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Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa · Belmond · Apex Luxury
The Pink Lady at the foot of Table Mountain opened on 6 March 1899 as South Africa's first hotel with hot and cold running water, designed by Sir Herbert Baker for Union-Castle Line magnate Sir Donald Currie. Its pink livery dates to 1918, when manager Aldo Renato painted it to mark the Armistice. Winston Churchill lodged here as a war correspondent; Lords Kitchener and Roberts ran British military headquarters from it during the South African War. Ranked #28 in the World's 50 Best Hotels 2024 and awarded MICHELIN Two Keys in 2025.
- 198 rooms
- Opened 1899
- Neighborhood: Gardens
- Rooms from 344 sq ft (32 m²)
- Architect: Sir Herbert Baker; Dunn and Watson
- Interiors: Alexandra Champalimaud
About Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town
- The hotel's pink colour originated in 1918, when Italian manager Aldo Renato ordered it painted as a celebration of the Armistice ending World War I — the shade has remained unchanged ever since.
- Architect Sir Herbert Baker, who later co-designed New Delhi with Edwin Lutyens, built the original hotel in 1898–99; it opened on 6 March 1899 as South Africa's first property with hot and cold running water.
- During the South African War (1899–1902) the hotel served as British military headquarters, with Winston Churchill among the regular guests as a war correspondent — a fact that earned it the nickname 'the Nellie' in Cape Town social life.
- The Prince of Wales Gate driveway was built specifically for a 1924 royal visit; it faces the Company's Garden, South Africa's oldest public green space, established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652.
- Orient-Express Hotels purchased Mount Nelson in 1988, beginning the Belmond era; LVMH subsequently acquired the group in 2018, placing the hotel within the same luxury house as Louis Vuitton and Moët & Chandon.
History
Commissioned by shipping magnate Sir Donald Currie of the Union-Castle Line to house First Class passengers, the hotel opened on 6 March 1899 as the first in South Africa with hot and cold running water. During the South African War (1899–1902) the British used it as military headquarters — Lords Kitchener, Roberts, and Buller were regular guests, as was war correspondent Winston Churchill. The hotel's second manager, Italian Aldo Renato, painted it pink in 1918 celebrating the end of World War I; the distinctive pink has remained ever since. Orient-Express Hotels purchased it in 1988.
The setting
Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, commands the Gardens neighbourhood at 76 Orange Street beneath Table Mountain, its nine acres enclosed by iron railing from the Ross family estate of the 1840s. The palm-lined Prince of Wales Gate driveway — built for a 1924 royal visit — faces the Company's Garden, South Africa's oldest public green space, a twelve-minute walk along Government Avenue. Opened in 1899 as South Africa's first hotel with hot and cold running water, the legendary pink estate has been a social landmark ever since. The Bo-Kaap Museum is fourteen minutes by car and the District Six Museum twenty minutes, placing the property at the city's historic core. 6.4 km from Clifton Beach.
Restaurants and bars
- The Red Room by Chefs Warehouse — Restaurant · Pan-Asian · Chef Liam Tomlin
- Oasis Restaurant — Restaurant · Farm-to-table
- Lord Nelson Bar — Bar
- Pool Terrace — Poolside
- Amura — Restaurant · Seafood · Chef Ángel León
- The Verandah — Restaurant · Buffet
- Planet Bar — Bar
Experiences
- Afternoon Tea — Afternoon tea in the historic Lounge, with Classic, Vegan, Gluten Free and Pet-Friendly menus.
- Amura by Ángel León — Immersive seafood-inspired marine dining by Michelin-starred Chef Ángel León, presented as 'From Cadiz to Cape Town'.
- The Fountain by Planet Bar and The Chef's Table — Seats in a hidden kitchen alcove for an immersive view of chefs cooking speciality dishes.
- Thebe Magugu Suite and Magugu House — New suite and atelier inviting guests into the world of South African designer Thebe Magugu.
- Art classes with resident artist — Classes with the resident artist to unlock your creative side.
- Destination exploration — Central location as a base to explore the region's beaches and the Cape Winelands.
Amenities
- Two pools (main and garden)
- Spa
- Fitness center
- Nine acres of garden and grounds
- Nine historic Garden Cottage Suites
- Planet Bar
- Afternoon tea (iconic institution since 1989)
- Access to Cape Town V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain
- Sauna
- Kids' club
- Tennis
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- World's 50 Best Hotels 2026 (#34) (2026)
- Best Hotel in Africa 2024 (World's 50 Best Hotels) (2024)
- World's 50 Best Hotels 2024 (#28) (2024)
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