Ellerman House

Ellerman House is undoubtedly the most beautiful address in Cape Town by the sea. It is a privilege to stay there. It is an imposing family villa, set on the slopes of Bantry Bay 10 minutes from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, offering a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean. Its Edwardian architecture, its pale pink facades cut with arches and columns, its rooms opening onto large terraces enclosed by white balustrades, and its majestic staircase descending toward lush gardens dotted with exotic flowers, palm trees, and sculptures, around a superb art deco pool circled with marble, give it an elegance worthy of the villas of the French Riviera or the shores of Lake Como. This lush setting preserves the villa from the urban density and overly contemporary architecture of Bantry Bay. The interiors are not to be outdone. Woodwork, polished hardwood floors, a series of comfortable lounges where a grand piano sits at times, a library at others, plush sofas in front of the hearth of comforting fireplaces in this austral winter, amidst an impressive collection of paintings by South African masters. One immediately feels very comfortable in this plush and aesthetic atmosphere. The welcome there is remarkable. It starts at the airport with a liveried chauffeur and a comfortable, quiet limousine. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Prince, one of the Guest relation managers, who gave us a tour of the villa and our room. We had chosen deluxe room #1 on the floor plan provided by Ellerman House. The room is located right across from the main entrance of the villa, which avoids unnecessary walking: it is separated from the hallway by a double door. It is a corner room, opening onto a spacious terrace furnished with comfortable lounge chairs with a stunning view of the sea. The room includes a large and comfortable king size bed, a desk, a small sitting area, two luggage racks (rare), and a large, very functional closet designed for two people (very rare). The room is decorated with paintings, engravings, and very beautiful books on the sites and wines of South Africa. The lighting, air conditioning, and safe are easy to use. The bathroom, very spacious and bright, because it opens onto the terrace, includes a double vanity, a walk-in shower, a bathtub, and heated towel racks. One drawback: no separate toilet, which could have been installed in place of the bathtub. The laundry service is remarkable: the laundry is delivered in a cardboard box. Every evening, room service leaves a slip summarizing the next day's activities, transfers, and reservations. Which speaks volumes about the establishment's level of service. All the staff are in unison, taking great care of the guests, in every department from the front desk to the concierges, from the restaurant to the housekeepers, including the pool staff. Every morning, a guest relation manager would come to see us at breakfast to ask if everything was going well and what we had done the day before to strike up a conversation. For our dinners out, all our travel was organized by Ellerman House in remarkable conditions of safety and comfort. You feel cocooned in this beautiful house. Breakfast is an exceptional moment, taken on the outdoor terrace, with a view of the sea and the gardens. Here, there is no buffet, but table service, and à la carte, in addition to the platters of smoked salmon, cold cuts, cheeses, fruits, and pastries served automatically. We had the pleasure of being served by Valérie, a competent, funny, and friendly waitress, with whom it was pleasant to chat. We dined twice at the One Eighty restaurant. The service there is pleasant, the cuisine tasty, the wine cellar remarkable (9,000 bottles). We particularly enjoyed the mussels, seafood pasta, meager, springbok, and an excellent chocolate tart. The tables are spaced sufficiently apart in a very cozy atmosphere. For those with a sweet tooth, a self-service "pantry" offers cakes at any time of the day. Ellerman House only offers about ten rooms, far from all being occupied this season, so we often had our meals with only one other table occupied. In the evening, we were the only guests to enjoy the heated pool before dinner, or the lounges after dinner. Ellerman House was the first stop on our trip to South Africa. We stayed there for 4 nights / 3 days, enough time to visit Cape Town, the Cape Peninsula, and the wine region. This stop was a delight due to its location, elegance, refinement, the quality of its welcome, and its dining: it is a house that deserves its Relais & Châteaux affiliation. We could not have dreamed of a better first immersion before discovering another family home, a 4-hour drive north in the Cederberg mountains, Bushmans Kloof.

We spent four nights at Ellerman House in July and I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable hotel experiences we’ve ever had. It’s hard to explain the magic of this place. It never feels like a hotel. It truly feels like you’ve been welcomed into someone’s beautiful home. The service is the best we’ve experienced anywhere in the world. Every interaction felt genuine and personal, never scripted. There is so much included that makes the stay feel incredibly special. The private wine tasting and cellar tour at the property were fantastic, the complimentary pantry stocked with snacks was such a thoughtful touch, and every meal we had at OneEighty was exceptional. What really sets Ellerman apart, though, are the people. Ryan, the mixologist, was one of the highlights of our entire South Africa trip. Of course his cocktails were outstanding, but it was the conversations we had with him and the chance to connect with him as a human being that we’ll remember for a very long time. We genuinely hope he’s still there when we come back. Yassir helped plan our itinerary before we even arrived and provided the best concierge service we’ve ever experienced. Every recommendation was thoughtful and perfectly suited to what we were looking for. Aslam took us on a private tour through the Winelands and gave us one of the best days of our trip. He’s incredibly knowledgeable, easy to spend the day with, and a tremendous ambassador for both Ellerman and South Africa. Moses led our private wine tasting at Ellerman and made it unforgettable. His knowledge and passion for South African wines made the experience one of our favorite parts of the stay. Athule took care of us throughout much of our stay and somehow managed to make us feel like regulars instead of first-time guests. He was warm, attentive, and made us feel completely at home. We left already talking about when we’ll come back. That’s probably the highest compliment I can give. Ellerman House is unlike anywhere we’ve stayed before, and I honestly think the only way to understand it is to experience it for yourself.

Stayed for 3 nights in this lovely Edwardian building overlooking the sea. It was only a 10 minute drive to reach the Victoria and Albert Waterside by car. We stayed during the winter, so the place was quiet and not warm enough to sunbathe or use the pool, but the outdoor area did look lovely. You do get fantastic sunsets! The room was large with its own balcony and a large bathroom. Very comfortable and we both had no problem sleeping. The food was good and the pantry was a novel, but delightful experience. The staff were very friendly and the place was very clean and tidy.