Continuing our look at Cape Point in the late 2020s. The numbers on the left correspond with the Cape Point map listing, the letter and number in brackets [eg: (G3)] are the map grid references.
43. Metropole Luxury Coffin (hotel) (I3)
The capsule hotel Metropole Luxury Coffin is an oasis of last-chance affordability.
While the building and the racks look ramshackle and unsafe, the inside of the capsules are pretty secure, fairly sound resistant and fully opaque. Some may not be too clean, however… A sheet of worn temperfoam carpets the 'floor', a 14" LCD screen is mounted in the ceiling (but may be damaged) along with a coin/card slot - the TV here is pay per view and can be used as a videophone too.
Every floor has a communal washroom, with rubberised tiles and plastic mirrors siliconed to the walls, copied wholesale from prison specs. The whole place reeks of cheap disinfectant. Each floor also has a selection of vendomats that dispense toiletries, pre-packed food, beverages, cigarettes and porn. The hotel is accessed via a turnstile once you have paid for a capsule and the key token has been dispensed.
A cleaner with an industrial pressure-washer comes once a week, along with the manager who is there to simply collect the money and glance over the place.
44. Hyatt Transmetropolitan (hotel) (E3)
From the lobby voice-over:
"… a global hospitality company with a widely recognised, industry leading brand and a tradition of innovation developed over their sixty-five-year history. Hyatt hotels are places to enjoy, socialise and entertain.
Signature elements of the Hyatt group include dramatic and energetic lobby environments, innovative dining options, state of the art technology, spa and fitness centres and comprehensive business and meeting facilities. Hyatt customers are experienced individual business and leisure travellers. The hotels also cater to conferences, corporate meetings and social gatherings of all sizes.
311 hotel rooms and suites, 50 luxury residential apartments, 3 restaurants, the Grand Ballroom plus the Hyatt Transmetropolitan Business and Exhibition Centre with 7 meeting rooms and 3 boardrooms. Limousine and car hire, airport transfers, private aerodyne pads and leading-brand stores are available to guests. Security is provided by Hyatt and their operatives are trained in Europe."
The Hyatt has 3 popular bars:
The Lounge
Located adjacent to the lobby, the imposingly fashionable Lounge is the place to see and be seen. From the designer furniture and lighting fixtures to two large open fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows in the conservatory and a spectacular view, The Lounge is a truly exclusive and unique experience. The finest selection of exclusively imported teas, speciality coffees, cocktails and beverages, together with a carefully selected range of snacks and viennoiseries are available throughout the day. Dress code: Casual, Non-smoking tables available, Location: Lobby level, Hours: Daily 7:00 am to 1:00 am.
JJs
JJ's bar is located on the 2nd level of the Hyatt Transmetropolitan. JJ's guests can sip their drinks while watching the big-screen television at the bar. The intimate atmosphere invites people to catch up on gossip with friends and makes for a perfect setting to enjoy pre- and post-dinner drinks. Stay and dance until the early hours of the morning on JJ's dance floor.
JJ's bar is open to hotel guests and non-residents. Dress code: Casual, Hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 pm until the early hours of the morning.
The Terrace
Cool, breezy and flirty, The Terrace is the ideal place to unwind after a long day. Escape to an exclusive and divine new environment and be seduced by the sensations that await you… cool sofa seating, sleek cocktail bar, soothing water features and majestic landscaping. Chill out whilst listening to the latest music. The largest variety of freshly squeezed tropical juices, iced teas, speciality cocktails and novel snacks provide an optimum choice for every mood. Dress code: Casual, Location: Lobby level, Hours: Daily from 4:00 pm to 1:00 am (weather permitting).
45. The Red Door Motel (K5)
On the border of the Salt River Filter Zone and the Pinelands NoGo, set back from a four lane highway lined with abandoned stores and overcrowded tenements. The central reservation is marked with chipped and fading red and white hazard striped concrete barriers riddled with bullet holes, darkened by exhaust fumes and a layer of crude graffiti.
The area around the motel is cracked concrete, patched with dried and worn tarmac. Hardy scrub grasses push through the crumbling layers. Sometimes, there can be a dozen or so vendors selling various trivial things such as chips, toiletries, medicines and the like, watched over by AKM-toting gang members cruising the periphery. An animated neon-sign of an opening and closing red door flickers above the off ramp, suspended from an old streetlight arm. Thick wires are taped in place and run to a filthy green junction box clearly opened with a cutting torch. Fat moths batter themselves to death against the neon.
The motel itself is a long, low, corrugated-acrylic building, the materials acquired from a variety of industrial sources and painted many different shades of red. This patchwork paint-job on scrap material makes the place look very fragile. There are 15 doors running down the length of the building on each side and a main door that leads to a central corridor and the office. The doors are a variety of colours, with white plastic numerals. Several generations of satellite dishes are clustered on the roof. Small UPVC windows are set into the shell.
Inside, the structure is reinforced with steel beams with a thick coat of red paint. The walls of the rooms are made of fire-board with foam layers between, hastily painted white. Each humid room has a double bed, night stand, ceiling fan, bare lamp and a small brushed chrome bathroom - watch out for the spiders and the roaches. Pay TVs and pay phones have also been fitted securely. The small windows can be opened but have a reinforced steel grill on the inside with enough space to get your hand through. The decor is mismatched and the sheets are disposable. The bedding is sealed inside polythene wrapping and laid out in the centre of the stained and worn mattresses. More can be bought from vendomats at the end of the corridor. Birth control vending machines can be seen in the corridor and in each of the bathrooms, although many have been wrecked. The office is inside the building. The owner lives in a concrete building to the rear of the property. Two staff man the office most of the time. Prostitution is common here. The Observatory district's ragged Fuller dome can be seen in the distance.
46. Easy-Pod (hotel) (F4)
Franchise sleep-cube hotel in grey and orange liveried plastic. A plethora of vendomats on every level. Clean, cheap, secure!
Little grey and orange cleaning drones dart from little cubby holes when the LAN sensors are picking up minimal motion, vibration and acoustics. Compared to the Metropole this place is professional and luxurious. Staff are on hand wearing their grey and orange short-sleeved shirts (usually ethnic Africans, Indians or Malays). Security is provided by a low grade AI with access to hidden weapon ports and a direct line to the PSA.
47. The Radisson (hotel) (EX)
Luxury voice-responsive hotel rooms by the Atlantic Ocean coast. 177 bright and elegantly designed hotel rooms, with 11 two-bedroom Suites and 58 Business Class Rooms furnished with private balconies and breathtaking views of Table Mountain and the private marina. All rooms come complete with free high-speed, wireless net access, minibar and coffee and tea provisions. Offering one of the best restaurants in The Hub, this luxury hotel features Tobago's Restaurant, presenting local and international cuisine and a vast selection of fine South African wines. Tobago's Bar and Terrace boasts the perfect location to catch the 'gorgeous' sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. The spacious Harbour View Room overlooks the private marina and is the ideal location for private events with an unmatched setting - this room boasts a unique seaside boardwalk and overlooks the private marina. The Radisson can provide dedicated Meetings & Events co-ordinators as well as onsite security.
48. Hilton Cape Point (hotel) (B6)
All of the modern guest rooms in the hotel boast large windows, impressive polymer flatscreen TVs and complimentary net access. Upgrade to an Executive Room for stunning views of Table Mountain or the city and access to the Executive Lounge, with complimentary breakfast, canapés and drinks.
Hold a conference for up to 140 guests in one of 8 meeting rooms which offer the very latest in audio/visual technology and ensure your event is a success with the Hilton business centre. Start the day with breakfast in Bistro 126, savour authentic North Indian cuisine in the elegant Mezbaan Restaurant and sip cocktails and relax with a fragrant shisha pipe in the exotic Signal Hill Terrace Lounge & Restaurant. Work out in our Fitness Centre or soak up the glorious South African sunshine with stunning views of the Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain in the outdoor swimming pool (radiation and UV levels permitting).
49. The Cape Royale (hotel) (C2)
The Cape Royale Hotel and Residence is a luxury all-suite property with a wonderful backdrop of Table Mountain and the Ocean, within easy reach of the V&A Waterfront. The hotel is situated along a picturesque avenue in Green Point - a cultured and secure part of Cape Point. It offers 92 spacious, luxuriously furnished guest suites, all with views of the waterfront and Table Mountain. Onsite facilities include a health spa, fitness room, rooftop swimming pool and pool-side bar.
50. Victoria & Alfred (hotel) (E1)
You can feel the ambience of old colonial Cape Town as you step into the foyer, sense the past of shipwrecks and storms that colour every corner, then relax in the elegant contemporary bedrooms… and savour the atmosphere of the world’s most famous working harbour.
Built in 1904 as the North Quay Warehouse and converted in 1990 to a luxury hotel, it is named in honour of the Queen of England and her son. Prince Alfred visited the Cape in 1870 and officially opened the Breakwater basin, today’s Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. It’s the precise details that gives the Victoria & Alfred Hotel its elegance, intimacy, romance and reputation… the wooden staircase, the telescope, flowers and the service… friendly and efficient yet never intrusive.
Then there are the bedrooms – 94 spacious, air-conditioned, en-suite rooms spread over three floors. Our superior luxury double rooms boast separate bath, shower and toilet, king-sized beds and are creatively styled and well-appointed. All have coffee and tea on tap, with private bar, electronic safe, pay-per-view television, wireless high speed net access… every room has a view over the ever-awake Alfred Basin or Piazza.
On both the first and second floor, there are Mountain and Piazza facing Junior Suites. All Piazza Junior Suites will offer a dining area, perfect for in-room dining and small meetings of up to six (6) persons, while The Mountain Junior Suites have a dedicated 4-seater lounge area which can seamlessly be converted into a romantic dining space. Polymer flatscreens are also data compatible and are able to connect to a laptop or modem for data projection and can swivel to face the seating areas. The third floor is home to 26 sophisticated superior loft bedrooms – the ideal space for visitors seeking a cosmopolitan experience with all the refined luxury that the Victoria & Alfred Hotel shamelessly boasts.
51. Southern Sun (hotel) (F2)
While being less than fancy, this spartan and least ritzy of hotels gets the job done. The hotel's quality is rated at three stars, yet room prices are equal to most two-star establishments. The basement, playfully referred to as 'the drawers' by hotel patrons and employees, is filled with over one hundred cramped sleep cubicles at bargain basement rates.
52. Westin Grand Quays (hotel) (F3)
The five star Westin Grand Quays hotel is centrally located in Convention Square at the entrance to the famous Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. This convenient location allows guests to reach, within easy walking distance, old Cape Town’s many attractions, including a wide selection of restaurants, bars, nightlife, monuments, museums, shopping centres, the Cape Point central business district, as well as direct links to all the tourist highlights in and around this bustling city. The guest rooms and suites at The Westin are decorated in warm tones with modern, yet comfortable furniture. Guests are invited to experience the unique all-white Westin Heavenly Bed® as well as the refreshing Westin Heavenly Shower® which are unique to Westin hotels worldwide.
The 483 spacious and modern guest rooms, with their fully glazed impact resistant façades, provide magnificent floor-to-ceiling views over Cape Town, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, the Table Bay Harbour, and the scenic outlying mountain ranges including Lions Head, Signal Hill and the magnificent Zi Arcology.
Rooms are equipped with all the modern conveniences, including complimentary wireless net access and state-of-the-art communication technology. The all-white Westin Heavenly Bed®, with its custom designed pillow-top mattress set, cosy down blanket, crisp sheets, comforter, duvet, and plush pillows promises a wonderful night’s sleep. The elegant bathrooms feature under-floor heating as well as the Westin Heavenly Shower®. With double shower heads, extra wide jet radius, and various spray settings, they guarantee an exceptional shower experience.
A full range of massages including hot stone, shiatsu, deep tissue, and Swedish are available as well as full-body treatments for revitalising and rejuvenating in addition to health and wellness assessments and consultations. In the WestinWORKOUT® Gym, which is fitted with the latest equipment, guests have access to the best prerequisites for maintaining their fitness program. The gym is open 24 hours daily.
A complimentary shuttle from The Westin Cape Town hotel is available to the Clock Tower at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. It leaves the hotel every half hour, with the first shuttle departing the hotel at 9am and the last shuttle leaving the Waterfront at 11:30pm. The fully equipped business centre assists with all data processing and communication needs during guests’ stay. Located in the lobby, a dedicated travel, tours and activity desk offers transport and touring services as well as a full range activities and excursions to all of the attractions in and around Cape Point and the SACR.
The Westin Grand Quays offers a delicious variety of food and beverage venues to its guests.
53. City Lodge (hotel) (C4)
Besides the hotel's comfortable accommodation facilities set in the shadow of the Zi Arcology, there are two restaurants within the hotel complex, as well as a bar which is perfect for both pre-dinner cocktails and late night liqueurs. City Lodge also has an extensive choice of banqueting venues and state-of-the-art conference facilities, making it an ideal choice of hotel accommodation for corporate travel to Cape Point. Onsite security is provided by Sentry™ - 'the choice of the professional'.
54. Best Western Cape (motel) (K2)
Off Marine Drive in the Paarden Eiland Filter Zone, this motel is a fully secured, walled village-style cluster-complex with a 3 star self catering facility in each suite. The motel has a total of 123 suites, comprising of studios and one, two or three bedroom accommodation. Serviced by 2 bars, 2 restaurants and 2 swimming-pools with spacious, air-conditioned apartments complete with fully equipped kitchens. Guests can hire an armed escort in an armoured 4x4 to travel north.
The entire site is designed to be defensible. Despite the armed security, gang tags and graffiti are prevalent.
There are one or two permanent residents here, including an ageing 50-something British surfer called Malky, a functional heroine addict and a self-styled author-philosopher (he has a blog). When he isn't catching waves secured inside his biohazard graded surf-suit, blogging, playing guitar badly, or shooting up, he will be eminently hospitable, whipping up one of his chilli mega-pots and passing around a spliff.
61. The Blue Room (restaurant) (F5)
South American food with an African twist. Brazilian samba, a relaxing atmosphere and plenty of dope. Plastic furniture with bright blue leather seating.
On the top floor, in the loft, is a small courier start-up called King Kouriers. A ramshackle crew of young mountain-bikers, scooter enthusiasts and skate-heads. Any package that can be carried by a person on a bike or board can be delivered. Amongst executives, it is seen as a luxurious novelty to have items hand-delivered by King Kouriers, and preferable if transfer via the net is deemed too risky. Outside, around the back of The Blue Room, are the rails where all the bikes are chained, as well as the external, metal fire escape stairs leading up to the courier firm.
62. Wynyard Estate (restaurant) (E1)
This steel and glass conservatory-like dining room built around a 350-year-old oak, on the edge of the exclusive Mouille Point MPZ, overlooks the beautifully tended gardens of the old Fort Wynyard.
The whole place exudes an air of exceptional quality. A bistro menu with owner Liz McGrath's own Steak and Kidney Pie and crispy fish-and-chips recipe is competitively priced for lunch. The dinner menu offers more elegant options such as truffled celery root soup with a shallot tarte tatin and celery root rémoulade or tian of soft-shell crab with aubergine and avocado as starters. Panfried sole served with scallop paupiettes, steamed potatoes, tomato fondue, baby fennel, and ginger velouté is a great entrée option. Roasted quail and veal sweetbreads are joined by mushroom mille-feuille, ham and leeks, pumpkin, and a sherry quail jus. The Dark and White Chocolate Plate is taken from the owner's published cookbook, The Collection Cookbook (2019). Ask for beverage manager Miguel Chan's assistance with ordering the wine, as he has succeeded in securing every vintage of nearby Klein Constantia's famous Vin de Constance. Due to the location, there is never a moment where the restaurant is not secure.
63. African Sun (restaurant) (E2)
Tourist oriented it may be, but it would nevertheless be a pity to miss out on this vibrant restaurant in a historic 18th-century former home, with its African decor and city views. Fresh-fruit cocktails accompany a communal feast, with dishes originating from Ethiopia to Zambia, from Kenya to Angola. There are no starters or entrées, but rather a tasty series of patties, puffs, and pastries accompanied by addictive dips, along with dishes like Botswanan seswaa masala, a game-meat curry traditionally served at weddings and funerals, and an East African mchicha wa nazi (spinach cooked in a coconut milk sauce). Vegetarian dishes are plentiful, including the Soweto chakalaka (a fiery cooked-vegetable relish). Poppy seed cake with vanilla ice cream is the prix-fixe dessert. The cost of this colorful prix-fixe abundance is 125eb per person. Wines from Cape estates are available, or you can ask for umqomboti beer, brewed from sorghum or millet.
64. The Leeuwenhof (restaurant) (F4)
Named after the old official residence of the Premier of the Western Cape, this is a thoroughly modern eatery in the heart of the Hub. Real wood is juxtaposed with brushed steel and matt polymers beneath subdued, ambient lighting. Multiple course meals or light snacks are both served here. You'll pay more for a sandwich than you should have to, but the place and people are pretty and the free net access is the great appeal, with many people, especially those with computers, favouring the long communal table. Most overlook the poor service and consider the hipster vibe reason enough to visit. Security systems are very sophisticated and unobtrusive.
65. Saigon (restaurant) (E2)
Vietnamese eatery owned by a large 3rd generation Vietnamese family with ties to the Bhin Xuyen. Incredibly classy decor throughout and expensive menu. The food is excellent, however. Rumours are rife regarding the family's other interests including gun-running from the old country and counterfeit cybernetics smuggling from the Federated States of Micronesia. White noise screens shield diners from the other patrons.
66. Happy Wok (restaurant) (H3)
Large Cantonese restaurant popular with The Hub's mid-level crowd. Rumoured to be Triad owned but actually in the hands of the Kombinat. The AR menus are the height of digital sophistication and are renowned as an entertainment in their own right. Otherwise, it's a pretty tacky place.
67. Bardelli’s (restaurant) (E4)
Expensive Italian restaurant frequented by civil servants and low-level executives. A good place to pick up information on the undercurrent of The Hub from the people who are making it happen. Clients are screened for weaponry before entering. Live jazz most evenings.
Chef-owner Giorgio Bardelli is so passionate about using only the finest ingredients that he catches his own fish and vat-grows his own beef-slab. Diners will be hard-pressed to find better Milanese cuisine. The paper-thin beef carpaccio '95' is drizzled with homemade mayonnaise and topped with fresh arugula and parmesan shavings. When Georgio manages to catch uncorrupted tuna, he serves it seared with cherry tomatoes, capers, and olives he grows on the roof terraces. The butternut-squash-filled ravioli with brown sage butter is sublime, and the soft-centred chocolate soufflé is the benchmark for every other. With its bentwood chairs, the upstairs interior is Eames-inspired; downstairs, the exposed stone reveals the building's ancient history, which began in 1682.
*with apologies to the denizens of VftE for bastardising any of their ideas. :)
