From its prominent location overlooking the Sea Point Promenade, The Winchester Hotel, with its gracious Cape Dutch-style gables and palm-lined balconies, has long been a landmark of Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard region. This December, in time for the festive season, the much-loved hotel announces several exciting new developments. These include the opening of an in-house spa and a lavish new suite. Harvey’s Bar and the hotel’s well-known Shoreditch restaurant are also relaunching following a stylish refurbishment.
CEO of Newmark Hotels & Reserves, Neil Markovitz, explains that The Winchester Hotel underwent a R90 million refurbishment in 2021 which coincided with Newmark Hotels & Reserves taking over the management of this characterful property. This refurbishment focused on modernising the hotel and its rooms in line with the needs of the contemporary traveller.
“Now, 2 years later, the finishing touches have been added to complete The Winchester Hotel’s transformation. During both this and the 2021 refurbishment much care has been taken to honour the history and nostalgia of this 100-year-old property. We are incredibly pleased with the results which have created elegant new spaces for guests to enjoy while retaining the innate charm of this beautiful property,” added Markovitz.
The new Sanctuary Spa
Built in the Arcadia heritage building that was once the home of the family that own The Winchester Hotel, the new Sanctuary Spa transports guests to a bygone era. During development much consideration went into retaining the heritage of this building with its sweeping wooden staircases, art nouveaux stained glass windows, pressed ceilings, and vintage tiles. The result is a peaceful sanctuary of only three treatment rooms (individual or couple treatment configuration options) that combines classical style with modern wellness treatments.
The Sanctuary Spa Group has compiled a portfolio of unique treatments for The Winchester Hotel. These take inspiration from the world’s finest therapies, rituals and healing applications and combine these with modern techniques to promote restoration. Spa treatments include touch therapies such as reflexology, CBD sports massages and cupping ceremonies. Guests can choose from a range of massages such as the hot lava shell massage for deep tension relief or the jet-lag massage designed for guests arriving from overseas. Skincare treatments include collagen renewal treatments and neo-tissuedermie treatments focusing on facial areas prone to elasticity loss. The spa also offers pedicures, manicures, tints, wax treatments, and body wraps.
Sanctuary Spa recommends the Absolute Spa Escape package. This 2h30 minute treatment begins with a welcome foot caress, breathwork and sound healing before a soothing four-
element combination treatment of steam heated compressors and warm body clay commences. As your journey continues flowing massage techniques combine fynbos oils and hot lava shells to target specific problem areas.
The Arcadia Suite
The first floor of the heritage building is now home to the luxurious new Arcadia Suite. Two airy ensuite bedrooms open onto a plantation-style balcony furnished with deep wicker armchairs and white linen shade curtains. The Arcadia Suite lounge is another pleasant and reposeful space for guests to enjoy which features couches, bookcases, reading lamps and occasional chairs.
Shoreditch Restaurant
Relaunching in time for festive season dining, the refurbished Shoreditch Restaurant interior has petrol blue leather booths, charcoal-coloured walls and oversized parasol-style lampshades in a vibrant coral hue. These pendant lights add an unexpected twist of colour, cocooning each dining space as evening unfolds. French doors open onto the balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean where the coastal-colonial feel is reinforced by towering palm trees interspersing the tables. A beautiful marble bar opens from the restaurant onto the Winchester Hotel’s courtyard. This area, with its vivid magenta bougainvillea and monochrome patterned floor tiles, is one of Cape Town’s most Instagramable dining spaces.
In line with global fire cooking trends and South Africa’s ongoing love affair with the braai, Shoreditch Restaurant’s new menu will continue to enhance the flavour of all of its dishes through the open-flame and coal style cooking that the restaurant is known for.
“The new menu includes a variety of small plate dishes and enticing main courses such as wagyu beef burgers and seared tuna steaks. Communal plate sharing is encouraged so that guests can sample a variety of different flavours. Our signature dishes include unique meat cuts, such as our dirty rib-eye steak cooked directly on the coal beds for an intensely smokey taste. Our 1.2kg Florentine steak is served sliced for a family to share together with complementary sides such as pit roasted sweet potatoes,” says Shoreditch Restaurant’s Owner-operator, Rory Jossel.
Harvey’s Bar
Recently mentioned by TimeOut in their itinerary of a perfect day in Sea Point, Harvey’s Bar at The Winchester Hotel is a place where Cape Townians have gathered for decades for sundowners and celebrations. The refurbished venue is now more resplendent than ever, featuring a gleaming Art Deco bar, ochre stools, leather-upholstered booths, green marble terrazzo tables and hand-painted canvas ceiling murals.
“We’ve always been the home of the G&T in Cape Town and have designed a refreshing new cocktail menu for our relaunch. We serve an excellent variety of wines from several different areas
in South Africa. Last but not least, we boast a proudly South African Cap Classique menu for stylish celebratory occasions. This summer guests can also enjoy sunset DJ sets on the terrace and Sunday afternoon jazz sessions,” adds Jossel.
“Our team is excited about the significant refurbishments that have taken place at the hotel. We are confident that our guests will appreciate the improvements and have an event better stay with us,” said Walda Lloyd, GM for The Winchester Hotel.
