Like the A-Team, the Rhino Africans set off in the two black Mercedes Rhino Tripping vehicles for a Saturday evening to remember with the ebullient team from The Last Word and the Mantis Collection. The Last Word collection comprises five fantastic properties – Franschhoek, Sea Five, Bishop’s Court, Constantia and The Long Beach.
On yet another perfect Saturday afternoon, our first port of call was The Long Beach. The ideal beach house if ever there was. You’ll find a lot of ‘beach houses’ in SA that aren’t actually right on the beach but at the Long Beach you’ll enjoy true luxury and pampering right on the white sands of the Atlantic where the sun plunges into the Ocean, bathing the Cape Peninsula mountain ranges in glorious, pink hues. This is an intimate boutique guest house – the six magnificent suites all have dazzling sea views in the charming lobster fishing village of Kommetjie. As you might expect, there is a very long beach – 8kms of uninterrupted white sands. It is an unspoilt paradise in which to walk, ride horses, surf or simply laze in the sun. Watch whales frolic a hundred meters off shore and in season, you can catch your own lobster and get it cooked for dinner. Now that’s Ayoba.
After a couple of cheeky sangrias on the viewing deck and a detailed tour of the rooms, we set off for our next stop, The Bishops’s Court. Half our team were staying here and the other half at The Constantia. The Bishop’s Court is smaller and more intimate with an infinitely peaceful atmosphere under the towering backdrop of Table Mountain. It’s in the quiet and leafy suburb of Bishop’s Court but it’s still only ten minutes from the buzzing city centre. Tessa is in charge and she exudes such a sense of calm, despite the marauding Rhino Africans clearly sent to traumatise the poor woman. Shortly before Kyle decided to kidnap her pashmina for the evening (I’m still not sure whether he thought it was his or whether it was just too fabulous to resist) Tessa was leaning out over the balcony and musing about how peaceful it was at Bishop’s Court. Just as a flock of irate Hadedas trumpeted into life from the immaculate gardens below. Impeccable timing. We then pulled off some Austin Powers-like antics in the driveway, awkwardly manoeuvring the two enormous Rhino Africa SUVs around her anxious car.
Thankfully the trauma ended there as we remained on best behaviour for the rest of the evening and enjoyed a delicious, traditional Cape Malay dinner at the Constantia before returning to Bishop’s Court for a nightcap and an early night (Kyle even returned the pashmina).
What sets the Last Word apart is the attention to detail and the doting staff – everything has been thought of. The Eggs Benedict for breakfast was delicious and instead of a chocolate on my pillow at bed time, I found a meticulously placed mini crème brulee on the bed with a sheath of lavender – how very decadent. Over at The Constantia it was chocolate brownies – a different petite dessert every night.
The rooms are huge and decadent incorporating soft autumnal and cream colours – huge baths and showers with room for all of Jacob Zuma’s wives. Kyle and I were sharing a room with an enormous open-plan bathroom, slightly awkward come shower time but no doubt ideal for honeymooners.
The Constantia is slightly bigger but still very intimate – set among tranquil gardens in Cape Town’s oldest wine valley, you’ll be spoilt for choice with some of SA’s finest vineyards and restaurants right on your doorstep.
But I think I’ve rather saved the best for last. My favourite of The Last Word collection is the newest edition – Sea Five in Camps Bay. Just 300 metres from South Africa’s most glamorous beach, the boutique hotel offers six exclusive en-suite rooms with clear, sweeping mountain and sea views.
This is a ‘beach house’ with a difference. Every room has been individually styled through the creative collaboration of top South African interior designer, Francois Du Plessis and the Sea Five’s Italian Director Nicolò Pudel. The result is a stunning connection of the Mediterranean and southern African colour palette, an eclectic blend of the spaciousness of nature and refined luxury. The Penthouse really is quite a sight to behold, incorporating the whole of the top floor, with a huge roof terrace and balconies on every side, you won’t go wrong booking this. For me Sea Five is the jewel in the very splendid Last Word Crown.
