Bookings are looking good for Cape Town’s newest five-star hotel, the R500m Taj Cape Town, which welcomed its first guests towards the end of January.

Sales and marketing manager, Theo Cromhout, says the Taj is already fully booked for the second half of the World Cup, while the first groups of tourists arrive this month. “We had 50 bookings within 12 hours of GDS bookings opening.” A number of opening specials for consumers and travel agents start from R3 500 per room including breakfast. The 176-room hotel is positioned “between old and new” at the top of St George’s Mall, linking St George’s Cathedral, Company Gardens and Parliament with the cafés, shops and night clubs of Long Street. The hotel comprises three buildings: the restored SA Reserve Bank and Temple Chambers, plus a new 17-storey Towers block. The old banking hall now forms the hotel lobby with a lounge, cocktail bar, cigar bar, shops and the all-day Mint restaurant leading off it. The ground floor of the Temple Chambers now forms a fine-dining Indian restaurant and seafood and champagne bar.  The first floor houses seven conference and meeting rooms with the latest technology, catering for up to 110 people. There are 11 room types, all with en-suite marble bathrooms, either in the more expensive Heritage wing or in the modern Tower, the latter with panoramic views over the city. The Taj Club floor has a private lounge and dedicated butlers. A fitness centre, heated indoor pool, saunas and a JivaSpa offering Indian Ayurveda treatments complete the picture.