We are all familiar with the month of February’s sentiments around love. Being the romantics that we are, we’re all aboard the love boat, willingly sailing into the sunset with a warm affection for tradition. This year’s love post is a reflection of the past, and the appreciation we have for our history. A recognition of time, change and resilience. An admiration for the marriage of a contemporary influence, with heritage.
Our Grande Dame of Church Square dates back to the late 17th century – a time when the country was under a Dutch governance. The architectural influence of her build is remarkably evident in her stance. As one of South Africa’s oldest buildings, Labotessa is a landmark with many stories to tell. Having traversed time as a multifaceted place of purpose, from being the square’s‘ Union Chapel’ – a place of worship for the first Congregational Church in South Africa – to one of the longest-standing music school’s in the country, Labotessa is now a unique boutique hotel. The original walls and hardwood floors, tall ceilings and long corridors have been ardently restored, eliciting praise of a different kind. The original façade encasing a residence thats attributes are as luxurious as they are comfortably familiar. Welcoming the daily stream of discerning international guests and local patrons to the hotel, its Café & Terrace and Fragrance Boutique.
It goes without saying that it is our duty to retain the heritage of her site and nurture her legacy. Allowing the old tunes that were played down her corridors to be sung from the rooftops. The soul of the establishment to be harnessed into every contemporary stitching of her attire. So that those that frequent her venerable spaces – from the suite’s pillars to the cobbled square’s posts – experience the essence of her journey. From 1679, to today.
This month we are wearing Labotessa’s heart emblazoned on our sleeves, in honour of the lady she once was, and still is, amidst an ever-changing, immersive world of innovation and trend. Withstanding the test of time in her graceful manner that encapsulates her age-old character. Buoyantly beckoning the curious, the cultured and the conservationist to come and sit, rest and relax in her modern embrace, as you listen to her stories and learn about her past.
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