24 Hours at the One & Only

The One & Only Hotel is one of Cape Town’s most luxurious stays — an oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. 

However, it is not just another stay with a panoramic view of Table Mountain or the go-to accommodation for the upper echelons of visitors to the Mother City. There is a “best of both world” vibe to the hotel. It is both a suave city-central hotel establishment as well as a quiet retreat. 

The One & Only is home to South Africa’s only Nobu, the chain of Japanese-inspired restaurants owned by Michelin-starred chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa; two man-made islands and a spa stocked with lux Biologique Recherche products and more. 

With so much on offer at the One & Only (with a hefty price tag to match), guests make the most of their stay. We explored this inner-city getaway to find out what you can do if you have only 24 hours at the hotel.  

Check in: Marina Grand Suite

First things first; we checked in at about 2pm for our stay in the Marina Grand Suite. During our time there, we enjoyed breakfast at the Ochre restaurant, a Biologique Recherche treatment at the spa, and opted for dinner at the Wine Studio, instead of Nobu. 

Rising above the trees and canals in the hotel’s main seven-storey building, the Marina Rise, our room immediately unveils its view of Table Mountain. 

The suite is spacious, yet it has a cosy feel. We could choose to sit back and relax in the lounge, have a seat at the dining room table, or enjoy a drink on one of the two balconies. From the start, we felt right at home. 

Above our king-size bed is a painting by Cape Town artist Kurt Pio, an interesting touch for art lovers like ourselves. 

It’s one of those rooms that is an apartment of our dreams, one where we could see ourselves living. This is what you want from a room at a five-star hotel — a dream of what could be; a pinch-me moment that is real life. 

Our en-suite bathroom is the perfect place to freshen up before heading to afternoon tea. It’s designed as a his-and-hers bathroom but it’s perfect for any two guests sharing the suite. Looking past the bathroom’s sleek marble, there is a view of Signal Hill. 

Overall, both the little things — a Nespresso machine, Nigiro tea and wi-fi — and the major elements — the views, space and design — meet our expectations of a five-star suite in Cape Town. We expect great views, locally supplied goods and a beautifully designed space that fluently translates into a luxurious experience.

Afternoon tea is served 

The overarching idea of our visit to the One & Only is indulgence. We booked an afternoon tea because it is with these little treats that we spoil ourselves. Yet somehow, an afternoon tea at a hotel is celebratory. 

The tea was served at the Vista Bar, which has a famously massive window overlooking a network of canals and man-made islands, with a Table Mountain backdrop. 

To eat, our tea included buttermilk scones, macarons, empanadas, tarts and cakes. On the beverage front, the Vista Bar serves Nigiro tea, a local tea by coffee purveyor Origin Coffee, which can be bought at most shops and markets in the city. Showcasing a local tea merchant with local flavours is one thing, but it is the ubiquitous tea of choice for most hotels in Cape Town and Johannesburg. 

The afternoon tea experience was simply okay. This high tea does not differentiate itself from any of the high teas we’ve experienced at other five star hotels in the city, and has a long way to go beyond leaning on the hotel’s brand name. 

Dinner plans 

One of life’s best indulgences is being wined and dined, and that’s why we booked dinner at the Wine Studio instead of Nobu. Dinner in the wine loft serves the exclusive atmosphere we’re looking for; it’s limited to 15 guests a night. 

Because we’re in Cape Town, we don’t have to travel far to sip some of the country’s finest wines or meet some of the top sommeliers. Our dining experience, titled the Wine Studio Dinner Collection, was a four-course meal, guided by one of the Cape’s best sommeliers, Luvo Ntezo. 

But there was a twist to the affair. Instead of giving us a predetermined pairing of red meat and red wine, seafood and white wine, or a flute of brut, we were served a wine and worked backwards to decide which meal paired best with the wine. This was an interesting playful pleasure. 

There are hundreds of wines in the studio’s glass shelves, but some of the wines poured included the classics Meerlust Rubicon, Kanonkop Paul Sauer, and vintages from Vergelegene, and Eben Sadie. 

After dinner, we returned to our suite. This felt like going home; we put on the kettle, opened the balcony doors for fresh air, and lay down on the couch after being wined and dined. The bed was perfect with a weighty duvet and the most luxurious fluffed pillows. 

A familiar breakfast affair

There are few things in life as pleasurable as a hotel breakfast spread where calories don’t count. Our breakfast, included with our stay, was served at Ochre. 

The best hotel breakfasts, like the one served at Ochre, span sweet, savoury, health-conscious and throw-caution-to-the-wind indulgence. 

Our breakfast was the classic buffet spread, and we ordered coffees, Nigiro tea, and fresh juices. We also ordered some dishes from the made-to-order menu — classic Eggs Royale with Norwegian salmon and the delicious Peri-Peri Chicken Liver en Cocotte (Fried chicken livers, poached egg, tomato, and beans). 

Needless to say, we rolled out of Ochre as smoothly as the wheels of our suitcases on the lobby’s floor. 

Overall, the One & Only is best for those travellers who are luxury brand conscious and activities in close proximity. Expect a luxurious stay tailored to what you ask for and accessorised with nods of South African and Capetonian cultures.