During our visit to Cape Town, we get exposed to tons of color and pattern inspiration coming at us from so many angles. With so many impulses it’s important we stay at chill hotel, to optimally recharge our batteries. We are fortunate to stay at Gorgeous George, the absolute leader of the top boutique hotels in Cape Town. With views of the impressive Table Mountain and located downtown at the heart of the Central Business District, Gorgeous George is housed in two historic Art Deco towers. The service is beyond compare and highly personal. We’re Gorgeous fans.
Hotel culture
The boutique hotel is an urban hotel that connects locals and tourists, in a cosmopolitan yet distinctly South African space. The hotel’s culture is hip and modern while portraying the cultural heritage of Cape Town. Designer Tristan du Plessis uses lots of local crafts and designs throughout the hotel. He features young South African designers such as David Krynauw, Gregor Jenkin, and Egg designs.
The theme for the hotel is a welcoming and gorgeous ambiance for all people, as the hotel celebrates inclusivity and diversity. As Cape Towns’ trendiest boutique hotel, it is quickly growing in popularity. Their rooftop restaurant is an awesome place to socialize at the bar and connect with friends and colleagues after work.
Architectural elements of Gorgeous George
The architectural team behind this boutique hotel is Urbane Citizen Architecture. Their goal was to keep the integrity of the two historic Cape Town buildings but adapt them to the needs of a modern hospitality brand with a unique identity. The hotel has high exposed ceilings throughout, eclectic furnishings, and a quirky selection of interior finishes. The primary color palette is green and beige with wooden details.
The hotel’s architecture and interiors team elegantly repurposed historical elements with an industrial past. The classical aesthetic includes elements such as the original oak floors, industrial concrete, and steel beams. The original steel frame windows are still in a few of their suites, although a second interior window was added for ultimate soundproofing.
Guest Rooms
While walking to your room, guests can expect to walk down a dark black hallway with a funky bright floral carpet. The guest rooms are spacious, especially with their large historic steel windows. The industrial vibe inside the guestroom mixes with a more traditional Victorian elegance. The furniture and decorations are for a large part from local businesses and add a very home-like feel to the whole ambiance.
Some of the guest room area rugs use Delft-style tile patterns, others mimic the floral pattern from the corridors. The main floor surface is a traditional wooden parquet finished in a neutral beige tone. Many of the finishes throughout the rooms use rich color tones to contrast with the black wall by a local artist.
The Gigi Rooftop Lounge
The Gigi Rooftop restaurant and bar area of the hotel is a vibrant gathering place for guests and city residents.
The rooftop terrace has a super fun lightbulb sign that says “hello gorgeous.” The sign matches with the many pops of color throughout the penthouse level, such as the orange and red tribal African poufs. On the rooftop, you will find a super cool swimming pool that is partly housed in an old tower structure. The exterior walls are in a minimalistic white, however, the inside of the tower is decorated with a garden scene fresco. The green and white stripe at the pool floor elongates the pool and brings in a heritage pattern. Another gorgeous element of Gigi restaurant is the orangery with brick walls and large diagonal windows. The entire ceiling is filled with hanging plants, creating a very relaxed and garden-like vibe. The small seating area in the middle uses intricate African patterns that are enriched with color.
