The President Hotel celebrates 25 years

The President Hotel, affectionately known as Cape Town’s most loved hotel, celebrates 25 years of providing memorable experiences and authentic hospitality since Nelson Mandela opened the rebuilt hotel on 3 June 1998. The iconic hotel surprised guests with various birthday activities, including accommodation, experiences and food and beverage giveaways during the month of June, as well as celebratory room rates.

“The birthday sale and giveaways was our way of saying thank you to our friends of The President, whether first timers or regular guests,” said Jeremy Clayton, director at The President Hotel.

Although the President Hotel celebrates over two decades as an icon on the Bantry Bay coastline, it has heritage and history dating back over 257 years, starting out as the Society House, a social club for the bourgeois. It was later named Sea Point House, The Wentworth and eventually The Queen’s Hotel in 1887, coinciding with the Queen of England’s Golden Jubilee. The name was no longer relevant after South Africa left the British Commonwealth and so the ‘Hotel President’ was born. It was Nelson Mandela himself (president of South Africa at the time) who opened the newer, even more impressive, entirely rebuilt President Hotel on 3 June 1998.

“We’re constantly evolving, adapting and innovating to ensure we can offer our guests personalised, amazing experiences. In the last year alone we became a pet-friendly hotel, and the first hotel in Cape Town to offer doggy high teas. We received a Crescent Rating of five (out of seven) for providing Muslim-friendly facilities and services and, staying on top of our game, we won The Lux Life Award for the Best City Hotel in Cape Town, as well as the World Luxury Award for Best Conference and Event Hotel — Africa.

We’re currently in the running for the 2023 Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards — Best Hotel, Mr Clayton explained. “Hand in hand with innovation, The President Hotel is also passionate about sustainability and its impact on the environment. Efforts include switching from plastic to bamboo digital room cards, using glass and plant-based water bottles and diverting organic waste from landfills, among other great initiatives. In May, we managed to save 31,985 litres of water and 39,565kWh of energy”.

With 350 rooms, it is Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ largest hotel in Africa and offers sweeping views across the Atlantic Ocean, just a stone’s throw from the buzzing V&A Waterfront district. Guests can soak up the sun at the hotel’s palm-fringed outdoor infinity swimming pool or take advantage of the other on-site amenities such as the spa, beauty salon and kids’ play area or indulge in a range of on-property restaurant and bar experiences.

The President Hotel is a year-round holiday destination, located in a wind-free bay, shielded by the Table Mountain range. Its proximity to most local attractions makes it the ideal base from which to explore Cape Town — popular beaches, such as Saunders’ Rock and Queens Beach just a three-minute walk from the hotel, and a 10-minute drive will lead to the popular Clifton and Camps Bay beaches. The hotel offers great accommodation and dining offers, fit for the whole family — the pups love it too!