If luxury stands for being out of the ordinary, transporting one from the world one is in to something more special, enjoyed by some but not all, is beyond the day to day basics, provides good service, and leaves one with a good feeling, then Cape Town is a luxurious destination, said seasoned hotelier Nick Seewer at a meeting of PR-Net held at The President hotel this evening.

Nick has been in the hotel industry for most of his career, the longest part of it spent at The Mount Nelson as the hotel GM. He started his career at the hotel school in Lausanne, worked in hotels in Geneva, in Kenya, and then came to Cape Town to join The Mount Nelson, owned by the Orient Express company at that stage, also owning The Westcliff (now Four Seasons) in Johannesburg. The Mount Nelson has since been bought by Belmond. Seewer retired over four years ago, but was immediately snapped up by the Pepperclub, a corporate hotel focusing on business tourists.

Nick emphasised that one does not have a luxury resort or hotel if you do not have a strong main asset, and no amount of money thrown at it will make it luxury. The Mount Nelson imports linen from Ireland, as well as imports crockery when it cannot access items of a similar quality locally. Nothing is too good for the hotel guests, as they pay for the privilege. But ultimately it is having the best possible quality staff, as it is they that make the hotel what it is and what the guests remember. Housekeeping is the backbone of a hotel, Nick said.

Asked a question, Nick said that they had purposely worked at lowering the age profile of their guests, and this is particularly noticeable over the Festive Season, when the hotel has more than 100 child guests, who are more challenging than their parents!

Nick praised Cape Town for its ‘magical mountain’, fynbos, whales, and flowers.

The talk was preceded by a Luxury Media Trade Event, whereby 22 luxury brands displayed their wares, and handed out samples and even gifts, including Aquila Private Game Reserve, BMW SA, Burgundy Collective leather goods, Darling Breweries, Display Wine, Frazer Parfum, Gerhard Moolman Fine Jewellery, Healing Earth, Infacet Personalized Jewellers, La Petit Ferme, Miglio Designer Jewellery, Oryx Desert Salts, Status Luxury Vehicles, Super Single Vineyards, The President Hotel, and Zari Sparkling Grape Juice.

I met The President hotel GM Jeremy Clayton, who started on 1 July when the hotel left Protea Hotels, and became the largest independent hotel in South Africa, with 349 rooms. He is proud of the good occupancy which they have achieved over the winter months. He told me that they are working on their The Islands restaurant, and new chef Craig Patterson joins the hotel as Executive Chef next month.

Disclosure: We received a notebook, credit card holder, and a luggage tag from The President, and a pen and cap from BMW.

The President, 4 Alexander Road, Bantry Bay, Cape Town. Tel (021) 434-8111 www.presidenthotel.co.za  Twitter: @The PresidentCT

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog  Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here