Ellerman House, Villa & Spa

A proud heritage of stylish entertaining, Ellerman House is one of the world's most exclusive and private retreats. Its magnificent position overlooking Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean respects its status as an historical landmark with a proud heritage of stylish entertaining. It would be hard to improve on such perfection yet the recently completed Ellerman Villa & Spa has added a striking 21st century component to the classic style of the original home.

The Ellerman Villa & Spa is becoming a legend among today's sophisticated travelers. The three-bedroomed home - with a further option of another two bedrooms in the Spa - comes with a butler, and is one of the most technologically advanced 'smart' houses in the country. The ethos of abundance is underpinned by superb and discreet service that caters to guests' every whim. A certain informality is encouraged to ensure that residents can relax and unwind.

There is nothing casual about the attention to detail, the cuisine, the collection of 17 000 vintage South African wines and the museum quality art that hangs on the walls of both establishments. Terraced gardens, a generous swimming pool and a gym overlooking Bantry Bay encourage guests to enjoy the privacy of their surroundings. The Spa, with its colour therapy shower, steam room, sauna, infinity pool and sumptuous treatments takes pampering to new heights. The main hotel  - with nine individually appointed en suite rooms and two suites - has been refreshed and now has a opulent but comfortable new look, and the extraordinary views shimmer from every room.

Ellerman House is situated just a 10-minute drive from the world famous V&A Waterfront, making it a convenient destination for the world traveller. Not surprisingly Ellerman House - which is a member of Relais & Chateaux and Virtuoso - epitomises proud South African hospitality, elevating it to take its place among the best in the world, while remaining true to its African heritage.

Ellerman House is distinguished from other fine hotels in South Africa by the Ellerman House Art collection. A recent addition is the opening of the magnificent Ellerman Contemporary gallery which provides guests with a glimpse of the outstanding talents of contemporary South African artists which complement those of the Masters in Ellerman House.

The grand collection of fine art is based on the sound principle of acquiring works of unquestionable quality. The owners have spent decades assembling a magnificent collection of the best South African artwork.

The originals span from the turn of the last century to current day works – from the 1910 Volschenk of an undeveloped Camps Bay, to the contemporary new art forms of Vusi Khumalo. While the initial emphasis was on a collection of Cape paintings, as the collection grew, so did the scope. It now encompasses an intriguing cross section of genres and subject matter, which represent an overview of South Africa over the last hundred years.

Guests are invited to take the Ellerman House Art Tour within the public spaces of Ellerman House and the Contemporary gallery. Enthralled by the grand collection, guests continue to appreciate the grandeur of the originals that adorn the walls of each of the individual bedrooms.