My wife and I stayed at the Ellerman House for three nights during our honeymoon in October. As another reviewer noted, the view of the property from the gate is underwhelming, and we were slightly concerned that our experience was not going to match our high expectations. And then we walked inside.

Property

We were greeted at the door and given a tour of the magnificent property, which includes an extensive collection of South African art (including an art museum) and has stunning views of Bantry Bay. The property, which was converted into a hotel in the early 1990s, literally feels like a home. Because we did not go at a particularly busy time (late September), our room was upgraded to the East Wing Suite, which is spacious and luxurious and includes a living area, a dining area, a bedroom (and adjacent sitting area), a large full bathroom and a separate powder room and two entrances to a balcony that overlooks Bantry Bay. The room also included a complimentary mini bar that included wine, premium liquor and small snacks.

Service

The service at Ellerman House was, without a doubt, the best that we have ever experienced. The property manager, Nick, and the other employees made us feel like we were guests in their home, and we relied on them heavily as a resource for what we should see in Cape Town during our stay there. My wife and I were late meeting our tour guide one morning, and I was impressed that the hotel staff had invited him into the parlor for a cup of coffee or tea while he was waiting for us.

Food and Wine

The food was also wonderful. On our first day, the hotel was unable to print the lunch menu on account of a technical issue, so the chef simply came to our table and asked us what we would like to have. In spite of the fact that Cape Town has a number of great restaurants, we elected to have dinner at the hotel on two of our three nights because the food, service and wine selection were so good. Our only regret was that we were not able to eat dinner on the balcony (from which you can see Robben Island) because it was too cold. On a related note, though the property itself is very expensive, we found the food, wine and other incidental items to be reasonably priced (particularly in light of their quality).

Location

Many people who visit Cape Town will tell you that it is important to stay near the V&A Waterfront, which is closer to the "city bowl" and is within walking distance to many stores and restaurants. But we actually thought it was nice to be slightly removed (the Waterfront is less than a ten minute drive (in the complimentary shuttle) from the hotel) from the "hubbub" of that area, and the scenery, accomodations, service, food and intimate atmosphere that the Ellerman House offers outweigh, by leaps and bounds, the need to be "close to the action".

Summary

We could not recommend this property more highly, and though we have already been fortunate to explore Cape Town, we would be inclined to make the 20-hour trip across the world to enjoy the Ellerman House experience again. In our minds, the Ellerman House defines what we will expect from Relaix and Chateau properties going forward, which may be a tough standard to match.