Comprising a heritage wing and modern tower, the Taj Cape Town is a great city hotel. The Heritage Wing comprises the former Reserve Bank of South Africa building and Temple Chambers.
Located on the corner of Wale and Adderley Street, the Taj Cape Town is opposite St George’s Cathedral where Desmond Tutu was Archbishop and the Company’s Gardens established in 1652 by the Dutch East India Company for supplying their passing ships.
In this post:
Taj Cape Town Review
Arriving from Singapore early in the morning, I had booked an airport transfer through the hotel as this usually results in your room being ready upon arrival.
The driver was at the arrivals area with a Taj Cape Town sign when I cleared immigration and we were loaded up and driving into town in a matter of minutes. I enjoyed the scenic drive into Cape Town on an unusually sunny morning for mid-winter.
Being Australian, I had chosen to sit in the front passenger seat and the driver mentioned that the other person who often sat in the front was Demond Tutu! It turns out that he was a government driver, I assume for the South African equivalent of ComCar.
First impressions arriving at the hotel was of a classic colonial hotel with some old world charm. The front desk team were friendly and professional, but unfortunately my room would not be ready until after lunchtime.
Leaving my bags with the bell desk, I took a stroll around the city grid and also visited the Company’s Garden with a perfect view of Table Mountain as a bonus.
Upon arriving back at the hotel after lunch, my room was finally ready and I was given the keys to Room 308.
Luxury Heritage Room Review
I chose a room in the Heritage Wing of the hotel rather than the newer tower block as I had hoped for a room in the old Reserve Bank building. The room was a spacious 46 square meters and furnished most elegantly.
The king sized bed was incredibly comfortable and I really liked the overall design and detail of the room.
A welcome amenity of fruit, chocolate and wine was set out on a side table, along with a finger bowl.
The bathroom was very spacious also, and had a spacious shower plus a deep soaking bathtub.
I certainly made the most of the bathtub during my stay, along with some excellent wine from Rust En Vrede.
Breakfast Review
A full buffet breakfast was included in my room rate and the quality and variety of dishes was notable. I was waking up very early due to jetlag and certainly appreciated the cooked breakfast options.
The fruit selection was also very good with papaya, oranges and grapefruit making for a great start to the day.
Service was friendly though on occasion too efficient, with my tea being cleared away while I was at the buffet. Not quite the leisurely breakfast atmosphere at Reid’s in Madeira.
Room Service Review
After a full day tour out to the Cape of Good Hope, it was great to be able to order in and enjoy a steak in the comfort of the room. The steak was excellent, as is to be expected in South Africa, and served with a side of warm bread.
Swimming Pool
The heated swimming pool was a great amenity during my stay as a few days were rainy and cold. Too many hotel pools are form over function so I was glad to be able to swim proper laps.
Taj Cape Town Review Summary
The Taj Cape Town is an excellent historic hotel with a central location and beautiful rooms in the Historic Wing. Both breakfast and room service are of very high quality. Touches like a Jaguar house car for complimentary short trips to nearby restaurants in the evening add to the experience.
Overall, my stay was very enjoyable and I feel the Taj is underrated in the luxury hotel scene in Cape Town.
