A year ago we first conducted a survey of top-end hotel rates in Cape Town. We repeated the survey in August 2011, and in November 2011, to track hotel pricing trends. Ellerman House has re-established itself as the most expensive Cape Town hotel, starting at R 4590 per room, and the Peninsula All Suite Hotel remains the least expensive 5-star hotel, at R1200 per room, the same rate as November 2011 and lower than a year ago. The hotels in Cape Town appear more confident about the coming winter season, judging by their pricing policy, only half of them having decreased their rates relative to the past summer.
The survey found that the average rate of the sixteen 5-star Cape Town hotels surveyed is R 2780 per room, just under R1400 per person, an average decrease by 23% relative to the November 2011 rates. Across all 29 hotels surveyed, the average rate per room is R 2297, or just over R 1100 per person, 21% lower on average than in November. The most expensive Presidential Suite is at the One & Only Cape Town, at R58541 per day, a rate which has not changed since November. Interesting is that larger top-end suites seem to have seen rate increases, while the standard rooms are more likely to be discounted.
Once again it was interesting to hear how the calls were handled, most hotel reservation departments asking careful questions, to identify if the caller was a travel agent/tour operator or a corporate caller, the questioning being very specific in this regard. Holders of a Protea Hotel Prokard would have had different rates quoted. Few hotels called had a rate sheet from which to quote immediately, having to access their computer for the ‘best available rate’ information, costing time, one hotel putting the call on hold to piped music while they did their rate calculations. The poor quality of the call handling and quoting by the hotel Reservations departments must be a concern for their bosses, quoting odd rates (i.e. not rounded off) very quickly, making it difficult to understand and record them accurately; interrupting while one was still speaking; inability to understand and hear the request, having to repeat the dates, and the number of persons; the question ‘group or individual’ is asked bluntly, without explanation; not all hotels quote rates with breakfast included, despite being asked for this rate (Protea Hotels quote room only, and seem surprised when asked to add the breakfast rate); The Protea Hotel group quotes day by day rates, and the reservations staff struggle to quote an average rate, making it tedious to obtain quotes from them, as they have to quote the average rate and then add the breakfast rate. The Portswood/Commodore Hotels, Bay Hotel/Village & Life, and Newmark Hotels group have the same switchboard for different hotels, and even if one dials the specific hotel selected, one is asked which hotel one wants to book at! For hoteliers it must be frightening to hear that not one of the 29 hotels called had a call to action, in encouraging one to make a booking, given that Cape Town has the best hotels in Africa.
Half the hotels have decreased their rates since November 2011, now quoting winter rates. However, Steenberg Hotel increased its rate from November 2011, by 4%. Interesting is the 36 % rate increase in the past five months for the African Pride Hotels 15 on Orange and Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa. The Ambassador Hotel has increased its rate by 27 % since November 2011. The Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge has been known for its competitive rates, but has increased them by 24 % for winter, and is no longer the cheapest hotel of those surveyed. The largest rate decreases since November 2011 were by the V&A Hotel (45%), Dock House (37%), and the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel (35%). The rate of the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice increased by a dramatic 107% relative to last winter! The Commodore Hotel (61%) and Portswood Hotel (45%) also increased their winter rates strongly. Interesting is that the Steenberg Hotel, voted the best hotel in Africa by Conde Nast Traveler readers, ranks 4th on price now, having ranked at 10th position a mere five months ago. The Protea Hotel-operated properties generally are at the lower end of the price ranking, being more attractively priced to fill their beds.
The rates were checked telephonically yesterday for today, for the next three days, i.e. 3 – 6 May per room for 2 adults sharing and inclusive of Breakfast per day, so as to compare the rates fairly . We added breakfast to the rates where these were quoted separately. We have ranked the hotel rates from most to least expensive, and reflect the rate change on the lowest priced room relative to our survey for May 2011 in brackets:
Ellerman House, 5 star, R4590 – R14680. (The 3-room villa was offered at R45441 and the 5-room villa at R68000). Tel (021) 430-3200 (8% rate decrease)
Cape Grace Hotel, 5 star, R4555.10 – R15388 for the penthouse, Tel (021) 410-7100 (1% increase)
Mount Nelson Hotel, 5 star, R3730 – R11290. Tel (021) 483-1000 (24% rate increase)
Steenberg Hotel, 5 star, R3580– R14580. Tel (021) 713-2222 (Not included in May 2011)
One & Only Cape Town, 5 star, R3490 – R58541 for the Presidential Suite. The non-South African resident rate starts at R4856 Tel (021) 431-5888 (10% rate decrease)
15 on Orange Hotel, 5 star, R2750 – R5370 for the one-bedroom penthouse, Tel (021) 469-8000 (1 % rate decrease)
Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa, 5 star, R2650 – R3750. Tel (021) 525-3888 (25% rate increase)
Commodore Hotel, 4 star, R2580 – R8040. Tel (021) 415-1000 (61% rate increase)
The Westin Cape Town, 5 star, R2410 – R40000 for Presidential Suite. Tel (021) 412-9999 (19 % rate decrease)
Dock House, 5 star, R 2396 – R3115. Tel (021) 421-9334 (37% rate decrease)
Table Bay Hotel, 5 star, R2360 – R4760 for South African residents, R2840 – R6050 for non-South Africans. Tel (021) 406-5000 (25% rate decrease)
Twelve Apostles Hotel, 5 star, R2325 – R4565 for Bed & Breakfast, 3-course dinner, movie and popcorn, only for South African residents. Non-South Africans pay R4165 – R8845 per room and breakfast. Tel (021) 437-9000 (19% rate decrease)
Portswood Hotel, 4 star, R 2320 – R 3960. Tel (021) 415-1000 (45% rate increase)
Cape Royale Luxury Hotel, 5 star, R2300 – R10000 for the Presidential Suite. Tel (021) 430-0500 (35% rate decrease)
The Taj Hotel, 5 star, R2300 – R40000 for Presidential Suite. Tel (021) 819-2000 (5% rate increase)
Queen Victoria Hotel, not graded yet but seeking 5 stars, R2028 – R15000, Tel (021) 418-1466 (8% rate increase)
Bay Hotel, 5 star, R2000- R2800. Tel (021) 438-4444 (25% rate increase)
Protea Fire & Ice Hotel, 3 star, R1860 – R2110, Tel (021) 488-2555 (107% rate increase!)
Cullinan Hotel, 5 star, R1850 – R5159. Tel (021) 415-4000 (14% rate decrease)
Victoria Junction Hotel, 4 star, R 1850 – R 2150 Tel (021) 418-1234 (10% rate increase)
V & A Hotel, 4 star, R1720 – R2170 . Tel (021) 415-1000 (45% rate decrease)
Ambassador Hotel, 4 star, R1590 – R2020. Tel (021) 439-6176 (17% rate decrease)
Winchester Mansions Hotel, 4 star, R1550 – R3550. Tel (021) 434-2351 (5 % rate increase)
Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, 4 star, R1550 – R3220. Tel (021) 409-4000 (11 % rate decrease).
Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge, no star grading, R1445 standard room, R1690 business suite. Tel (021) 406-1911 (12% rate increase).
President Hotel, 4 star, R1306 – R1723. Tel (021) 434-8111 (11% rate decrease)
Peninsula All Suite Hotel, 5 star, R1200 – R3490. Tel (021) 430-7777 (24% rate decrease)
Vineyard Hotel, 4 star, R1165 – R4270. Tel (021) 657-4500. (Not included in May 2011)
Cape Sun Hotel, 4 star, R1160 – R5920 for Presidential Suite. Tel (021) 488-5100 (23% rate decrease).
POSTSCRIPT 4/5: Two Cape Town hotels, the Alphen Boutique Hotel (not yet included in this survey) and the Queen Victoria Hotel, are the only two South African hotels on the Conde Nast Traveler Hot List of Best New Hotels 2012. Frommers.com has selected Steenberg Hotel in its Top 12 ‘Best Vineyards Inns & Hotels around the World’, the only South African hotel on the list.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter:@WhaleCottage
