Ellerman House Near+Far review 10/10

Why book Ellerman House

Ellerman House is for those in the know – a little microcosm of the best of Cape Town in one beautiful oceanfront plot. Occupying a former private residence, now grandly expanded, hugging the cliffs of Cape Town’s Bantry Bay, it’s a hotel for those who want the ocean, the period heritage of Cape Town, and who want to live as if they were at home – leaving the door open, wondering barefoot, and helping themselves to drinks and snacks as they go – all without seeing a bill. Ellerman House is the epitome of luxury hospitality: it’s effortless, charming, carefree and inclusive – where rooms – homely, sophisticated  – have stocked complimentary maxi bars with full-sized local gins, liqueur and snacks, board games and more, and public spaces feel like lived-in lounges – complete with the odd bar trolley to fix yourself a drink. The hotel’s private art collection is magnificent, spilling out from its walls into the garden sculptures and its own on-site art gallery – a whitewashed and modern glass structure overlooking the ocean. Above all – book for the service. The best we’ve ever experienced, ever…

Location: 9/10

The grounds are spread across a historic manor house, new outbuildings and private villas – clinging to Cape Town’s Bantry Bay cliffside and almost tumbling into the ocean. As one of the city’s most affluent and chi-ch- beach suburbs, the property sits surrounded by vast multi-million residential properties – feeling more like one itself – and offers exquisite views over the ocean, winding coastline and onto the eerie outline of Robben Island. It’s a short drive to the V&A Waterfront, a jaunt down to the beaches of the Atlantic Seaboard and a 45-minute drive to the Cape Winelands. Make sure to book an art tour and visit the Norval Foundation – and make full use of the hotel’s superstar concierge. Thanks to its central and popular location, Ubers and taxis are plentiful – making it a fantastic base for exploration, nights out and more.

The vibe: 10/10

Relaxed, family-style yet elevated, luxurious and sophisticated – a delicate mix Ellerman House Cape Town manages to completely nail. Most guests are regulars, a mix of mainly British and American and a more mature crowd. Feel free to walk from your room to the gardens barefoot, with a drink in hand, lounge in the elegant drawing rooms – by the fireplace or on the sunny terraces – use the library and other like your own home. The charming, always smiling staff encourage it – and are present, without being too present, gently nudging you to make full use of the 24/7 pantry stocked with goodies -from green juices and vegan energy bars to cakes and more.

Staying in an apartment-like suite, we leave our French doors open, potter in the gardens barefoot, and embrace the feeling of staying at a wealthy family member’s grand private home—one who’s also an art collector of note. We wake up to the sound of crashing waves and luminous green gardens that sparkle in the sun.

Rooms and suites: 10/10

There are five categories on offers. Doubles with balconies are in the main historic house, dating back to 1906, with a cosy, homely feeling and fantastic sea views. The modern wing, built in the same style and unnoticeably of another era, has a collection of balcony rooms and suites – mini apartments with their own terraces directly onto the gardens. At 1100 sq ft, ours has its own living/dining room, two bathrooms, a vast open-plan bedroom with another cosy seating area and a wrap-around terrace with sun loungers, outdoor dining hidden from other guests by foliage – with a little trellis leading directly to the brilliant green lawns. Rooms are packed with thoughtful touches that make it feel like a home and not like you’re at a hotel: a backgammon board, books, vases with fresh flowers, fruit bowl, and antique furnishings. There are two robes, one for warm weather, one for cooler, and a complimentary mini-bar stocked with South African rusks, teas, local gin and Ellerman house liqueur – and a board with citrus for cocktail making. No detail hasn’t been thought of – want it, and it’s probably there. Two modern private villas with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors, ocean views and private pools are available for exclusive use and will suit families with staff in tow.

Food and drink: 9/10

Like at home, drinking and dining are fluid at Ellerman House Cape Town and aren’t confined to restaurants and bars. For starters, there are minibars and trolleys everywhere where guests can enjoy complimentary gin, tonics, and cocktails (wine is chargeable), and you can either make one in the room and enjoy it in the gardens. There’s one official main restaurant, the setting for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but it spills indoors onto the oceanfront terrace, and there is also a veranda. Order anything you want; the chefs will likely make it as you enjoy cold-pressed juices and a French press looking at the ocean. Lunch is relaxed on the terrace or poolside – a pizza oven is fired up each day – and dinner is more elevated – where chefs cook daily specials with seasonal produce paired with sublime South African wines – some classics and some more unusual. A room service menu is available to order 24 hours with mains – perfect for a relaxing night in your living area.

Spa and facilities: 9/10

For such a grand, old house, it’s a delightful surprise to see a modern, glass-fronted spa and wellness centre tucked away in the grounds. En route, you’ll pass the gym – comprising two small rooms with glass doors looking onto the ocean, before ascending into what feels like a private apartment dedicated to wellness. There’s a typically Ellerman table of complimentary healthy snacks and nourishing beverages, a relaxation area with sauna, steam room and sensation shower, and four treatment rooms for wellness and beauty rituals from around the world. Almost next door is this author’s favourite ‘facility’ in the hotel – a ‘Wine Gallery. Merging art and wine, the interactive space feels like stepping into a sculpture with wine-inspired artworks on the wall (think chalk from the Cape’s best wineries), a bar for wine tasting, brandy tasting lounge, champagne cellar – complete with chalk from the champagne – and a vast collection of reds and whites. Each guest gets a complimentary tasting – a great way to start the stay.

What makes Ellerman House so special is its service and attention to detail, which shine especially in its range of experiences guests can book, from culture and art tours to vineyard visits, helicopter tours, and special last-minute restaurant bookings (they’re exceptionally well-connected). The most bonkers? A trip to Antarctica – starting at Ellerman – thanks to a long-standing partnership with White Desert (it includes a private jet).

The verdict

Ellerman House Cape Town is an increasingly rare product in a world of brands tightening purse strings. It’s luxury at its truest form, offering freedom, choice, sublime service, and a true home base on holiday. If hospitality could be defined in one physical form, this would be it.

Doubles from R16,000 per night (about AED3,200); ellerman.co.za; @ellermanhousehotel

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