New life for an old dame: The Mount Nelson hotel freshens up

A discreet evolution has taken place at The Mount Nelson. The grande dame of South African hotels has been given a contemporary, even quirky, touch-up that has helped it to No 28 in the global ranking of The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2024.

In its 125 years as a landmark in Cape Town, The Nellie has seen wars and hosted celebrations and celebrities. Winston Churchill stayed there upon arrival to report on the South African War, Bill Clinton’s bodyguards wanted to trim its palm trees (and were denied permission), Oprah and John Lennon meditated in its gardens. Last year on the patio Sting had a table next to mine.

Its 198 rooms and suites are spread over several buildings in magnificent gardens across 3.6ha. Among enduring experiences there are having cocktails at The Planet Bar, and high tea; now there are also pop-ups, contemporary African art events and collaborations with fashion designers.

The exterior’s salmon colour remains, a tribute to the hotel’s second manager, Italian Aldo Renato, who painted it pink in celebration of the end of World War 1. Inside the décor is no longer tired and twee and floral; it has been replaced with bold art, creating a more frisky approach.

The art is accompanied by music with more oomph. You can hear Henry Dike on the piano swirling the keys with panache. Over the strains of Moon River and The Piano, general manager Tiago Moraes Sarmento says Dike can pick up a tune just by listening to it.

Last year there was a flunky playlist behind the annual Confections x Collections, where models weave past tables sashaying gorgeous clothes, and the annual event takes place again in November. Sarmento says The Nellie has partnered with more top designers. One of them was Sindiso Khumalo, who has shown in New York, London and Paris but not in Cape Town, until last year. The Nellie is about to launch a full set of porcelain designed by Khumalo that will set the scene for high tea.

Sarmento, a native of Porto with a passion for rugby, assumed his post as general manager at the tail-end of Covid with the goal of retaining  part of the hotel’s historical identity while taking the building into the 21st century. “There’s a fine line when you do that,” he says.

Some of the details of the new look are playful: sugar and sweetener packaged in a dusky pink with images of the hotel’s palm trees, which were planted 100 years ago and still line its entrance. The staff uniform has changed from straight black and white to a 1930s art-deco style with a splash of colour. The concierge wears a pink jacket, an echo of the pink of the hotel.

The Planet Bar is known for its classic cocktails. There’s the conventional dry martini, the old-fashioned negroni and one of the best sellers, Rose on Rose, with rose petal, pink gin, pink wine and a bit of spice.

There are two new cabanas at the swimming pool, where you can rent a cabin for a day and maybe throw a pool party.

Outside the hotel entrance is a pink Kombi to take guests around the city and there is also a culinary tour.

Sunday brunch is back, with jazz in the Oasis restaurant, and there’s a good old South African braai on Saturdays.

“The goal has been to make sure that everyone feels comfortable here,” says Sarmento. There are options that appeal to a younger market; with “certain passion points you can have people together”, Sarmento says, then adds: “It will never be bling.”

The new focus on art is cutting edge in its collaboration with the Norval Foundation’s extensive collection, breaking the idea of The Nellie being a “stuffy old hotel”. French conceptual artist Daniel Buren’s exhibition was launched in February and ended this month.

Sarmento expects the fountain at the heart of the hotel’s gardens to be a big hit. Offerings there include food trucks with fare likely to be Mediterranean, such as antipasti and even pizza. The idea is for you to come for coffee at 11am, then get a burrata, possibly a glass of wine, after that call someone, who comes round, and all of a sudden it’s 9pm. Through it all, there is good music piping in.

There is more contemporary history and tradition at play. LVMH bought The Mount Nelson’s owner, Belmond, in March 2019 to increase its presence in the luxury tourism market with its influence seeping through. LVMH has 76 different maisons (a French word for house), each with full autonomy, so you might increasingly see different brands of champagne such as Veuve Clicquot and Moët.

“Everything we do across all the maisons has to be top luxury. There should never be a reason to go a step below,” says Sarmento. “It needs to be at a higher level of luxury, otherwise don’t bother. And I think we correlate a lot with that concept at The Mount Nelson.”

The stay and the treats

On arriving at The Mount Nelson, my daughter and I were each given two bead bracelets — one in the colours of the South African flag, the other in the salmon pink of the hotel’s exterior. We were whisked to The Lord Nelson hotel suite, which feels like an apartment, features a mix of textures and artwork and is surrounded by a thin balcony.

The suite has an expansive marble bathroom and even a kitchenette with all amenities, including a microwave and a coffee machine. It’s in the Green Park, one of three separate buildings that make up the hotel.

High tea was a highlight for my little girl, who was presented with a child option. The ladies at the table next to us just about swooned over the cake pops, the cucumber and carrots, and the hummus and caramel popcorn.

Also a hit was the well-kitted children’s room, where she was happy to spend hours hanging out.

Breakfast and the jazz brunch are in the Oasis room close to the pool. It’s airy, and bubbly is served. Lunch ranges from Sunday roasts to chicken, fish and a vegetarian option, and even oysters and soups.

If you prefer, lunch is served at the Oasis. It is spacious and comes to life on a spring or summer’s day, when you’re able to enjoy the sumptuous views close to the pool. The roasted local kingklip and the burrata salad are worth returning for.

What sets The Mount Nelson apart is its pedigree. Sitting at breakfast on Sunday morning there was a man in his 70s with his dog. He has been coming to stay for the past 30 years, and now that he lives in Cape Town he is a regular breakfast customer. He loves it and appreciates the service; it’s a place to relive old memories. “There’s nowhere else like it,” he says.

* The writer was guest of the hotel. The story originally appeared in the Financial Mail.