The Nellie is the heart of Cape Town

Whether once in a lifetime or on an annual holiday to Cape Town, staying at the Mount Nelson is a must-do

Glass of Methode Cap Classique in hand we anticipate our mini holiday as the reception staff at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town sorts us out with some accommodation. Four friends, two rooms; this is an indulgent getaway on our own doorstep. We watch as the Afternoon Tea gets into full swing in the lofty lounge a couple of step away.

Same as wine and bubbly, for that matter, tea is something worth celebrating. Whether you prefer Darjeeling, Oolong or the special Mount Nelson black tea blend with rose buds from the hotel garden, it deserves to be enjoyed ceremoniously. Afternoon Tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel is the perfect occasion to grandly indulge in some of those finer pleasures. It is a five start establishment, after all.

Soon we will find out that the handmade chocolate truffles go especially well with the vanilla tea, while the sweeter fruit teas add a fresh twist to the classic scones and jam. While the afternoon tea table includes savoury snacks such as layered salmon tarts and mushroom empanadas, it’s the cheesecake and milk tartlets that remain the most popular. The Mount Nelson has been updating its offering with a Bee Sting cake and bite sized pastries yet that elegant British Colonial overtone never fades. The antique silver serving trays and sugar cube servers remains quintessentially Nellie, as the Mount Nelson Hotel is lovingly known amongst locals and loyal patrons.

It’s no wonder that this hotel is so much loved. Not only is it the pretty pink hotel and more than 100 years old, it also arguably has some of the best serving staff in the world. As soon as we’ve checked in, our luggage are whisked away to our room and reception staff member Willem quickly gives us a run down of everything on offer at the Mount Nelson Hotel while personally escorting us to our rooms.

These have been updated too. With a proper refurbishment by interior designer Shelley Rorke, the Mount Nelson Hotel is simplifying the look and feel of their rooms by choosing neutral colours rather than pastels to keep up with the times, yet the rose patterns are still present in the form of large prints on the curtains and in small design details such as on the mirrors. Dark wood is set off by silver detail and textured arm chairs in front of our window with a view of Cape Town. We dock Susan’s ipod while we unpack; what a convenient facility.

What strikes us is how stepping into the Mount Nelson Hotel instantly transports us to another world, even though we are right in the centre of Cape Town. Susan and I take a walk through the garden while our friends play tennis on the hotel grounds. Some of the trees must be at least as old as the hotel. On this midsummer’s day the roses are in full bloom and while the array of flowers look carefree and effortless the careful tending of the gardeners hint at extreme horticultural dedication.

We end up at the Planet Bar, a popular place for celebrity spotting in Cape Town – and of course, cocktails. Especially champagne cocktails. I’m not sure whether it’s the champagne bubbles or our bubbly conversation that makes us lose track of time but soon our company comes looking for us. Time for dinner.

Both of our large rooms have entertainment areas and we look forward to sharing a five star meal in this kind of privacy instead of a restaurant. The inroom dining menu indeed offers decadent starters, mains and desserts. While we are all big eaters we don’t have a massive appetite after all the tea and snacks earlier in the afternoon so we settle on sharing a carpaccio and some smoked salmon for starters. Mains include rib-eye steak, lamb cutlets and tiger prawns. Our sweet tooths are still satiated from the delights on the tea table.

The portions are large and (shall we blame it on the De Waal Shiraz?) we decide to go for a midnight swim in the hotel pool to work off some calories before going to bed. Bed, ah, laying down our weary heads on those Mount Nelson pillows feels like slowly sinking into heaven.

In heaven there is a breakfast buffet that offers a few of our favourite things. Parma ham and melon, peppered mackerel, poached eggs, salmon and capers, pasties de nata, Methode Cap Classique. We linger for hours and after the second cup of green tea I am pretty sure that my taste buds are not dreaming. Unfortunately by that time my stomach won’t allow for any more indulgences and the only thing left to do is spend some time on the loungers by the pool. The pool staff graciously puts down some pink towels and we flop onto the deck chairs for a while.

Behind the old colonial building Table Mountain and Lion’s Head are having a peak at what’s happening at the Mount Nelson’s pool today. Families are enjoying the shade of some giant palm trees while nannies are entertaining their kids inside the pool.  Wow, I think, not only does the Nellie lie in the heart of Cape Town, but it also easily captures the heart. A holiday in Cape Town doesn’t get any better than this.

by Lize de Kock

 
Read more about about the Planet Bar and the Librisa Spa at the Mount Nelson Hotel. Or, discover the Planet Restaurant in Cape Town.