Cape Town has for years been sorely lacking when it comes to rooftop bars,. But we’ve recently seen a couple of beautiful new additions to the Cape Town bar scene and at the top of the list of “the best bars in Cape Town” right now, you’ll find Gorgeous George. Or, more specifically, Gigi Rooftop Bar at Gorgeous George.
The Gorgeous George hotel is located on St. George’s Mall, a square right in the heart of the city. The small, design focussed hotel is the first in South Africa to be part of the prestigious Design Hotels™ – a collection of privately owned, design centric hotels around the world.
Cape Town is not a city known for its hotel bar scene. More often than not, you’ll find locals either in the inner-city or ocean side, with just a few travelling businessmen slouched over hotel bars. But Gorgeous George is an exception to the rule. At the 6th floor Gigi Rooftop, between potted palms, you’ll find the coolest locals, dressed up (by Cape Town standards) and sipping fancy cocktails while snapping selfies in front of the already iconic Hello Gorgeous lights by the heated pool.
Multiple levels, cleverly placed plants and intimate nooks outside give you the feeling of a lot of space outside, even though the rooftop is not big. Inside the bar, beautiful design is everywhere! From the elaborate light fixtures to the dark wood and leather library area and the drinks themselves- it’s easy to see how the hotel made its way onto the Design Hotels™ radar.
While the bar is an absolute must-visit, the hotel itself is also well worth writing home about. Thirty-two rooms, which blend industrial elements like exposed pipes and raw cement with velvet couches and luxury high-end appliances like ghd hairdryers, Marshall bluetooth speakers and Smeg kettles, are configured into Studios, 1 and 2 bedroom suites. The in-room mini bar is your very own bar cart, while the telephone is an old-fashioned rotary dial – very cute touches.
The streets below are noisy and the building is old with thin walls, but the earplugs next to the bed keep the noise out, while the blackout curtains keep the world at bay until you’re ready to start your day. In the Pinterest-worthy bathroom, shower products smell incredible.
Gorgeous George is without a doubt Cape Town’s hottest new hotel, and with the steady stream of locals frequenting the bar and restaurant this winter, I predict a fantastic summer for hotel guests. After all, where better to spend your time as a visitor than where locals get together?
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*My stay at Gorgeous George was kindly hosted by the property. As always, my opinions remain my own.
