Magical/ˈmadʒɪk(ə)l/

1. relating to, using, or resembling magic.
2. beautiful or delightful in a way that seems removed from everyday life.

synonyms: extraordinary, remarkable, exceptional, outstanding, incredible, phenomenal, unbelievable, inconceivable, unimaginable, amazing, astonishing, astounding, stunning, staggering, marvellous, magnificent, wonderful, sensational, breathtaking, miraculous, singular, uncommon, unheard of, unique, unparalleled, unprecedented, unusual, unusually good, too good to be true, superlative, prodigious, surpassing, rare;

If there is one word to sum up Cape Town’s most visually stunning hotel it would be magical. From the moment you walk through the opulent oversized entryway you will be blown away by the almost fairytale like decor and design of The Silo hotel.

A historic grain silo towering over the iconic Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is home to the Royal Portfolios newest property, The Silo.

Operating as a grain silo up until 2001 the base of the building is now home to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, housing the largest collection of contemporary African art in the world.

The funky boutique hotel The Silo sits atop the Museum in the old grain elevator section of the complex.

Sitting across six floors of the complex, the hotel is home to 28 of the most luxurious, awe-inspiring rooms Cape Town has to offer.

Featuring over 100 pillared, bulging glass windows, the exterior of the hotel uses architectural mastery to portray a lantern like monument at night. The incredible hotel has 360-degree sweeping views over the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain and out to the bay.

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Highlighting some of Africa’s most talented artists, each room is uniquely designed and fitted with artwork to match the bold and luxurious furnishings. Each room even comes with a personalised art directory explaining the unique artworks throughout.

With views over Table Mountain, the rooftop pool, along with a spacious bar area, are only open for the use of in-house guests. The Silo Rooftop bar fills the opposing half of the rooftop and is open for public bookings. Watching the envy on their faces when they see the guests only rooftop pool is worth booking a night in itself!

After watching the sunset over Table Mountain while snugly wrapped in blankets and a glass of red in hand, Willaston bar is the perfect spot for a pre-dinner cocktail or another glass of local wine.

The opulent décor of velvet couches, gold plated lamps and the Silo’s iconic 5.5m high pillowed glass windows carry through to The Granary Café, the perfect spot for dinner with views out to the V&A Waterfront and the Atlantic Ocean.

For a hotel of its calibre and price range, the pricing across all in-house food and beverage venues seemed incredibly affordable, although this did seem quite common across South Africa in general, with three courses and two glasses of wine coming in under $60 AUD. Despite my initial hesitation, I went with the waiter’s recommendation of mushroom & tofu pot stickers alongside the incredibly fresh and delicious beef tataki and tuna tartare. Dinner was absolutely to die for and one of my favourite meals throughout my time in South Africa.

If a stay at the Silo seems out of reach, I cannot recommend highly enough visiting for an afternoon of cocktails on the roof as the sun sets, followed by dinner at the Granary, an absolute culinary highlight of my time in Cape Town.

With stunning views of Table Mountain in my mind, and a belly full of some of Cape Town’s finest food and wine there seemed no better way to end the day than with a bath overlooking the night lights of Cape Town through the whimsical bathroom windows.

The bathrooms at The Silo featured heavily across the internet with their floor to ceiling windows, eclectic furnishings, bright colourful chase lounges and stunning chandeliers that add a touch of romance, they were an absolute favourite of mine when it came to the design elements of the hotel and could easily take out an award for the most photographable bathrooms.

The toughest decision of the night was whether or not to lower the block out blinds by my bedside, or to keep them open so I could marvel at the incredible views out of the windows during the night, and be woken up by the stunning Cape Town sun as it rises over Table Mountain.

Breakfast is included in the room rate and is served in The Grainery café, with a personal buffet delivered to your table brimming with fruit salads, cold meats, cheeses, muslies, yoghurts and all the pastry you could possibly imagine at 8am. An additional ala carte menu fills the blanks of anything you might be missing, I personally highly recommend the eggs benedict.

If breakfast and dinner in the Grainary and lunch by the pool doesn’t keep you satisfied the Silo offers one of the most thoughtful mini bars I have ever come across.  A snack box filled with cookies, nuts, dates, biscuits, chips, dried fruit and pastries all made in house, along with a mini bar fridge of drinks and two bottles of La Residence’s finest wines and a bottle of brut on ice.

The room comes stocked with spirits as well which are available for an additional supplement so you can indulge in a few sundowners from the comfort of your room. 

With the goal of creating Cape Town’s most luxurious and intimate hotel with a modern yet whimsical touch, Lize Biden of the Royal portfolio has created a magical oasis in the centre of Cape Town.

Combine a stay at the Silo with one or all of the Royal Portfolio’s properties for a truly unforgettable experience in South Africa.