Taj Cape Town opens. First published in 48 Hours.
WHEN it comes to exquisite luxury hotels in India, there are only two names: Oberoi and Taj. Their point of difference was highlighted to me by a crusty Colonial who behaved as if India were still under the British Raj.
“Taj hotels”, he said to me with a wide-armed gesture pointing out the fountains at the Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur, India as if he owned them, and where we were having tea, “take real palaces and build hotels.” “Oberoi,” he continued, “build new hotels to look like historic palaces.” Without skipping a beat he went on to suggest the two groups were like England and America. Oberoi, he thought, was the latter.
We were guests of the fabulous Oberoi Udaivilas Hotel on the nearby shore, which is how we managed to even set foot on the Lake Palace Hotel which is not open to non-residents. Anyone who has seen Octopussy’s lair will want to visit that property.
I mention this because I met Hemant Oberoi, the likable corporate chef: Luxury Division of Taj Hotels at the newly opened Taj Cape Town. Yes, indeed.
True to that poncy peripatetic’s pronouncements, Taj has beautifully and respectfully restored the historic Reserve Bank and Temple Chambers or what we call the Board of Executors’ buildings in Adderley and St George’s Mall. Taj, owned by the Tata Group, has spent R500 million on this five-star 176-roomed luxury project. Rooms are divided into heritage or tower rooms depending on their situation.
Aside from the conference and meeting rooms on the first floor, there are three restaurants, The Bombay Brasserie which, with its timber-clad columns, blues and silver notes is in the running for the most beautiful room in the city, Mint which is fresh and contemporary and Twankey, so named after the “Bo Peep” BOE statue in the recess above the front door.
This spot is so chic and stylish it will likely attract Cape Town’s most divine partygoers for draft Guinness and oysters. Who knows, maybe it will be known as Twinkies.
The Jiva Spa is Taj’s own brand and we met Ayurvedic (ancient Indian system of health) physicians from India who were training local staff. There is a grand couples’ room and Ayurvedic suite complete with shower and steam cubicle.
Be sure to pop in either from the Wale street Valet car-parked entrance, or the St George’s Mall pedestrian one.
Speaking of Indian hotels, I noticed a wonderful Spyro-Gyro tile pattern in the entrance hall of The Taj. I’d seen a similar one at The Imperial Hotel, Delhi designed by Colonial architect and town planner Sir Edwin Lutyens (who also worked with Sir Herbert Baker in South Africa) and which was very similar to the design at Britannic House, London in BP’s historic headquarters. If the pattern looks familiar to you too, you probably recognize it from BP’s logo.
During a tasting from Bombay Brasserie’s Indian menu, general manager Michael Pownall said to me that superlative service was the one component that his Taj bosses were still striving for. If Taj Cape Town even gets Asian-style service half right, the experience will be streaks ahead of any other luxury property here.
Taj Cape Town, Cnr Wale and St George’s Mall. 021-819-2000.
[09-Feb-10]
Brian Berkman
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