Cape Grace, Cape Town

In short… Cape Grace is one of Cape Town’s best-known luxury hotels gets a well-heeled renovation by noted design firm 1508 London. 

The look & feel… Polished and eclectic, the new design mixes classic furniture with a sizable collection of artwork curated from local artists, and takes advantage of the hotel’s enviable position on a private quay in the V&A Waterfront. Most of the spaces facing the harbor, including the Library Bar and the Heirloom restaurant, are wall-to-ceiling windows, providing an incredible backdrop that changes throughout the day. 

The rooms… I stayed in a suite overlooking the harbor, and truthfully, it was larger than my apartment in New York (we toured a regular room and it was surprisingly spacious as well). The furniture is classic and understated, lots of creams and whites, punctuated with colorfully patterned rugs. Both rooms had balconies from which you could watch the boats and look for seals, and I loved the addition of a dressing room outside the bathroom with a vanity table and closets. The living room had a full size bar—not a minibar—and the shelves were stocked with books on South African history and culture. 

Food & Drink… The Library offers casual food, tea and cocktails throughout the day and it’s worth spending time perusing the local artwork, books, and especially the “cabinet of curiosities,” in which each object—rare books, artifacts, fossils—is designed to tell a story about the country’s heritage. The main restaurant, Heirloom, has transitioned from a formal five course dinner, to a menu that focuses on a modern approach to South African classics. The Bascule Bar is a local favorite and you can either sit on the outside patio overlooking the water, or in the cozy, dark interior.

The spa/wellness… The newly-built Fairmont Spa is small but immaculate and offers a sauna, steam room, salt room, and experience shower (choose between settings like “Tropical Storm” and “Rainforest” and relax as it creates a multi-sensory experience with audio, lights, and water effects). 

Extra tip goes to…. The ever-smiling doormen who made me feel as if I’d been coming here for years. 

Date of stay… October 2024