Cape Town,
South Africa
With
Table Mountain as a majestic backdrop, flower-and-garden-filled
Cape Town is the urban heart of South Africa. Visitors
to this multicultural capital city can enjoy vibrant Cape
Dutch architecture, upscale shopping and modern regional
cuisine boosted by the booming South African wine industry.
Tourism is right up there with shipping and high-tech
industries luring visitors in. The city offers many options
for business travelers who have extra time for sightseeing.
Take in a Western Province rugby match or head to the
water for whale watching. With so many activities, it's
easy to fill up your free time. Well-equipped hotels and
a variety of restaurants provide excellent locations for
conducting business. |
Facts
to Know Before You Go |
| Currency:
|
In 1961, the Rand (ZAR) replaced the South African
pound as the country's recognized currency. The
Rand is divided into 100 cents, which equal R1,
and it is available in bills from R10 to R200. Although
it gained considerable strength in the opening years
of the new millennium, many still consider it undervalued.
The exchange rate hovers at a bit over R6 to the
U.S. dollar. |
Transportation:
| Cape
Town International Airport is located in Cape Flats,
about fourteen miles southeast of the city. A taxi
ride from the airport into town will cost about
R130. Officially authorized by the airport, Touch
Down Taxis is the cab company of choice. Intercape
www.intercape.co.za
runs a minibus between the airport and the bus station
at Strand and Adderley Streets. Expect to pay about
R30 per person if you go this route. Greyhound and
Translux also offer rides to the same drop-off point.
|
Information:
|
Ready to book a trip now?
Click here for exclusive savings. |
Cape
Grace
West Quay Rd.
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
27-21-410-7100
www.capegrace.com
|
|
 Situated
directly on the waterfront, this hotel combines elegance
and convenience. It's only twenty minutes from the airport
and three minutes from the city center. Guestrooms come
with fax and Internet access, a daily coffee and tea
tray and a selection of books, for leisure reading in
the off hours. Niceties for executive stays include
a communications center outfitted with PCs with flat
screen monitors and a private meeting room. All the
trappings for conferences are also available, as is
a formal boardroom venue. For unwinding, hit the spa,
grab a bite at one.waterfront overlooking the yachts
of the marina or choose from more than 420 whiskies
at Bascule Bar.
 Once
a lavish private home, this historic boutique hotel
offers beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean and Bantry
Bay. Each of the eleven, chic, white-on-white bedrooms
are individually decorated and feature Internet connections,
satellite television and little indulgences such as
heated towel racks. A special freestanding twelfth room,
the Ellerman Villa, can provide a deluxe residence for
business travelers in Cape Town on extended stays. Looking
for a place to take a client after work? The hotel bar
is stocked with more than 17,000 wine bottles. Start
your day with a workout at the gym, and relax between
meetings in the well-stocked library.
 At
the foot of Table Mountain, The Mount Nelson Hotel holds
court over the local lodging scene. This pink landmark
opened in 1899 and is steeped in history. In addition
to the main hotel, there are six wings, offering plenty
of privacy for travelers seeking a respite between executive
sessions, especially when conferences are held right
on the grounds. A full business center accompanies The
Ballroom and a range of smaller venues. Recreation-wise,
a gym, two swimming pools, tennis courts and a Body
Care Clinic add to the appeal. For cementing that contract,
host clients at the refined Cape Colony Restaurant.
 This
hotel enjoys a peaceful location on the shores of the
Atlantic Ocean. Catering to corporate globetrotters,
it has a collection of business class rooms, with extra
amenities and more space than standard accommodations.
Other amenities include a business center, 24-hour room
service, laundry and valet. Two conference rooms are
equipped to meet audio-visual and technological needs.
Beware of the striking infinity edge pool and adjacent
golf course, which will do their best to entice you
away from your computer. The same goes for the sunset
view from Tobago's Bar & Terrace.
 A
blend of Victorian and contemporary architecture, The
Table Bay Hotel resides on an old breakwater on the
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, home to a lively shopping,
dining and entertainment scene. With the city center
only five minutes away, this is a great place to set
up shop. Business needs are met in a variety of ways,
from international newspapers provided in the lounge
to a ballroom, pavilion and boardroom for meetings and
events. If you feel like staying in for dinner, you
can choose from The Conservatory and The Atlantic Restaurant.
|
| The
Africa Café
(Traditional African)
108 Shortmarket St.
Heritage Square
27-21-422-0221
www.africacafe.co.za |
|
|
While
we offer plenty of suggestions for wining and dining in
a sophisticated atmosphere, we've chosen The Africa Café
for its casual attitude and cheerful introduction to African
dining. Meals are served in a communal manner, so this
might not be the right choice for a big boss you're trying
to impress. But if you feel like bonding with colleagues,
it's a great place. You'll discover flavors from all over
the continent: Moroccan chermoula, Egyptian steamed fish
and roadside dishes from Malawi. The setting in a restored
18th-century Cape Georgian home adds to the charm. |
|
We’re
including this restaurant for its R&R factor. Its
name means "beyond expectations," chosen perhaps
to prepare you for the menu. Located on the Buitenverwachting
Wine Farm on the Constantia Wine Route, the dining room
overlooks vineyards through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Executive chef Edgar Osojnik prepares dishes such as thyme-infused
Kingklip and olive pasta in lime sauce, and pan-fried
loin of springbok with prune sauce, as well as broad bean
fricassee and madumbi-walnut samosa. |
| The
Cape Colony Restaurant
(South African Fusion)
The Mount Nelson Hotel
Table Mountain Foothills
27-21-483-1000
www.mountnelson.co.za |
|
|
South
African fusion cuisine and an excellent local wine list
are highlights in this hotel dining room. On the menu
you will find influences from Cape Malay, the Mediterranean
and the Far East, as well as exotic ingredients such as
ostrich, springbok and crocodile. With its elegant setting,
this restaurant makes an ideal venue for impressing bigwigs.
And if you need a place to wine and dine a group, you'd
do well to order up a Chef's Table dinner, a tailor-made
event for up to ten in the kitchen with opportunities
to interact with the chef. |
|
Attached
to a boutique hotel of the same name, Constantia Uitsig
is just a twenty-minute drive from the center of Cape
Town. It is located in the estate's original Cape Dutch
homestead, making it one of the most picturesque options
on our list. Contemporary Italian and Asian flavors mingle
on the menu. Complementing the dishes are various varietals
from the very vineyards you look out on while dining here.
|
| Hildebrand
Restaurant
(Italian/Seafood)
Pierhead
Victoria & Albert Waterfront
27-21-425-3385
www.hildebrand.co.za |
|
|
From
the oldest building in the Waterfront District—it
dates back to the early 1900s—diners can listen
to African groups singing along the promenade and watch
boats chugging to and fro. The service is old-world
Italian, as is the food, but the ingredients are strictly
South African. Whether you're in the mood for homemade
pasta or Chateaubriand (flambéed using a secret
recipe), you'll find a hearty dish to satisfy your appetite.
Those here to conduct business can tone down the corporate
vibe with drinks after dinner at the swanky, upstairs
Alba lounge.
|
| Rozenhof
(Continental)
18 Kloof St.
City Bowl
27-21-424-1968 |
|
Among
the many dining venues on Kloof Street, Rozenhof stands
out. The homey atmosphere comes naturally, as the restaurant
is situated in a historic Georgian manor home built
in the 1850s. The ambience is warm, the service attentive
and the wine list sizable. Divided into three rooms,
the dining area offers a nice degree of privacy. With
its refined cuisine and quiet setting, this is a smart
choice for working out the details of that lucrative
deal.
|
Castle
of Good Hope
Corner of Buitenkant & Strand St.
27-21-469-1249
www.castleofgoodhope.co.za
This
pentagonal castle was built in the 1600s by the Dutch
East India Company. Now the oldest building in South
Africa, it was declared a national monument in 1936
and restored in the 1980s. A traditional military ritual
known as "key ceremony" starts at 9 a.m. every
morning, and tours are offered throughout the day. After
your tour, check out the Military Museum or William
Fehr art collection, which provides insight into the
lives of early colonists. Then grab a bite to eat at
the onsite De Goewerneur Restaurant, serving classic
South African cuisine.
Greenmarket
Square
54 Shortmarket St., Cape Town, 8000
27-21-426-0152
The 1834 declaration abolishing slavery occurred right
here in the heart of Cape Town. It became a farmers
market and a popular place for the townspeople to drink
in the 19th century. Nowadays, surrounded by old buildings,
it is an open-air market where tourists and locals can
purchase everything from clothing to art. This is a
good place to go shopping for gifts for those back home.
Groot
Constantia
Constantia Road
Constantia
27-21-794-5128
www.grootconstantia.co.za
Founded
in 1685, Groot Constantia is the oldest wine-producing
vineyard in South Africa. The Cape Government bought
it at public auction in the late 1880s, and today it
is owned by a trust dedicated to preserving the property.
Along with gardens and a historic farm, you can tour
the wine maturation cellar, or Cloete Cellar, which
displays winemaking equipment. Among tasting events
are those that feature the staff in period clothing.
Jonkershuis restaurant serves Cape cuisine paired with
estate vintages.
Kirstenbosch
National Botanical Gardens
Rhodes Dr.
Newlands
27-21-799-8899
www.nbi.ac.za
Created
in 1913 on the east slope of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch
National Botanical Gardens unites the flora of South
Africa on one expansive estate. One crucial aspect of
its appeal is that it fosters only plants indigenous
to South Africa. Conducted theme walks take you through
various gardens such as medicinal and fragrance ones.
There is also a greenhouse for plants from the country's
desert areas. A craft market is held one Sunday a month,
and sunset concerts are offered from December through
March.
Table
Mountain Aerial Cableway
Lower Cable Station
Table Mountain
27-21-424-8181
www.tablemountain.net
Dramatic
Table Mountain has long been one of South Africa’s
most famous attractions; in the early 1900s, an aerial
cableway was built to take visitors to the top. Its
highest point, Maclears Beacon, is a gasp-worthy 3,559
feet above the sea, and has welcomed an estimated sixteen-million
people (including Queen Elizabeth II and Sting) since
the cableway's opening. Although it takes just ten minutes
to reach the summit, leave yourself plenty of time to
wander around and admire the views. |
Going
to South Africa? Check our Guide. |
Ready to book a trip now?
Click here for exclusive savings. |
Find
Business
Travel Guides for cities around the world.
| P092605 |
(Updated:
01/19/07) |
|
