Labotessa Luxury Boutique Hotel — Hotel in City Centre

My elderly mother and I wanted to travel to Cape Town to celebrate a belated birthday and Mother’s Day as we would likely not ever have the opportunity again – it was important to us that the experience be memorable. Largely based on their reviews, their beautiful website, and its central location, we booked Labotessa. It proved to be the best decision we made. Shortly after booking, I received an email from Labotessa’s Front of House Manager (Martijn) confirming our reservation and offering to make other reservations on our behalf. When we took them up on their offer, they provided us with prompt action and confirmation.

Upon arrival, Martijn greeted us personally and arranged for a small afternoon tea to be served during our check in and registration. We were then shown to our suite which was immaculate, spacious, and well appointed. The bathroom had heated floors, heated towel racks, and was stocked with high quality toiletries. The room’s windows looked out over Church Square and let in plenty of light. Our wonderful view also included an unobstructed view of Lion’s Head Peak – gorgeous. As if the sophisticated and yet peaceful décor wasn’t welcoming enough, we found a handwritten welcome note and a complimentary bottle of locally produced red wine (Stellenbosch) waiting for us. Additionally, the wet bar in the room (which was replenished each day) was stocked with complimentary juice, soda, cocktails, cheese, olives, crackers, homemade humus, and locally made nougats and would have meant that we could have stayed in the wonderful accommodations for our entire trip and been quite content.

When we (reluctantly) left our suite each day, Martijn ensured that the hotel’s car was available to take us wherever we needed to go. On the day of our arrival, for example, we were taken (free of charge) to the Table Mountain cable way so that we could visit while the weather was clear. The hotel also provided us with a complimentary ride home from the cable way and even took the scenic route home so that we could see even more of Cape Town’s beautiful scenery. This same attitude toward accommodation persisted throughout the duration of our stay: we were escorted on our short walks to nearby restaurants after dark… our umbrellas were opened and dried… issues with outside tour reservations were resolved by the staff on our behalf…

I have perhaps written too much. However, I cannot end this review without mentioning Labotessa’s cafe. Serving all-day breakfast, it offers indoor / outdoor dining that, if taken advantage of, reminds one of eating in a quaint European square. While there are multiple offerings on their menu, I would say that the chef’s eggs benedict are a must order. Topped with some of the best hollandaise sauce my mother has ever had (her words), they are exactly the right way to start your day in Cape Town. Additionally, the croissants are baked to order and are steaming as they are served. As if this deliciousness wasn’t enough, upon informing Martijn that we regretted that we could not buy their homemade peanut butter cookies to take home to our son because he is allergic to eggs, their gifted chef developed an egg-free version so that my son could enjoy a treat made especially for him. This unsolicited act exhibited not only attention to detail but uncommon kindness.

COVID has hit the hospitality industry particularly hard. I know that many establishments have had to adapt the way in which they do business to continue to employ their staff. I am sure that Labotessa has had to change the way it operates, as well. HOWEVER, it is apparent that they have not let the pandemic affect their outlook on providing personalized service. Labotessa is ready to welcome you and you would find yourself well-situated for having one of the best boutique hotel experiences available should you decide to stay with them. I know...

Our experience at the Labotessa Hotel was perfection from start to finish.

It began with the very friendly co-owner picking us up at the airport and giving us an impromptu city tour on the drive back to the hotel. He shared that the hotel had just won two huge hospitality industry awards the night before, so we were excited to see what all the hype was about! And boy did we ever. The walk into the property alone is magical. There's a beautiful little courtyard dripping in greenery that leads you to the entrance. The building, we came to found out, was one of the oldest in the city (I think he said it was originally the home of the first Governor, but I might be getting that wrong...). Inside, every detail was so thoughtful and lovely. They clearly had worked very hard to maintain some of the building's classic features and rich history while updating it to create a truly luxurious look and feel. We enjoyed some complimentary local white wine while checking in, and then up we went to our gorgeous room. The elevator opened up directly into our quite, and again, we found that every detail was meticulously thought out to provide the most comfortable, elegant experience for their guests. The decor, linens, fixtures, overall room design...all so tastefully chosen and executed!

Great design and luxury comforts are wonderful, but what really made this hotel exceptional for us was the kindness and warmth of the staff. We had lots of fun chats with them over breakfast, cocktails, while waiting for taxis, etc. They were all so gracious, friendly, and professional. One mentioned how proud he was to work there and how much he enjoyed it. This speaks volumes of the ownership/management and the overall culture they've created with their team. I appreciated that immensely for their sake, but selfishly, that happiness also translated to a beautiful experience for customers like us.

And the icing on this wonderful cake came in the form of an extraordinary act of kindness from one of the owners. We left the hotel for a stay in wine country and in our blissful haze, left all of our cash and passports behind in the safe (!!!). We called right away and were prepared to take the 2-hour+ taxi ride there and back to pick it up, but the owner insisted on bringing it to us - which he did, that very afternoon. We tried to compensate him, but he wouldn't accept it! Unbelievable. THAT is hospitality in its highest, purest form.

Overall, we give Labotessa 10 out of 5 stars! There is no other place we'd stay if/when we're lucky enough to come back to Cape Town. We cannot recommend it highly enough. And when you're there, please greet Johan, Martijn, and the whole team for us!

P.S. Shoot! I forgot to mention the food!! We had breakfast both mornings at the hotel and it was DELICIOUS!!! Interesting menu, perfectly prepared. Loved our post-dinner cocktails...

It is no exaggeration when I say that our stay at Labotessa was perfect. I came to Cape Town to celebrate my birthday and my experience exceeded all of my expectations. Labotessa is like a magical getaway amongst a bustling city. Returning to the hotel in the evening felt like coming home to a personal urban retreat. ||Staff - The attentiveness and care of all of the staff is truly 5-star. As soon as we arrived Bridget gave us such a warm and endearing welcome and she helped me plan a wonderful itinerary for the trip. Claudine treated us like family. She made sure that we had everything we needed. Seeing her every morning was such a pleasure and she demonstrated heart and passion when it comes to her job. All of her suggestions were spot-on, every hotel needs someone like Claudine. The evening attendant/bar tender always greeted us with a warm smile and nice conversation, you can tell he loves his job and giving people a great experience. The attentiveness and care of the staff is at such an elevated level, I wouldn't want to stay anywhere else in Cape Town. ||Food - Everything item that we had at the on-site restaurant was 10/10 delicious, the fact that this was included in the hotel stay is very generous. The quality of the ingredients and preparation was so well executed. Even the coffee/lattes that I had were literally amongst the best I've ever had. The waiter was so courteous and the chef is really doing something special here. ||Hotel room/entryway - Upon entering the hotel, you step into a Diptyque store with delicious smelling aromas and beautiful decor, how luxurious is that? Every inch of the hotel is curated to perfection. You take an elevator that opens right into your room, what a high end experience! The color, decor, finishes of the room are something you would find in a magazine, complete with Diptyque toiletries, they really thought of everything. It felt like having your own personal condo in the middle of the city. The hotel is also in a perfect accessible location to get to all of the main attractions, museums and sights. ||In all, I was really impressed with my stay here and I have pretty high expectations/standards. I give no exaggeration, I cannot even think of something that was unfavorable. I only wish they had more locations around the world, it would be my go-to hotel. Thanks to everyone who helped make our stay memorable...