Cape Town - Masood, Debbie and Lovejoy were the most memorable aspect of my recent stay at the swanky 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town.
It’s a fancy joint by any standards and in the Mother City locals talk about the establishment with unabashed admiration. It’s part of the Red Carnation hotel collection in South Africa, along with Durban’s own Oyster Box.
It’s as tastefully furnished, as luxurious and expensive as its local cousin.
The Red Carnation bouquet includes the aforementioned two hotels, a lodge in the Western Cape, a castle in Ireland and hotels in Geneva, Palm Beach and a handful of posh places in London and surrounds.
Stan and Bea Tollman, a fabulously wealthy couple who started out in the 1950s in Joburg, own them all. They’re worth mentioning because of a fascinating piece in the New York Times.
The newspaper’s Charles V Bagli described Stan Tollman as “one of Manhattan’s most engaging multimillionaires, a bon vivant with a bright smile, a deep South African accent and an ever-present cigar”.
And then Bagli goes on to detail what a player Tollman is, hosting the most envied New Year’s Eve parties in Palm Beach, Florida, that attracted Robert De Niro and the like.
The Tollmans, after making a gargantuan fortune around the world, got into a spot of bother with the US taxman, as most tycoons worth their salt do.
They maintained their innocence throughout the ordeal, but six years after leaving the US in 2002 before being indicted on charges, they settled (in a video link up from London) with the US government in a $100 million plea deal, according to the NY Times.
So, they must be worth a pretty penny if they’ve still got the 12 Apostles and the other 14 boutique hotels after settling with the US taxman.
Apparently they take a keen interest in every one of their establishments and it shows in the meticulous attention to detail.
It is evident in the stylish furnishing of the 12 Apostles where quirky artworks manage to create a warm and charming atmosphere.
They’re obviously expensive, but not ostentatious. The ambience is friendly and homely.
It was as though I was bunking down at a good mate’s place, the only difference being that I don’t have a mate worth a couple of billion, nor a splendidly comfortable pad like that.
The service was brilliant. The fact that I remembered head concierge Masood, spa masseuse Debbie and waiter Lovejoy’s names is testament to their charm and effortless service.
The 12 Apostles is perched on the rocks with splendid sea views. The Leopard Bar is well frequented, as was Azure restaurant. There is another 24-hour restaurant built around a quaint conservatory that overlooks hot stone baths where guests wallow in warm water at the foot of the mountains.
The Spa treatments are wonderful. A number of locals were being pampered, perhaps evidence that the treatments are good value for money. There’s a bewildering array of soothing massages and you can get details on the hotel website: http://twelveapostleshotel.com
There are great walks to be had from the hotel and it boasts a helipad – you can catch an eight-minute ride from the hotel to the V&A Waterfront for R850 a person.
The 12 Apostles has won a clutch of awards, including being rated by Conde Nast as among the world’s top 100 resorts last year.
In season foreigners take over at R2 145 a night, but the hotel gets its fair share of locals out of season (April 1 to September 30) and the rate drops to R1 345. - Sunday Tribune