When it comes to preserving a building’s heritage, along with exploring modern updates, the Taj Hotel in Cape Town presents the perfect meeting place between past and present. The hotel has recently refreshed its ground floor with a new lobby bar area, the update of their Mint restaurant and overall modern flair.
Mark Wernich, General Cluster Manager Africa for Taj Hotels, praises the Taj Cape Town for the way it has graciously thrived through a tumultuous time for the entire hospitality industry. With both local and international arrivals on the up, the refurbishment of the hotel comes at the perfect time for Taj Cape Town to welcome a new breed of international tourists, business travellers and local guests on the lookout for exceptional experiences.
“The beauty of our spaces has always attracted people eager to indulge in a little opulent luxury – from barristers to members of parliament, from international guests who are already familiar with Taj Hotels’ exacting standards and commitment to Tajness to locals who want an inner city experience with a difference,” Mark muses. “The elements which created this appeal remained unchanged – our warm hospitality and emphasis on helping guests create lasting memories of this beautiful city will always be a given. But we’ve upped the ante by modernising and refreshing the space, while also adding some fantastic new offerings.”
The Lobby Lounge with the grand architecture of the old South African Reserve Bank is celebrated (including the iconic fluted marble columns), but key touchpoints have been updated to create a fresher appearance to appeal to the modern traveller.
There is also a range of new experiences for the Taj guest to indulge in. The Lobby Bar has spectacular views of iconic St George’s Cathedral, thanks to the installation of the bar positioned so that it is framed between the gorgeous sash windows that are one of the most noteworthy features in this space. Taj Cape Town has also introduced a Whiskey Bar, offering a wide range of fine whiskeys, where whiskey connoisseurs can relax and indulge in the nostalgic atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the furnishings at Mint Restaurant have received a bold, dramatic update. The introduction of wood-fired grills add a new dimension to the space, introducing an element of theatricality, while a new small plates menu, which includes a variety of delicious wood-fired grills, has also been included.
“With the tourism industry in Cape Town swiftly gaining momentum once more, we are thrilled to be able to offer a range of experiences to suit everyone,” Mark says, adding that this repositioning is part of an overall repositioning of Taj Hotels in Africa which has included a similar exercise for Taj Lusaka. “This places us firmly on the trajectory for growth; we would not be surprised to see performance in early 2023 outpace 2019,” he concludes.
