In the 1920s and 1930s, Muizenberg and St James were the coastal holiday haunts of the country’s mining magnates. In a bid to escape the Highveld summer heat, many made the journey down south by train in anticipation of long, lazy days spent cooling off in the False Bay waters, wandering the promenade and the (now long gone) wooden pavilion, and catching up with friends and acquaintances. Humble holiday cottages, however, were certainly not the chosen form of accommodation for these moneyed up-country visitors. Instead, illustrious architects were called in for consultation and beautiful imposing homesteads were built to accommodate families and their staff to ensure that every home-from-home creature comfort was easily available.

But times changed. The developing Atlantic Seaboard began to entice people away from this side of the mountain and Muizenberg and its surrounds descended into a state of disrepair. Many of these magnificent homes were sold, the properties divided for development while a few stayed locked up, waiting for reincarnation and better days.

Rodwell House is one of these lucky escapees. Built in the early ’30s by Randlord billionaire JB Taylor, it was bought three years ago and opened its sensitively restored doors as a luxury boutique hotel in December 2006. Before his foray into the hotel business, owner Robin van Holdt had a high-flying career in financial services that had taken him to European shores, affording him a jet-set lifestyle, during which he stayed at luxury hotels and ate at some of the best restaurants.

Home for a holiday in 2005, Robin and a friend had been for lunch at one of his favourite student haunts, The Brass Bell, and happened to stop for a browse at a ‘for sale’ board. Rodwell House, with its exquisite Italianate facade jumped out at him and helped finalise a decision to leave behind the world of boardrooms and business suits and fulfil a niggling desire to do something that involved his love of good food and wine. This, and a growing realisation that there was a definite niche for tailor-made luxury-hotel experiences, convinced him of a need for something on the False Bay coastline.

‘Each time I returned to Cape Town for a visit I was astonished at the level of high-end tourism and people looking for defining experiences,’ says Robin. Many guests, he says, are not after the glitz and glamour of the city or Atlantic Seaboard, opting rather for a low-tide rock-pool tour with a local marine biologist than cocktails at a bustling Camps Bay hot spot. Robin’s enthusiasm for the area is apparent:
‘I find this part of Cape Town utterly compelling; it’s an unspoilt heritage area, rich with history, and there are plenty of eateries and interesting shops to visit right on the doorstep,’ he says.

Rodwell House’s luxurious and effortlessly elegant appearance belies the extensive efforts that went into restoring this three-storey luxury bolthole to a semblance of its former self (albeit with all the mod cons). Although many of the original features such as the solid Rhodesian teak door and window frames and the original parquet flooring were still in decent condition, a rabbit warren of bedrooms (15 in total) had to be removed on the third floor in order to make space for the luxury guest suites Robin envisaged for his seaside escape. This guest floor is reached by an impressive Teak-panelled staircase and now boasts eight substantial suites, each of which has sea views, including the fynbos-clad mountain-facing ones. Generous suite size and balconies ensure a tranquil atmosphere where guests can kick back and relax completely and each is a happy marriage of classic (Africana antiques) and contemporary (the softest king-size beds, pure-white bed linen, lean-lined bathroom features and sizeable plasma screens).

The second floor, where guests enter Rodwell House, is home to a generous porch overlooking the terraced gardens, a sunny lounge and a formal drawing room, which, like most of the public areas in the house, is peppered with art works by South African masters, among them Pierneef, Boonzaier and Esmonde-White (a keen collector, Robin has amassed some excellent pieces). This floor is also the site of the zingy green-painted kitchen that plays host to a chef’s table – where guests can interact with the resident chef while enjoying a multicourse menu.

Of course, they can also enjoy their meal on the ground floor outside terrace or in the more formal dining room. A self-confessed good-food-and-wine fiend, one of Robin’s foremost desires for Rodwell House was to create an environment where the in-house dining opportunities are part of the experience. An on-site organic vegetable and herb garden, dedication to locally sourced produce (helped, of course, by the proximity to Kalk Bay harbour) and dedication to beautifully presented and prepared seasonal food ensures that guests are torn between the charming eateries in the area and the joys of eating in.

For many, what seals the deal are the superb wine offerings at Rodwell House. Robin’s impressive cellar (aside from dealing with the runnings of the hotel, he also imports high-end European wines and exports a handful of South African labels) boasts local and international names and guests relish the opportunity to step into the cellar to choose wines to accompany their meal from the 800-bottle list. Situated in what was once the basement of the building (now the ground floor), the cellar is adjoined by a relaxed lounge and bar that opens onto a large terrace and the pool and gardens. Here, guests can sit down for a wine tasting led by Robin or a guest winemaker. A fully equipped gym is also situated on this floor.

Robin encourages his visitors to get up close and personal with the neighbourhood and to experience the multifaceted elements that make it such a charming destination. Like so many Capetonians, he learnt to swim at St James’s tidal pool, later moving on to the more challenging waves at Danger Beach. ‘I spent almost every summer Saturday hanging out there as a teenager,’ he says.

Rodwell House is situated opposite his childhood paddling pool and he is delighted at the joy his guests get out of popping across the road to experience one of his own favourite landmarks. He has teamed up with a local marine biologist, who offers tidal-pool exploratory walks, while history buffs will enjoy the Blue Tile walk that leads to some of the historical and cultural must-sees in nearby Kalk Bay. The waterside walkway between St James and Muizenberg is also a popular way to start or finish your day on this stretch of False Bay coastline.

The rebirth of this side of the mountain has been spoken about for a number of years now and current property prices in the area certainly seem to support the theory. With the near completion of the beachfront development at Muizenberg, the success of the Majestic Village in Kalk Bay and the restoration of Grande Dames such as Rodwell House, it can’t be denied that the revival is in full swing.