{"id":86142,"date":"2017-03-13T01:43:39","date_gmt":"2017-03-12T23:43:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/?p=86142"},"modified":"2017-10-10T12:44:26","modified_gmt":"2017-10-10T10:44:26","slug":"opulent-the-silo-hotel-in-the-va-waterfront-elevates-cape-town-hospitality-to-a-new-high","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/opulent-the-silo-hotel-in-the-va-waterfront-elevates-cape-town-hospitality-to-a-new-high\/","title":{"rendered":"Opulent The Silo Hotel in the V&A Waterfront elevates Cape Town hospitality to a new high!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Ten days ago, on its third day of operation, hotelier and writer Llewellyn Lambert<\/a>, architect Jan de Wet, and I went to visit The Silo Hotel in the commercial side of the V & A Waterfront. We were blown away by the luxury  of the interior decor, the generosity of spaciousness, and the extreme friendliness of the staff, hallmarks of the operations of The Royal Portfolio. I returned nine days later, to have a second lunch at The Silo Rooftop.<\/p>\n

While I struggled to find the entrance into the hotel from the parking on the P3 level, everything \"\"went uphill from the time I met doormen Pathy, who showed me to the entrance door and the lift to get to the sixth floor. Art by Kate Gottgens is exhibited in the entrance hall (called The Vault), and a collaboration with smac gallery is visible from brochures on the counter. Every six months another South African artist will be exhibited here. But it is the lift that gives one a taste of what is to come inside The Silo Hotel, with wood-paneled mirrors, and a magnificent crystal chandelier, elevating hospitality in Cape Town to an as yet \"\"unprecedented level.<\/span><\/p>\n

One arrives on the 6th floor, with the Reception desk in a striking red, a central seating area, two beautiful custom-made tables, one holding an ice bucket and champagne flutes in specially created holes, and the other a marble top for platters. In the central area is a display of masks, mainly African. There appears to be a shop too, although I did not enter it. A massive ceiling lamp reflects the distinctive hexagonal pattern that has become synonymous with the hotel.  An impressive chandelier of Jacaranda pods hangs alongside the staircase. To the Table Mountain side \"\"one enters a lounge and bar area, the leather seating in shades of blue and green, and the Willaston Bar. The view onto our city’s icon Table Mountain is magnificent. The Bar was named after the SS Willaston, which transported the first load of \"\"grain to Europe late in 1924. The last grain shipment from the silo was in 1995, on board the SS Wisdom, after which the hotel’s largest private dining room The Wisdom Room has been named. In 2001 the grain silo complex was closed down. The Silo Hotel building is the tallest in the Waterfront, at 65 meters. <\/p>\n

The Willaston Bar has desk lamps of which I did not initially notice the detail on its ‘stem’, having mushroom ‘petals’, until a second visit later in the day and waiting at the Bar. On the Waterfront side is another (small) lounge, which one walks through (but does not see from the Reception) to get to The \"\"Granary Caf\u00e9 for breakfast and dinner.<\/p>\n

The 57 meter high building (the tallest building in sub-Saharan Africa when erected in 1924) in which the hotel is housed is a heritage site, having been the elevator of the original\"\" grain silo complex. The elevator head (right)  is visible just off the Reception desk, and the hotel is under strict instructions to not touch it, not paint it, or even dust it. Linked to it is hanging seats, which can be used by guests to the hotel. Architect for the project was Thomas Heatherwick from Heatherwick Studio in the U.K., working in conjunction with local Rick Brown Associates Architects.<\/p>\n

The Silo Hotel will be linked to the \u00fcber Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), which will open alongside, and the two entities share the fourth and fifth floors of the building.  Zeitz MOCAA is a non-profit partnership with the Waterfront, and Kenyan-based Jochen Zeitz’s art \"\"collection will form part of the opening collection. <\/p>\n

We went by lift to the 11th floor, to The Silo Rooftop Bar and light meal eatery. One walks past green-striped deck ‘loungers’ to get to the eatery and bar tables. An informal counter allows the staff to prepare the drinks and meals. A Green Egg is used to prepare the meals, the only cooking facility for this level. We were intrigued by the mix of furniture on the rooftop, some chairs with woven backs, giving a hexagonal effect, reflecting the design in each window of the hotel, whether the lounge, dining room, the Bar, the bedrooms, or bathrooms. We were unanimous in not liking the yellow umbrellas, in that they do not reflect the luxury fittings elsewhere in the hotel. A surprise too was the artificial grass on the Rooftop, but it was explained to us that it was a water-saving measure. Heaters,  blankets, and a canopy cover are planned for the Rooftop. <\/p>\n

It was on the Rooftop that we met Wes du Plessis, The Duty Manager, who was previously at La \"\"
\nResidence in Franschhoek; GM Luis Pinheiro, who was formerly at the Leeu Collection in Franschhoek (right); Simon Mandy, The Royal Portfolio General Manager Sales & Marketing, who was hands-on in helping out on The Silo Rooftop; Andr\u00e9 Pieters, Guest Relations Manager; Executive Chef Veronica Canha-Hibbert, formerly of Ellerman House;  and the ultimate first prize, owner Liz Biden. I had been to events at La Residence in Franschhoek, another The Royal Portfolio property, and had seen Liz from a distance, so was delighted that I could personally congratulate her on the magnificent new property.  She was with Colleen Kosoy, her \"\"close friend and colleague in decorating The Royal Portfolio properties. The hands-on owner immediately observed that the window cleaners had left the ropes behind, potentially visible to guests. We realized that with so much glass in the building the windows would have to be cleaned very frequently. I will post a separate review of The Silo Rooftop.<\/p>\n

The Silo Rooftop top new Cape Town lunch and drinks venue, highest open bar and eatery!<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n