{"id":26303,"date":"2011-10-31T09:22:52","date_gmt":"2011-10-31T07:22:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=26303"},"modified":"2011-10-31T22:40:21","modified_gmt":"2011-10-31T20:40:21","slug":"oneonly-cape-town-becomes-cape-towns-most-expensive-hotel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/oneonly-cape-town-becomes-cape-towns-most-expensive-hotel\/","title":{"rendered":"One&Only Cape Town becomes Cape Town’s most expensive hotel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Three months ago we <\/span><\/span>conducted a survey\u00a0of top-end hotel rates<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/span>in Cape Town.\u00a0 <\/span>Given the tourism crisis in the Cape, I repeated the survey 10 days ago, calling the same hotels as well as two additional ones not included previously, asking them for their November rates.\u00a0\u00a0The One & Only Cape Town has overtaken Ellerman House\u00a0as the most expensive Cape Town hotel by far, starting at R6800 per room, and the Peninsula All Suite Hotel remains the least expensive 5-star hotel, at R1200 per room.\u00a0\u00a0The survey found that the\u00a0average rate of the\u00a0sixteen 5-star Cape Town hotels surveyed is\u00a0R 3630 per room,\u00a0just over\u00a0R1800 per person, an average\u00a0increase by 34% relative to the August rates.\u00a0\u00a0 Across all 29 hotels surveyed, the average rate per room is R2908, or just over R1400 per person,\u00a031% higher on average than in August. The most expensive Presidential Suite is at the Westin Grand, at R40000 per day.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 Few hotels called had\u00a0a rate sheet from which to quote immediately, having to access their computer for the \u2018best available rate\u2019<\/em> information, costing time, one hotel putting the call on hold to piped music while they did their rate calculations.\u00a0 <\/span>I was shocked at the poor quality of the call handling and quoting by the hotel Reservations departments, 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;\u00a0surprising was the inability in many cases of the staff\u00a0to understand and hear the request, asking me to repeat the dates, and the number of persons; for the first time, the question \u2018group or individual\u2019<\/em> was 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); and one hotel could not quote a rate as the system was down, and promised to call back … they never did! \u00a0 The Protea Hotel group quotes day by day rates, and the reservations staff had to obtain permission 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. \u00a0F<\/span>or hoteliers it must be frightening to hear that not one of the\u00a029 hotels I called had a call to action, asking if I would like to book, given that Cape Town has the best hotels in Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/span>! <\/span><\/p>\n

Most hotels have increased their rates since August, now quoting summer rates. <\/span>However, 15 on Orange has decreased its rate by 23%, the Peninsula All Suite Hotel rate decreased by 20 %, and there was a small decrease in the Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge rate. \u00a0 Interesting is that the Cape Grace Hotel rate has not changed, probably meaning that they did not drop their rates in winter, due to good demand \u2013 in fact they increased rates by 10 % in August. <\/span>The largest rate increases since August were by the Bay Hotel (119%), <\/span>One&Only Cape Town (95%), Twelve Apostles Hotel (87%), Winchester Mansions Hotel (80%), Commodore Hotel (79%), the Taj (65%), Table Bay Hotel (63%), and Portswood Hotel (61%). <\/span>Interesting is that the Steenberg Hotel, just voted the best hotel in Africa<\/strong> by Conde Nast Traveler<\/strong> readers, <\/span>ranks <\/span>10th<\/sup> on price. \u00a0The Protea Hotel-operated properties generally are at the lower end of the price ranking, being more attractively priced to fill their beds. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>The rates were checked for <\/span>3 – 6 November<\/span> <\/span>per room for<\/span> 2 adults sharing and inclusive<\/span> <\/span>of Breakfast per day,<\/span> <\/span>so as to compare the rates fairly (we did not realise that this period coincides with the Volvo Ocean Race, making a number of hotels fully booked. <\/span>We chose rates for the dates closest to the dates we requested).\u00a0 We added breakfast to the rates where these were quoted separately.\u00a0 \u00a0We 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 August 2011 in brackets:<\/span><\/p>\n

One&Only Cape Town<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, <\/span>R6800 \u2013 R15300 Tel (021) 431-5888 (95 % rate increase) \u2013 only 5 \u2013 10 rooms <\/span>qualify for the special South African rate of R3299 daily \u2013 very detailed description of each room type provided telephonically<\/span><\/p>\n

Ellerman House,<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/span>5 star, R5200 \u2013 R16400 (The new villa has 3 rooms offered at R48600 and 5-rooms at R60500), Tel (021) 430-3200 (4% \u00a0rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Table Bay Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 5168, <\/span> Tel (021) 406-5000 (63% <\/span>rate increase) \u2013 very unfriendly, very hard to understand. Fully booked on 3 November.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cape Grace Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 4980 – R 14 530 for the penthouse, Tel (021) 410-7100 (Zero rate change)<\/span><\/p>\n

Twelve Apostles Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R <\/span> 4105 \u2013 R 6625<\/span>.\u00a0 Tel (021) 437-9000 (87% <\/span>rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Cape Royale Luxury Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 4086 \u2013 R20000 for the Presidential Suite.\u00a0 Tel (021) 430-0500 (14% rate increase) \u2013 fully booked 6 November<\/span><\/p>\n

Mount Nelson Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 3800 \u2013 R 11000. Tel (021) 483-1000 (27 % rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

The Taj Hotel<\/span><\/strong>,<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/span>5 star, R 3550 \u2013 R 34000 for Presidential Suite. <\/span>Tel (021) 819-2000 (65% rate increase) <\/span><\/p>\n

Bay Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 3500 (stay for 3 nights, pay for 2).\u00a0 Tel (021) 438-4444 (119% rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Steenberg Hotel<\/strong>, 5 star, <\/span>R 3435 \u2013 R 14850. Tel (021) 713-2222 (first time inclusion)<\/span><\/p>\n

Dock House<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 3464. <\/span>Tel (021) 421-9334 (43% rate increase) \u2013 drastic price decrease in August, rates now back to May level<\/span><\/p>\n

Queen Victoria Hotel<\/span><\/span><\/strong>, not graded yet but seeking 5 stars, R 2996 \u2013 R 20000, Tel (021) 418-1466 (27 % rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Commodore Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 4 star, R 2860 \u2013 R 12 720.\u00a0 Tel (021) 415-1000 (79% rate increase). Fully booked 3 November.<\/span><\/p>\n

Westin Grand Cape Town Arabella Quays<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 2730 \u2013 R 40000 for Presidential Suite. Tel (021) 412-9999 (26 % rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Winchester Mansions Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 4 star,\u00a0R 2640 – R4135.\u00a0 Tel (021) 434-2351 (80 % rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Portswood Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 4 star, R 2570 \u2013 R 3960.\u00a0 Tel (021) 415-1000 (61% rate increase). Fully booked 3 November<\/span><\/p>\n

V & A Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 4 star, R 2320 \u2013 R 3124 . Tel (021) 415-1000 (41% rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

15 on Orange Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 2020 \u2013 R 2620, Tel (021) 469-8000 (23 % rate decrease<\/span>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Cullinan Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 2095\u00a0 \u2013 R 4451.\u00a0 Tel (021) 415-4000 (38 % rate increase) \u2013 this hotel had a computer problem when I called, and promised to call me back, to give me\u00a0a rate.\u00a0 After waiting for two days, I called again!<\/span><\/p>\n

Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>, 5 star, R 1950 \u2013 R 3050.\u00a0 Tel (021) 525-3888 (15% rate increase) \u2013 very loud volume of music and voice<\/span><\/p>\n

Protea Hotel Fire & Ice Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 3 star,\u00a0 R 1940 \u2013 R 2040, Tel (021) 488-2555 (31% rate increase!)<\/span><\/p>\n

Victoria Junction Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 4 star, R 1900 \u2013 R2200 <\/span> Tel (021) 418-1234 (5 % rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Vineyard Hotel,<\/span><\/strong> 4 star, R 1850 \u2013 R 3950. Tel (021) 657-4500. First time inclusion. Friendly and efficient.<\/span><\/p>\n

President Hotel,<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/span>4 star, R 1780 \u2013 R 2830. Tel (021) 434-8111 (22% rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 4 star, R 1605 \u2013 R 3855. Tel (021) 409-4000 (11 % rate increase). Very poor ability to hear and understand the caller\u2019s requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cape Sun Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 4 star, R 1380 \u2013 R 3810.\u00a0 Tel (021) 488-5100 (6% rate increase)<\/span><\/p>\n

Ambassador Hotel<\/span><\/strong>, 4 star, R 1250 \u2013 R 1950. Tel (021) 439-6176 (Zero rate change)<\/span><\/p>\n

Peninsula All Suite Hotel,<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/span>5 star, R 1200 \u2013 R 2170.\u00a0 Tel (021) 430-7777 (20% rate decrease)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge<\/span><\/strong>,\u00a0no star grading, R 1170 standard, R 1595 business rooms.\u00a0Tel (021) 406-1911\u00a0(4% rate decrease<\/span>). Poor ability to comprehend the caller\u2019s requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com<\/a> Twitter:@WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three months ago we conducted a survey\u00a0of top-end hotel rates in Cape Town.\u00a0 Given the tourism crisis in the Cape, I repeated the survey 10 days ago, calling the same hotels as well as two additional ones not included previously, asking them for their November rates.\u00a0\u00a0The One & Only Cape Town has overtaken Ellerman House\u00a0as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[7,3,124,22,21],"tags":[5014,115,114,12595,208,1903,11104,32366,32378,11102,207,6542,5404,11010,2229,27,1326,1094,11094,11103,11105,13802,12600,13804,11097,2149,8159,11100,1143,111,3316,12510,109,116,11101,173,12225,13803,32373,190],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t