The Silo Hotel Cape Town

The Silo Hotel sets a new standard for luxury Cape Town accommodation. A magical, five-star premium hotel towering above the V&A Waterfront surrounded by the natural wonder of South Africa’s Mother City.

The Silo Hotel has been built in the grain elevator portion of the historic grain silo complex occupying six floors above Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) which houses Africa’s largest collection of contemporary African art.

The exterior of the building was designed by Heatherwick Studio. From the outside, the greatest visible change to the building’s original structure is the addition of the ingenious glass windows inserted into the geometry of the hotel floors.

These multi-faceted structures glisten like diamonds during the day while at night the building transforms into a glowing beacon in the Table Bay harbour.

The Silo Hotel is a celebration of art, style, architecture and design. A tribute to timeless glamour and contemporary luxury offering the highest levels of personalised service synonymous with The Royal Portfolio.

HISTORY
Cape Town’s most exciting luxury hotel opened its doors on 1 March 2017 in the V&A Waterfront. After 3 years of construction, the newest addition to The Royal Portfolio set a new standard in luxury travel. Already an icon of the Cape Town skyline, the short video below tells the remarkable story of its history and construction.

AN ICONIC PAST
The grain silo was the tallest building in Sub-Saharan Africa at 57m when it was opened in August 1924 after 3 years of construction. It closed in August 2001 after nearly 80 years at the heart of South Africa’s industrial and agricultural development.

The grain silo played an integral role in terms of international trade as an export facility, but it also provided vital infrastructure to South Africa’s regional agricultural economies supporting local farming communities while also making a major contribution to the economic activities of Table Bay harbour.

The building has two parts – the elevator tower, where The Silo Hotel is located, which facilitated the mechanical bulk handling of grain, and the actual storage silos themselves. The elevator tower was known as the working house and it served numerous functions.

It received grain from the track shed, lifted it to the top of the building by the use of elevators and provided facilities for the grain to be weighed, cleaned, bagged, stored and distributed. Grain from the smaller, inland ‘country elevators’ around South Africa was delivered to Cape Town.

The first load of maize was received into the grain elevator in Cape Town on the 8 September 1924, and this was followed two months later by the first export from the new elevator – 6,245 tons of maize aboard the SS Willaston destined for Europe, on the 12 November 1924.

The last export shipment from the grain elevator was on board the M/V Anangel Wisdom in 1995 and operations ceased in 2001.

THE ROOMS
The Silo Hotel has 28 rooms, including a spectacular one bedroom penthouse. Each room has been individually designed and decorated by the stylish wand of Liz Biden. Colourful and eclectic pieces juxtapose the modern, industrial architecture.

The 6 room categories are based on the room size and the views. Each room has a private balcony and a unique collection of contemporary African art. The images below are indicative of the category only.

We cannot guarantee a particular room (other than the penthouse), only the room category. The Silo Hotel also offers a number of Private Residences situated nearby along the Atlantic Seaboard.

THE PENTHOUSE
The one-bedroom penthouse is the jewel in The Royal Portfolio’s crown located on the top floor of The Silo Hotel facing Table Mountain with triple aspect views of Cape Town.

There is a cinema room and a spa treatment room and the main bedroom has two walk in wardrobes and two marble bathrooms. Includes two 24m2 (258ft²) private balconies and can be converted into a two-bedroom penthouse.

ROYAL SUITE
The two-bedroom, triple aspect Royal Suites face the Atlantic Ocean, Robben Island and the distant mountains. Each Royal Suite is 132m2 (1421ft²) in size and each has two bedrooms, a large living and dining area and a generous balcony.

FAMILY DUPLEX SUITE
The two-bedroom Family Duplex Suites are situated on the 7th floor with views over the old harbour and out to the distant mountains or over the V&A Waterfront and Signal Hill.

Family Suites range from 111m2 (1195ft²) to 128m2 (1378ft²) including a balcony. They are on two levels and have two bedrooms upstairs, one of which is a smaller kids’ bedroom.

DUPLEX SUITE
The Duplex Suites are situated across the 6th and 7th floors with either mountain or harbour views. These suites have an upstairs and a downstairs and vary between 76m2 (818ft²) and 88m2 (947ft²) including a small balcony. Like your own little luxury apartment in Cape Town.

ALL DAY DRINKS AND DINING ON THE SIXTH FLOOR
Crafted cocktails, contemporary cuisine and panoramic views of the Mother City. With uninterrupted views through its 5.5m high pillowed-glass windows, the sixth floor at The Silo Hotel is the perfect space in which to relax and take in the natural beauty of Cape Town.

Unwind and enjoy a carefully crafted cocktail or a glass of wine from the magnificent and ever-evolving list of local and international wines from The Willaston Bar.

DINNER IN THE GRANARY CAFÉ
Dining in The Granary Café is a unique experience. The menu inherits the same comfortable, eclectic and contemporary style as Liz Biden’s hotel interiors. Executive Chef Veronica Canha-Hibbert and her team believe in good, honest and approachable food that showcases seasonal, local ingredients.

THE SILO ROOFTOP
The Silo Rooftop is the ideal spot for a sunset cocktail or a casual lunch. The Silo Rooftop offers guests a relaxed, al fresco experience with spectacular panoramic views of Cape Town from the tallest building in the V&A Waterfront.

Guests can look forward to sharing platters, man’oushe (baked flatbread) topped with fresh ingredients, salads and poké bowls. Enjoy a glass of bubbly, fine South African wines or a classic cocktail while you soak up the last of the day’s sunshine.

ROYAL TEA
Enjoy our pastry chef’s masterful creations with family and friends. The Royal Tea is a selection of petit gateaux and exquisite teatime treats including several savoury delights.

PRIVATE DINING
The Silo Hotel offers numerous private dining options. The Silo Hotel brings a new dimension to dining in the city with our exclusive, glass-fronted private dining rooms.

The Wisdom Room is a wonderful private dining room for up to 22 guests. The Wisdom Room was named after the last ship to ever take grain to Europe from the grain silo – MV Anangel Wisdom – in 1995.

THE SILO SPA
A truly indulgent spa experience at The Silo Hotel in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. The Silo Spa, located on the fourth floor of The Silo Hotel, has five treatment rooms, two of which can be made into a couple’s room.

The Silo Spa is a tranquil space in which guests can relax and indulge in the latest therapies and spa techniques. There’s also a gym, sauna and a dedicated manicure and pedicure area.

Enjoy signature treatments using top international products including Ling and Black Pearl. The Silo Spa is the only spa in Africa to use exclusive Ling products.

Our expert therapists ensure that you receive the perfect treatment for your individual skin type and requirements through an interactive consultation process.

ABOUT CAPE TOWN
Voted the best city in the world for the seventh consecutive year. Cape Town is a colourful and vibrant city surrounded by dramatic mountains and sandy beaches.

It is certainly one of the most beautiful cities in the world – presided over by one of the 7 Natural Wonders of The World – Table Mountain. The magic of Cape Town lies in the collision of natural wonder, diverse cultures, art, design and a thriving food and wine scene.

Cape Malay, Dutch and British architecture sit side by side with cutting edge 21st century loft apartments and slick skyscrapers. Sit a while in Cape Town and take in the buzz and bustle of flower sellers, buskers, food markets and Capetonians going about their daily lives.

The Houses of Parliament stand proudly in the Company Gardens, while the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is the most happening part of the city, with boutique shops, the Two Oceans Aquarium and innumerable restaurants from which to watch the comings and goings of the world’s ships, cruise liners and luxury yachts.

A short ride away is the infamous Robben Island where you’ll find the erstwhile prison cell of the late Father of the Nation, Nelson Mandela. Part of the beauty of Cape Town as a holiday destination is the close proximity to a variety of destinations like the Cape Winelands and the Garden Route.

Combine your time relaxing on a beach in Cape Town with whale watching in Hermanus, or cage dive with great white sharks off Gansbaai. From ambling through the botanical gardens of Kirstenbosch to wine tasting at any of our legendary wine estates, Cape Town makes for a perfect holiday and travel experience.

THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN CAPE TOWN

• Table Mountain – take the Cable Car to the top and savour the dramatic views or, for the more energetic, hike up Table Mountain on one of the many designated routes.
• Lion’s Head – a wonderful way to orientate yourself in the city is to hike to the top of Lion’s Head – it’s a moderate to strenuous 45 minute hike to the top and the views are certainly worth the effort.
• Robben Island – visit the cell where Noble Prize Winner, Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison gaining remarkable insight into South Africa’s troubled past.
• Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens – Kirstenbosch displays a wide variety of the unique plant life of the Cape known as fynbos. There are over 7,000 species in cultivation at Kirstenbosch, including many rare and threatened species. Kirstenbosch borders the Table Mountain National Park and merges seamlessly with the natural fynbos and forest of the mountain. Kirstenbosch lies in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom. In 2004 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Clifton Beaches – there are four Clifton beaches, each as beautiful as the others – pack your sunscreen, a cap, some water and your Frisbee.
• Camps Bay – the palm fronds of Camps Bay make for the most dramatic sunset pictures – a great spot for cocktails or a bite to eat.
• Surfing – head down to the Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg and take a surfing lesson with the local experts.
• Explore Bree Street – “The place to Bree” – Bree Street is the most happening street in Cape Town, barely a day goes by without a trendy new bar or restaurant opening up. Some of our favourite spots include Chef’s Warehouse, Seabreeze, Clarke’s Burger Bar and Grub & Vine.
• Explore Kloof Street – another wonderful neighbourhood destination with bars and cafés in abundance. Our picks of the bunch are Black Sheep, Kloof Street House, Power&Glory, Yours Truly and Rick’s.
• Cape Point & Boulders Beach – Explore the Cape Peninsula and see the fascinating penguins of Boulder’s Beach on a wonderful day trip from Cape Town.
• Chapman’s Peak Drive – hire a vintage car and meander along one of the most beautiful roads in the world.
• Visit the V&A Waterfront – Africa’s premier shopping and entertainment destination engulfed by the natural beauty of Cape Town.
• Explore the Cape Winelands – spend a day in Constantia, Franschhoek or Stellenbosch and sample some of the country’s finest wines in breathtaking surroundings.
• Sporting Events – South Africa is a sports-mad nation. See what’s on during your visit, but an excursion to the Cape Town stadium, Newlands Rugby Ground or Newlands Cricket Ground makes for a great day out with the locals.
• Art & Culture – Cape Town is dotted with private art galleries, niche museums and intimate theatres. Some of our recommendations include the Fugard Theatre, National Gallery in the Company Gardens, Theatre on the Bay, the Jewish Museum, District 6 Museum, Artscape Theatre and the Baxter Theatre.

THE VAULT
The Vault is The Silo Hotel’s small and exclusive art gallery located in the private parking entrance on basement level P3.

The concept behind The Vault was to make use of the unique space on our private parking level and to provide a link between the not-for-profit art featured in Zeitz MOCAA and the local galleries in Cape Town. Each year, The Silo Hotel works with a different local gallery to showcase two exhibitions annually in The Vault.

The purpose is to showcase established and up and coming African artists. The Silo Hotel will retain one piece from each exhibition thereby building up a collection that documents the evolution of our journey into the world of contemporary African art.

Every 10 years we will print a beautiful coffee table book celebrating the 20 artists that were featured in The Vault as they form an integral part of The Silo’s history. All of the art displayed in The Vault is for sale through the relevant gallery representing the artist.

ZEITZ MOCAA
The world’s largest contemporary African art museum, situated below The Silo Hotel, sets the stage for the aspiring African artists of today and tomorrow.

Situated below The Silo Hotel lies the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. This incredible space is a momentous mark on Africa’s cultural canvas, an exciting new era for African artists, and a remarkable achievement for our beautiful continent.

This public, not-for-profit contemporary art museum collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits twenty-first century art from African and its Diaspora. Containing over 100 galleries, spread over nine floors, this exquisite space houses a diverse and unique range of contemporary African art.

ART AT THE SILO HOTEL
Meticulously selected by the owner of The Royal Portfolio and avid art enthusiast Liz Biden, The Silo Hotel houses some of Africa’s most talented, emerging, and eminent contemporary artists.

Zeitz Museum Of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), situated below The Silo Hotel opened its doors in September 2017. The museum joins the likes of the Tate Modern in London, MoMA in New York, and Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid as a key destination attraction for locals and international visitors alike.

During her trips throughout Africa, aided by her well-travelled eye for the exquisite and the unusual, Liz Biden has acquired a unique and varied collection of art that complements that of Zeitz MOCAA.

Highlighting both young, aspiring artists, as well as established, highly acclaimed artists such as Cyrus Kabiru, Mahau Modisakeng and Nandipha Mntambo, the art has been specifically chosen to complement the unique interiors of each of the 28 rooms, offering individualised experiences for guests and many a reason to return.

THE LOBBY & BEYOND
Located on the ground floor of the silo building, The Silo Hotel lobby sets the scene for the contrast between old and new showcased throughout The Silo Hotel. Suspended from the double volume ceiling hangs Haldane Martin’s contemporary chandelier, juxtaposed against the original grain hoppers.

Mohau Modisakeng’s Ditaola series and commissioned pieces by Jody Paulsen, Must be the Rain and So Exotic, and Frances Goodman’s Blue Velvet and Hooded Lady I, II & III adorn the walls of The Silo Hotel lobby as well as a vibrant piece by Athi Patra Ruga behind the lobby desk. To the right of the elevators is a magnificent piece by Zimbabwean artist, Kudzanai Chiurai.

Atop the desk, you will see the original mask created by Cyrus Kabiru and used in the three images that you will see opposite the elevators on the lobby level. The mask, titled ‘Mbili Uso Macho Nne, Damien Hirst’, is part of his ‘C-Stunner’ series, evidencing intricate, handmade eye-wear and self-portrait photographs.

The meticulous masks are fashioned from urban debris and discarded or obsolete technology that Cyrus carefully selects and imaginatively re-contextualizes.

HONEYMOONS AT THE SILO
Cape Town is an exciting and diverse honeymoon destination offering unrivaled natural beauty and activities in abundance.

There are few more beautiful cities in the world in which to celebrate your marriage. Situated in the heart of the V&A Waterfront, The Silo Hotel is the ultimate spot in which to take in the magnificent views of Table Mountain or to savor the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

With just 28 rooms, The Silo Hotel is an exclusive and intimate destination with a spectacular rooftop pool, a specialist spa and an array of dining experiences to complement the exceptional contemporary art contained in the hotel and in Zeitz MOCAA below.

After enjoying a glass of champagne on the Sky Terrace at sunset, guests can enjoy a romantic dinner in the Granary Cafe or indulge in a private dining experience in the comfort of their room.

The Silo Hotel Spa offers a range of specialised and relaxing treatments in the couples treatment room. Hotel guests can also enjoy a massage on the Sky Terrace surrounded by nothing but the natural beauty of Cape Town.

HELICOPTER LUNCH IN FRANSCHHOEK
Take off from the V&A Waterfront and land at La Residence in time for a delicious lunch. Take a short drive from The Silo Hotel to the helipad in the V&A Waterfront.

From there you’ll take a scenic 30 minute journey to La Residence in the heart of Franschhoek. Enjoy a fabulous al fresco lunch in the Persian Alley overlooking the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz vineyards of the 30 acre estate or a tasting in the cellar with one of our expert wine stewards or a local winemaker.

Franschhoek is known as the culinary capital of South Africa with several top restaurants situated in the charming village. Before or after lunch you could hop onto one of the hotel’s bicycles and explore this historic town. Fly back to Cape Town at your leisure in time for sunset drinks on The Silo Rooftop.

Website: www.theroyalportfolio.com

Rooms: 28

Price: from 587 EUR per night