Experience a touch of European charm in Cape Town CBD
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Cape Town’s vibrant inner-city, Labotessa boutique hotel is a gorgeous urban hideaway oozing with European charm and elegance.
It is housed in a national heritage monument and one of South Africa's oldest buildings, dating back to the 1700s.
Opened in August 2019, Labotessa is nestled in the heart of Cape Town’s CBD, located in the city’s historic cobbled quarters.
The hotel overlooks Church Square, one of the city’s oldest public spaces, and stands opposite the Groote Kerk.
After seven years of meticulous planning and heritage consultation, founders Johan du Plessis and Jan Fourie reinvented the building.
“Our vision for Labotessa,” says Du Plessis, “Was always to transform this into a grand hotel on the square, as you would find in the great capitals of Europe. From the first moment, we could see the potential in this building. It has such classical European charm, and it was the perfect location for a luxury boutique hotel with a personal touch.
“Many people assume that city hotels are noisy and lack atmosphere. We wanted to tick all the boxes for a more intimate experience that is subtly memorable at every touch point for guests,” explains Du Plessis.
Labotessa is an all-suite hotel with six Signature Suites and a top-floor Presidential Suite, each with secure direct elevator access.
While each suite has its individual design touches. The design and colour scheme create a sense of continuity throughout Labotessa, accentuated by hand-picked artworks and bespoke furniture pieces.
The attention to detail is seen everywhere, from the French oak flooring and Mungo napery to the complimentary canapés that await in the in-room minibar.
In the marbled bathrooms Diptyque amenities add a unique indulgent touch. Labotessa is one of just a handful of select hotels worldwide to offer in-room amenities by this renowned French maison.
The top-floor Presidential Suite is amongst the largest in the city and promises indulgent amounts of private space with three sumptuous bedrooms and two lounges stretching across two floors.
The large open-plan kitchen, a private chef is available on request, and dining area ensure the Labotessa Presidential Suite offers an enviably exclusive escape for families and travellers to the city.
Food offerings
In the salon-style Café, low chairs and richly upholstered couches surround tables decked with vintage décor and splashes of colourful fynbos. When the weather permits, tables are set on the fringes of the historic Church Square.
The menu serves up an extensive selection of Dutch-inspired café food made simple, like buttermilk and vanilla hollandaise wafel and the signature eggs benedict at breakfast.
At lunchtime the menu offers more hearty fare, taking its cue from both Dutch and South African kitchens with broodje pittige kip of harissa-dressed chicken, dates and toasted almonds on sourdough, or a fragrant Bo-Kaap bobotie that offers an authentic taste of the Cape.
While the kitchen closes at 4 pm daily, both hotel residents and outside guests can enjoy the borreltijd menu of drinks and light bites until the early hours.
Classic cocktails, and a small wine list has been hand-picked to showcase some of the Cape’s leading boutique estates.
Fragrance and savoir-faire
Set alongside the Labotessa Café & Terrace, the Labotessa Diptyque Boutique is the only boutique of its kind in South Africa. It’s a personalised experience, with staff on hand to guide in-house guests and visitors through the heritage and craftsmanship behind the French fragrance house.
Diptyque is globally renowned for its collection of unisex eau de toilette and eau de parfum.
At Labotessa the Diptyque experience offers up to 18 different varieties of sizes and scents, alongside home fragrances, body lotions and soaps.
IOL Travel