One&Only Cape Town has unveiled an extensive refurbishment, spanning the entire 133 guestrooms and suites of the resort, as well as the entrance lobby, Vista Bar & Lounge with new flooring, fittings and fixtures.

The reimagined resort takes cues from shapes, textures and colours found amidst the city. Each element pulls from the surrounds, richly layered in the ocean, land or heritage of the region, from the topography of Table Mountain to Cape Town’s mythology and the indigenous plant species that occur nowhere else in the world.

“This is an incredibly exciting project and a testament to our confidence in the positive future direction of South African tourism,” says General Manager Anne Scott. “We’ve proudly incorporated local suppliers and artisans to create something magical – paying homage to African culture while retaining our ethos.”

The resort has weaved storytelling into its design narrative for the revamped Vista Bar & Lounge, highlighting the local legend fondly known as ‘The Watchers’, the story of the creation of Table Mountain. Cape Town-based Kenyan artist, Stanislav Trzebinski, was commissioned to create a centrepiece Watchers sculpture, standing tall above the bar display in alignment with the view of the mountain beyond. His use of the human form combines with natural components, depicting the relationship between humanity and nature – some more distorted and others in contrast with it. Intricate patterns adorn the new carpeting, replicating the topography of Table Mountain – an imaginative interpretation of the city within the interior décor space.

Guestroom interiors meanwhile have been crafted using thoughtful textures and organic materials. Entering the bedroom, warm lighting and an earthy colour scheme set the tone, while the Kente cloth-adorned entrance, using fabric inspired by the traditional Northern African mud cloth, creates an authentic welcome. Every element has been considered, from curved headboards that offset structural shapes and angles, to the handmade ceramics in organic shapes representing the textures and colours of the adjacent Table Mountain.

In homage to the gemstones are found in South Africa, sparkling accents include Tiger’s Eye drawer pulls and facetted artworks that add an ornate touch. Gemstone-shaped shields, made by community figures in the Eastern Cape, also adorn Marina Rise’s headboard walls and are symbolic of the Sun and Moon. The beaded pots in all the rooms were created by Zimbabwe-born Richard Madongwe and his creative team. The jars are representative of the vessels carried on the heads of the people of Africa, transporting water to their families.

The Cape Kelp Forest, an ecosystem found in the ocean waters off the coast of Cape Town, also influenced touches of the design in the guestrooms and suites with bespoke carpeting and scatter cushions reflecting the sea forestry. Frames have been handmade for the bedroom mirrors by Coote and Wench in Johannesburg, each unique and handcarved by master wood sculptor Ben Tuge with a design based on the kelp forests.

The suites are an extension of the overarching concept but dotted with touches of green, an alternation of texture, and a layering of natural minerals such as limestone and African ash tiles in the lobby, statement tables and structural seating. Both the reception and lounge spaces showcase a balance of shadow and light, as well as a colour palette of calm neutrals, deep browns and warm earthy tones, as well as African patterns.

Works by local artists decorate the suites; Johanny Twala has contributed structural ink line mountain contour drawings of Lions Head, Signal Hill and Table Mountain to Marina Rise suites’ dining areas, while Claude Chandler, using the longitude and latitude of Table Mountain, has created works for the lounges.

The Cape Mountains are synonymous with the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the planet’s six plant kingdoms. One&Only Cape Town’s love of fynbos and protea varietals is reflected in the flowers throughout and the décor touches within the rooms and common areas. Cape flowers remain an ongoing inspiration for the team, building constantly on the small touches and novel ways to incorporate them on the resort.