By Anna-Marie Smith, Project Consultant Zelda Botma, Property Co-ordinator Jay van der Westhuizen Photography Fiona Barclay-Smith
The historic site, on which the Taj Hotel in Cape Town now proudly holds its elegant place, is centrally located at the top of Adderley Street, in full view of St Georges Cathedral, the Company Gardens and the majestic Table Mountain.
The site originally comprised three buildings that reflect the rich architectural cultures of a bygone era, and has been reconstructed into the Taj Hotel. The old Reserve Bank, situated on the corner of St Georges and Wale Street is a masterpiece designed by Cape Town architect, James Morris in 1932, and was inspired by the Palazzo Pitti in Florence.
In following the guidelines of Cape heritage specialists, DHK Architects and Eurocape succeeded in retaining the splendid character of this old building, now a luxury hotel with a rich historical heritage. Striking exterior features such as the deep-set arches with original ornate iron front doors, classic bronze window grills, and locally sourced granite, make for a visual feast, as well as a reminder of just how the finest attention to detail can preserve history.
The preservation of beautiful interior spaces, such as the old banking hall designed in the plan of a Greek cross, features a master crafted vaulted skylight. The strategically positioned Minstrel galleries in the double volume space of the hall and the impressive fluted columns in its original form create a powerful ambience in the graceful lounge of the new hotel.
The second building, previously known as the Temple Chambers and later owned by the Board of Executors, is a contemporary design on St Georges Mall dating back to 1896, and underwent a number of alterations and extensions to reflect the 30s architecture, a fusion of styles and fine detailing.
The third relatively modern and unremarkable building on St Georges Mall was demolished to make way for a small contemporary counterpart to complete the block. As a whole, the newly created building, fully functional in both a modern and practical sense celebrates the old and the new gracefully and has become a desirable city destination.
Boasting a total of 176 bedrooms, this home-from-home to diplomats, politicians, foreign holiday makers and locals offers a selection of 11 room types, including a split-level two-bedroom presidential suite and ten heritage suites. The restored heritage buildings house 20 luxury heritage units with views to the mountain, and ten overlooking the city. The 17 tower floors accommodate contemporary-styled rooms with panoramic views and walk-out balconies. The combination of state of the art technology with original opulence restored to its former beauty, resulted in these interiors offering visitors a warm welcome at any level.
The luxury bedrooms are decorated in a variety of styles to suit the architecture of each section of the hotel, and sumptuous bathrooms provide for maximum comfort. Magnificent marble tiles were selected for this exclusive project by Natural Stone Warehouse, which ensured top quality and consistency throughout the venue.
For total relaxation, guests can enjoy a world class health and beauty spa for any number of treatments, as well as a private gymnasium with lap pool for the more energetic. The hotel offers a variety of eateries, and retail and entertainment facilities for every occasion are located within walking distance. For those lucky enough to experience the sumptuous offerings of the Taj, only pleasure awaits.
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