Harmony in immaculate aesthetics and faultless service
Cape Town is a city beaming with beauty. From the striking wonderment of Table Mountain, to the unbridled excitement of waves crashing along the Atlantic Seaboard, drop-dead gorgeous hides behind every corner. It can be extremely daunting, therefore, to live up to that standard of effortless allure. Derwent House has managed to sit pretty for over 10 years.
Since Anahaid and her husband, Armin, bought the site five years ago, they have revived the beloved boutique hotel - Anahid adding fresh pops of colour to break the monochromatic interior they inherited from the previous owners.
"This location is prime. We're close to some of the best restaurants in the city, but when you're in the hotel, it feels like you're transported somewhere else," the Canadian expat explains.
And this is what sets this eclectic hotel apart. After a few days in the Winelands, being thrown back into the cosmopolitan of the Cape metropolitan is filling me with dread, so I am happy to leave the cries of car horns and skateboards scratching along sidewalks on the other side of the hotel walls for a few hours.
Luca, the fresh faced General Manager, greets me with a chilled Chenin Blanc and we stretch out along the pool.
"What makes boutique hotels so great is that we make sure our guests feel taken care of. It's a very unique experience," he says. From the moment you check in, the staff will help your organize a fun-filled itinerary of everything from hiking trips and SUP-ing, to wine tours and art crawls. Home bodies wanting to rest and recharge are also taken care of with a gorgeous pool and hot tub, or at the afternoon gin bar and wine display that happens daily.
Though I have a full dance card, Clare, the Front of House, is armed with the telephone, ready to suggest and make reservations to my heart's content.
By the time I settle in, the effects of the Wade Bales Wine and Malt Whiskey Affair I attended last night is catching up to me. But I order a gin cocktail and wander through the vibrantly decorated hotel.
The main lounge is a tasteful curation of commissioned pieces, completed by local artist. It is a feast for all my senses.
Cape Town's landscape is celebrated through diverse colours and textures that work in complete harmony.
Every piece makes a statement without pulling any attention from the immaculate artifact posed next to it.
I've craned my neck around every nook of the hotel, and it's about time to retreat to my accommodations and grab a disco nap before the Mother City wraps me in her festive embrace for the evening. As I slowly ascend the stairs up to my private studio apartment, I am tickled by the cape aloe wallpaper in front of me. The terracotta painted walls on either side hug me in the warmth of their hue.
I am reminded of home. I can hear the guttural calls of Nguni cows grazing on my mothers farm on a warm day. Immediately sliding out of my heels, I quietly slip into the calmness of the breeze and the stillness of the surprising silence I've been invited into.
I walk from one of my private balconies to the other, deciding where I will laze at dusk. The bedroom balcony offers a breathtaking view of Table Mountain and I decide that will be where I watch the sunrise when I crawl back in for the night. From bed, I'll be able to enjoy the show in comfort.
So I turn around and head out onto the second balcony, passing the living area as I go.
Though the service has been incredibly attentive, the interior design is what impresses me. It is clear that Anahid has thought through creating an inviting, homely atmosphere that gives you a great apprecation of not just Capetonian, but South African, culture - that of a welcoming comfort. Ububele if we are speaking the tongue of our mothers.
Waking up to a full breakfast after a social Saturday night is heaven from Derwent House Boutique Hotel. "Check out at your own leisure," Luca says and it is music to my ears. I steep myself in my seat like the tea lazing in my cup, contemplating whether to cancel my wine tasting plans and exhaust the hospitality of the wonderful staff. The sun is being incredibly forgiving, and one final lounge next to the pool will beef up my write-up, I bargain. But my stringent upbringing reminds me that it is the utmost insult, to a host, to overstay your welcome.
Gathering myself, I say my final goodbyes to the staff and the gorgeous hotel that has catered to my whims for the last 24 hours. Admiring the decorations one last time, I commit all the pieces to memory. They've gifted me with such a sense of serenity and peace. My third eye needs to return to this place during my daily meditations as, I realize, it has become my happy place.
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The #sculleryblog trip to #capetown was entirely to short, but it was heaps of fun. We visited Babylonstoren, and even ate at the award-wining Babel restaurant. Keep out for those reviews.
The #scullerymaiden will also be writing about other winter warmer accommodation options if you find yourself in the Mother City.
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