SMALL HOTEL, BIG BREAK: HARPERS HOUSE IS THE EPITOME OF INNER-CITY LUXURY
The Harper’s House Low Down
Perhaps because its design details evoke a meeting between the McCallister residence from Home Alone and the Friends set, there’s something that feels very familiar about Harpers House. Shoot left off Greenpoint Main Road, it’s the azure blue double story house on the right. Beyond the bustle of Somerset Road and De Waterkant – but not out of reach – and before the busy Sea Point section of Main Road, Harpers House has carved out a spacious alcove in one of Cape Town’s most idyllic areas.
At Your Service: Inside Harpers House
Home to eight roomy living spaces, Harpers House accommodates parties and travellers of all sizes. Groups of up to 16 looking for a corporate getaway or family retreat, coming to visit loved ones for the first time in too long, or reigniting their participation in the Cycle Tour, can book the entire house.
Wooden floors, smart TVs and an all-inclusive breakfast every morning are the everyday-comfort experiences that will underpin your homely stay. Your proximity to experiences and places that usually feel out of the way remind you that you’re in a luxury guest house catering to all travellers. Shoppers are within walking distance of districts like De Waterkant and a short ride across to the V&A Waterfront, while the Atlantic seaboard boasts some of the city’s finest wineries and restaurants. Take a seaside run on the promenade, cycle along some of the world’s most beautiful routes or take a drive along the sunset boulevard that is Camps Bay to Llandudno.
Come home to a dipping pool ready for a quick cool-down after a day on your feet. Enjoy the warm days cooled by sea breezes on the outdoor couches underneath garlands of vines or next to the pool around the tables and umbrellas. If you still have plans for the evening, Harpers House caters for you even when you’re out with their bound book of restaurant and bar recommendations. Take them up on Gigi Rooftop – situated atop nearby sister hotel, Gorgeous George – and skip the line with exclusive access when you’re staying at Harpers House and are looking for a premier dining experience.
The Design is in the Details
Herringbone tiles and earth-tone accents decorate the walls of Harpers House. En-suite bathrooms in every room, luxury SCENT products and plush gowns in every closet are the comforts that remind you to enjoy this out-of-home experience.
The luxurious, jewel-toned green and cyan blend that colours the shower tiles and amazon showers are nods to refined elegance. Built in 1892, Harpers House embraces its history and ingratiates it into a modern African space, resulting in an eclectic mix of Victorian design with an African influence. An unassuming façade gives way to high ceilings, rooms with fireplaces – once functional though now decorative – and a flight of wooden stairs decked with a runner, all subtle cues that reiterate the message that this space is lived in, rather than lived from.
Hotel address: 2 Varneys Road, Green Point, Cape Town 8005
Website: harpershouse.co.za
Phone number: +27 21 434 3501
Prices from: R1500 per night for a Deluxe Room, R1800 per night for a Superior Room and R20 000 per night for the whole house (6-16 people).