memory stick at. It also has sole use of the breathtaking roof terrace which is pretty much a venue in itself – sun loungers, electronic shade awnings, a fire pit, a massive dining table made from half a tree and an outdoor sitting area for a party of twenty – lifestyles of the rich and the famous huh?! That’s the problem with this job, it has a tendency to make you feel rather poor. I like to think of it as aspirational though. Oh, and that reminds me to mention the Taj Club – an exclusive floor with its own private lounge and amenities for those celebrities among you that can’t bear to mingle with the ruffians in the communal bars.
My first port of call was the Mint restaurant – a rather canny double entendre playing on minted coins and the preferred flavouring of toothpastes. This is a very cool space for all day dining. Mint leather banquets and vineyard murals, a massive glass fronted cellar and a windowed kitchen surrounded by intricate mosaics. It’s fresh, bright and modern and opens onto the beautiful St George’s Square. For a more serious meal, you have to head to the Bombay Brasserie – one of the most effortlessly stylish and intimate dining rooms I have been to – dark wooden and marble panels and original, white, marble floors are enhanced by turquoise chandeliers and peacock-embroidered arm chairs imported from India. The executive chef spent fifteen years at the Taj Mahal no less, so contemporary Indian fare doesn’t get much more authentic than this. For something a little more relaxed, just head to the Cape-colonial style of The Twankey seafood, champagne and oyster bar. And don’t forget to ask about the story behind the rather unique name.
With not much time to spare I stuck my nose into the well equipped techno gym and the 15m, heated indoor swimming pool (I did not stick my nose into the pool). It would have been very lovely indeed to take a plunge, but alas I was out of time – in the words of Shakespeare, ‘I wasted time and now doth time waste me’. A little dramatic, but not to worry – nothing a rejuvenating trip to the Jiva Spa can’t fix. An Ayurvedic spa presided over by a traditional Ayurvedic doctor, this is something a bit different and I shall write more when I have more time to actually experience one of the fascinating treatments – the warrior massage in particular caught my eye, but that’s probably because I have no idea what a dev nidra or a dinacharya is. So much to learn – the array of treatments here is mind blowing, but it’s worth visiting the spa for the instantly soothing atmosphere and the humble “Namaste” greeting alone.
So all in all the Taj Cape Town is a very special place indeed. A place that has certainly raised the stakes on the Cape Town accommodation scene. And don’t be surprised if you see Sarah Jessica-Parker waltzing through the lobby anytime soon…
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