The Silo is an exclusive five-star hotel towering above the V&A Waterfront surrounded by the natural wonder of South Africa’s Mother City. This magical hotel is a celebration of art, style, architecture and design. A tribute to timeless glamour and contemporary luxury offering the highest levels of personalised service synonymous with The Royal Portfolio. The Silo Hotel has been built in the grain elevator portion of the historic grain silo complex occupying six floors above Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa). Zeitz MOCAA houses Africa’s largest collection of contemporary African art.
The exterior of the building was designed by Thomas Heatherwick, Founder and Principal of the London-based Heatherwick Studio. From the outside, the greatest visible change to the building’s original structure is the addition of the ingenious glass windows inserted into the geometry of the hotel floors. These multi-faceted windows, each housing 56 panels of glass, bulge outward as if gently inflated. By night, this transforms the building into a glowing beacon in the Table Bay harbour.
Each of The Silo Hotel’s 28 rooms, including a spectacular one bedroom penthouse room, has been individually designed and decorated by Liz Biden, owner and founder of The Royal Portfolio. Colourful and eclectic pieces juxtapose the modern, industrial architecture. Liz has always had an eye for the unusual. She has a unique gift for creating beautiful spaces that are at once both stylish and comfortable. Each room has a private balcony and a unique collection of contemporary African art. The views offered by the glittering pillowed-glass windows are some of the best in the world.
The Silo Hotel has over 300 pieces of contemporary African art. The Biden family have carefully curated the collection in collaboration with a number of local art galleries. The Silo Hotel’s Art Concierge offers wonderful tailored art tours that allow guests the opportunity to learn about the incredible African art scene and visit the Zeitz MOCAA below.
The experience at and around The Silo Hotel is focused on the art and culture of Cape Town while celebrating its exquisite natural beauty. Cape Town, surrounded by dramatic mountains and sandy beaches, is consistently ranked among the Top 10 cities in the world to visit by the likes of Condé Nast Traveler and Travel+Leisure magazine. At the hotel itself, guests can relax at the spa, take afternoon tea, quaff champagne at The Willaston Bar, swim in the rooftop pool, dine at The Granary Café or work off the city’s fine dining in the gym.
The Silo Spa, located on the fourth floor of The Silo Hotel, has five treatment rooms, two of which can be made into a couple’s room. The Silo Spa is a tranquil space in which guests can relax and indulge in the latest therapies and spa techniques. There’s also a gym, sauna and a dedicated manicure and pedicure area. Enjoy signature treatments using top international products including Ling and Black Pearl. The Silo Spa is the only spa in Africa to use exclusive Ling products.
The Silo Hotel offers wonderful private art tours that allow guests the opportunity to learn about the incredible African art scene and to celebrate the incredible artists and their work. Widely recognised as one of the best art hotels in the world (by the likes of Forbes and The Telegraph), The Silo Hotel houses a remarkable collection. Vibrant colours shine through as the contemporary artwork and eclectic design of Liz Biden contrast Heatherwick Studio’s stark industrial architecture.
Situated below The Silo Hotel lies the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, the world's largest contemporary African art museum. This incredible space is a momentous mark on Africa’s cultural canvas, an exciting new era for African artists, and a remarkable achievement for our beautiful continent. This public, not-for-profit contemporary art museum collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits twenty-first century art from African and its Diaspora. Containing over 100 galleries, spread over nine floors, this exquisite space houses a diverse and unique range of contemporary African art. Various tours of the museum are available, including AfriSam Audio Tours, Art Tours, Architectural Tours, and Children’s Tours.
Robben Island, easily seen from the rooftop of The Silo Hotel, is situated only 9kms offshore from Cape Town. The island was declared a World Heritage site in 1999 because of its historic political importance, having been the forced home of Nelson Mandela for 18 of the 27 years that he was a political prisoner of the apartheid regime. It is advisable to allow us to pre-book this very popular tour for you. Allow half a day for this tour.
Table Mountain is a great source of pride to all Capetonians. At 260 million years old it is older than the Andes, the Rockies, The Himalayas and the Alps, and was once under the sea. It was recently crowned as the seventh natural wonder of the world. A four minute cable car ride will take you to the 1067m “table top”, with spectacular views on the way up.
Cape Town has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches on offer. Clifton Beaches: there are four Clifton beaches, each as beautiful as the others – pack your sunscreen, a cap, some water and your Frisbee. Camps Bay: the palm fronds of Camps Bay make for the most dramatic sunset pictures – a great spot for cocktails or a bite to eat. Muizenberg: head down to the Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg and take a surfing lesson with the local experts. Cape Point & Boulders Beach: explore the Cape Peninsula and see the fascinating penguins of Boulder’s Beach on a wonderful day trip from Cape Town. Please ask a member of our team should you need directions or transport.
The best place to experience Cape Malay cuisine is on a walking tour through the Bo-Kaap (Above The Cape) District in Cape Town, an area with steep cobblestone streets and brightly-coloured houses where former Cape Malay slaves settled in the early 19th century. Stop to enjoy a local Bobotie, Sosatie, Koeksister or Cape Malay Curry for lunch whilst learning about the rich heritage of the Cape Malay people who live there.
Situated on the sixth floor of the hotel, The Willaston Bar is named after the first ship to export grain from the original silo complex back in 1924. With stunning views of Cape Town through the 5,5m high pillowed glass windows, there is no better place to enjoy a classic cocktail or a glass of wine from the carefully crafted and ever-evolving list of local and international wines.
Executive Chef Veronica Canha-Hibbert and her team believe in good, honest and approachable food that showcases seasonal, local ingredients.
The Granary Café offers an immersive dining experience like no other. Enjoy lunch or dinner while surrounded by glistening geometric windows and spectacular sunset views. Share memorable moments over a delicious selection of contemporary-style dishes that can be perfectly paired with something special from our extensive wine list. The menu inherits the same comfortable, eclectic and contemporary style as Liz Biden’s hotel interiors.
Royal Tea is served daily, allowing guests to enjoy a delicate selection of sweet and savoury treats, including beautiful petit gateauxs, buttermilk scones and clotted cream, served on an étagère at the copper-topped tables of The Granary Café.
The Silo Rooftop offers guests a relaxed and easy eating experience. Poolside lounging is complemented with treats from the tempura bar, fresh oysters, pulled pork sandwiches, and a selection of healthy snacks from our raw bar. Enjoy a glass of bubbly or a classic cocktail while you soak up the last of the day’s sunshine.
The Silo Rooftop is for hotel guests and is open to the public by prior reservation only. Kindly note that access to The Silo Rooftop is weather dependent.
