Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008 - (Page 24)

and September to January, he advises. Head Concierge Chris Noone (chris.noone@za.suninter national.com; 011-27-21-4065770) and Public Relations Manager Sarah Prins (sarah. prins@za.suninternational.com; 011-27-21-406-5009) can be contacted for special requests. Shahieda Swanepoel (shahieda. swanepoel@za.suninternational. com; 011-27-21-406-5675) is your contact for planning events and weddings. Tip: The hotel hosts jazz lunches in the Conservatory on Sundays. The Atlantic Restaurant is the place for fine dining and the Lounge, overlooking the busy waterfront, is popular for light meals, cocktails and wonderful Afternoon Tea. Driving up the palm-lined avenue to the candy-floss pink Mount Nelson Hotel (www. mountnelson.co.za) we felt we were entering an enclave of heritage luxury. And upon entering the lobby, with its exquisite, original herringbone parquet floor, and the lounge, with its muted beige elegance, our first impression was confirmed. There are six accommodation wings scattered around the luxuriant garden estate with 201 rooms and suites, all of different sizes and categories and individually decorated. The emphasis is on understated Old World elegance, with floral prints, period art, canopy beds and marble bathrooms with double vanities and oversized baths. We really loved the eight Garden Cottage Deluxe Suites beside the adults-only pool for their kitchenettes, separate bedroom, and sitting rooms and small courtyards or balconies, many with Table Mountain views. Taunton House, with seven rooms and its own private garden, is popular with film production crews and wedding parties. We were also taken by Room 700 in the Hof Villa with its green and white drapes, sitting room, canopy bed and private patio. We thought it a perfect choice for honeymooners. Musician Joe Cocker and actor Leonardo DiCaprio have all stayed in the Deluxe, Luxury and Penthouse suites and Public Relations Manager Benita Kursan (bkursan@mountnelson.com. za; 011-27-21-483-1930) told us that Paris Hilton had just left Deluxe Suite 622 in the Green Park wing, which Charlize Theron also loves. Ask General Manager Andrew Cook (acook@mountnelson. com.za; 011-27-21-483-1712) or Guest Relations Manager Joey Michael (jmichael@mountnelson. com.za; 011-27-21-483-1785) for special VIP arrangements (think diamond-shopping excursions) and to organize butlers for guests staying in the Deluxe, Luxury and Penthouse Suites. The signature dishes in the Cape Colony Restaurant are Game Potje, a stew of succulent Sprinkbok shank and Malaysian Laksa curry and coconut soup. And, for clients who are wine connoisseurs, why not arrange a gourmet dinner complete with Cap Classique, the local bubbly? The Librisa spa in three lateVictorian townhouses has eight oversized treatment rooms (four are for tandem treatments) and clients can enjoy sunset cocktails on the old balconies overlooking Table Mountain. Spa Manager Samantha Reynolds (sreynolds@mountnelson. co.za) can arrange your clients’ entire spa visit. MOUNT NELSON’s Presidential Suite is an elegant retreat; bedroom and living room shown (opposite). THE TABLE BAY HOTEL (this page), has spectacular views of the waterfront. ADVISOR INSIGHT: Warwick Blow, director of Tour d’Afrique in South Africa and a Connecticut-based U.S. representative of African Sunrise, Inc., lived in Cape Town for 14 years and still has fond memories of the city. “It is unlike any other city I have visited in the sheer variety that it offers,” Blow says. “The city sits snuggly between the towering Table Mountain and the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, making 24 it scenically one of the most breathtaking cities in the world. It offers a wonderful mix of urban sophistication and natural beauty. There is world-class shopping, wining, dining and partying on offer, and just a stone’s throw away, mountains, beaches, nature reserves and the world’s richest floral kingdom!” Blow says that he also appreciates Cape Town’s bountiful cultural activities, explaining, “the city is a melting pot of cultures from Africa and beyond. Don’t miss the chance to walk through the vibrant, colorful Bo-Kaap, home to the city’s ‘Cape Malay’ population, or a walk through downtown, now a vibrant mix of immigrants from all over the world giving the city a unique Afro-European feel.” “For those seeking a more active vacation, the city has everything from mild to wild. Several championship golf courses are within easy reach, and those seeking greater thrills can try tandem paragliding off Signal Hill or kite surfing in the crashing waves of the Atlantic, or even dive with great white sharks. No description of Cape Town would be complete without mentioning its magnificent beaches, shimmering white sand and turquoise seas. At Boulders Beach, visitors may even share a beach towel with one of the local penguins! But we warn, the water is cold!” LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | August 2008 http://www.mountnelson.co.za http://www.mountnelson.co.za

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008

Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Maui Dubai Cape Town The Capella Resort and Spa, at Pedregal Cabo San Lucas Ritz-Carlton Cancun Presidential Suites The Palazzo, Las Vegas The Water Club Arrabelle at Vail Square Ferntree The Spa at Half Moon Fall Foliage Cruises New England Strong Travel On the Horizon: Luxury Travel Expo The Pulse Traveling Shopper Leaders Speak Sightings Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.