Cape Heritage Hotel

When the City of Cape Town wanted to tear the iconic Heritage Square down in the 1980s, a building erected in 1771, it took the intervention of the Heritage Trust to combat what was planned to become a parking lot.

The building, originally made of brick and slate, has lived many lives – as a tobacconist, general store, bakery, boarding house, chapel and a family home. In 2007, Cape Heritage Hotel was born. Decorated with the personal art collection of current owner Victoria Engelhorn, there are chandeliers made from recycled milk cartons, glass found washed up on the local shores during beach clean ups and the like. Because the building forms an integral part of local history, there has been deliberate preservation of certain infrastructure. The original wooden floors have been maintained on one of the landings, for example, as well as doors and sections of the building’s wall, ceilings and high beams.

For this reason, no single room in the entire hotel is the same; in layout or design. In order to display original features in the best manner, the design directive was taken from elements in each room.

An entry level room is the 24 – 28 m² Standard Room which is ideal for guests travelling alone. An upgrade from that would be the Luxury Room which is 32 – 38 m². Junior Suites come in between 38 – 42 m² and can accommodate an additional bed if necessary. Slightly larger are the Suite, which ranges from 45 – 56 m² in size and houses a king size bed or two twins, depending on guest needs.

Apartments are also available for larger groups and can be accessed only via Shortmarket and Buitengracht street (which tend to see a lot of traffic.) The two-bedroom Sea Room apartment is 93 m² and gives the impression of staying on the seaside despite finding yourself in the city centre. Similarly sized, the Karoo Room is decorated in bronze, brown and red hues to reflect the outback. Lastly, the Mountain Room gives guests a view of Table Mountain and a portion of Lion’s Head from a window in the kitchen area. High ceilings and a spacious lounge make the space feel like an extension of the landscape. Each room comes complete with a fully stocked minibar, aircon, flatscreen TV, bathrobes and slippers, vanity mirror and handheld hairdryer.

Preserved also, and forming a unique part of the hotel’s story is The Vine, which was planted in 1771 and yielded its first harvest in 1981. Depending on what time of the year you go, you can appreciate The Vine in full bloom as it creates shade for diners wanting to enjoy the courtyard. Additionally, 20 liters of wine is produced from the vine, which the hotel reserves for guests to enjoy.

While breakfast is served inhouse, the courtyard creates opportunities for guests to dine a stone’s throw from their rooms. Edge specialises in refined African dining; Mochi Mochi does traditional Japanese rice cakes; Silk offers a delicious fusion of East and West Cuisine while Jerry’s Burger Bar will serve typical American style grub (think burgers and burritos, tacos and corn dogs). Should the offering in the square not be to your taste, Bree Street is a culinary strip worth your attention with at least 12 eateries on the street.

Children: There are 4 family rooms in the hotel, and cots can be made available for smaller children.

Sustainability: The hotel sources all of its furniture, art and produce for the kitchen and mini bars locally – the ethos is nothing further than 200kms away is purchased.

Ethicality: The inhouse gallery, Sisonke (which means “We are together” in Xosa), only exhibits local creatives through the Spier Art Trust 10% of all the sales are donated to ZipZap Circus which provides opportunities for children to live, learn and play together.

Mobility: The main hotel, which is multi-floored, can only be accessed by stairs. However, there is a lift for the apartments, which makes it accessible for those in wheelchairs.