Picture this scene: 24 giant white columns support a pediment proclaiming itself the 'Mount Nelson Hotel' – perhaps the grandest entrance you've ever seen.

This entrance marks the way to the famous five-star hotel in Cape Town.

As you drive through the Prince of Wales Gate and up the palm-lined walkway, you'll feel like you've been here for over 270 years.

Old World Charm

As you approach the entrance portico, the noise of city traffic fades, replaced by Old World charm, like an unfolding African colonial fable, the era of great ocean liners, and afternoon tea served by white-gloved waiters.

The hotel is simultaneously glamorous, traditional, and romantic. The walls are adorned with stretched canvases and Venetian mirrors, and the furniture is upholstered in luxurious fabrics.

It's a quiet corner of historic elegance. One of Cape Town's most revered landmarks, renowned for its pale pink façade, manicured gardens, and, last but not least, its afternoon tea.

Reviving the Legendary Past

For its first 147 years, the hotel was a private estate, and in 1890 the grounds and buildings were purchased by shipping magnate Sir Donald Currie, owner of the Union Castle shipping company.

His dream was to build a hotel as stylish and elegant as those in London, designed exclusively for the wealthy first-class passengers of the Castle Line.

Mount Nelson opened in 1899
A year later, in May 1899, the Mount Nelson opened its doors. It was the first hotel in South Africa to offer hot and cold running water, and it quickly became a leader in the country's hospitality industry.

Around the same time, gold and diamond deposits were discovered in South Africa, making Cape Town an attractive location offering unique business opportunities for those willing to take advantage of them.

That same year, the Boer War began. The British used the hotel as a headquarters to plan their military campaign.

Lords Roberts, Kitchener and Buller were familiar figures in the hotel corridors.

A young war correspondent, Winston Churchill, who worked at the hotel, described it as "...a most excellent and well-appointed establishment, which can be truly appreciated after a sea voyage."

Learning about the hotel's history, it's sobering to think that the future of South Africa was shaped in the very room where I drank afternoon tea.

Such frank, naked drama demands attention.

And the name? The name "Mountain" was inspired by Cape Town's Table Mountains, located just behind it, and Lord Horatio Nelson, who visited Cape Town twice.

Where everything is
Tea is enjoyed in the outdoor conservatory, in the garden, or in the Tea Room, a cosy space reflecting the hotel's signature colonial style, with Aubusson carpets and upholstery (in soft pink tones), which leads onto the hotel's large garden veranda.

Set in the magnificent lounge at Belmond Mount Nelson, I enjoy a three-course afternoon tea served in waves of gastronomic perfection.

After ordering tea, I lean back in the high-backed chair, enjoying the peace and tranquility.

The pianist at the baby grand played a few classical pieces that, for some reason, brought back memories of my father, who, reminiscing about his time in India, taught me the importance of drinking tea from a saucer.

The ever-changing menu starts with savory dishes: mini sandwiches with a creamy filling, fried chicken wrapped in rice paper, and cheese croquettes.

The menu includes quiches, bobos, mushroom empanadas, frikadel, and cauliflower and onion pakoras.

This is where my love for scones began.

This is followed by the main course: coconut-dusted kuksisters, pumpkin pancakes, and moist lemon juice. For dessert, a poppy seed bun, a basket of freshly baked warm buns, served with cheese, whipped cream, Chantilly cream, and a bowl of strawberry jam.

Finally, dessert: milk tart with cinnamon and cardamom, chocolate eclairs, baked cheesecake with white chocolate, berry tartlets, delicacies, chocolate brownies and carrot cake.

Craig Cupido, South Africa's first tea sommelier, takes me through his 6-page tea pairing menu and explains why certain teas pair with certain foods.

I chose an earthy yet delicate Cederberg orange and spice rooibos – a lovely complement.

Embarrassed Stories

After our conversation about tea parties, Craig turned up the volume: “Here’s a funny story for you,” Craig says.
“The grandfather clock in the living room, dating from the early 19th century, is said to have struck midnight so loudly that it could be heard across Cape Town harbour – miles away.

One night, an irate guest hammered two six-inch nails into the chimes, and for 20 years they remained silent until one of the guests offered to fix them. They still strike midnight, but not as loudly.

Craig, inspired, tells me more. The hotel's Italian manager, Aldo Renato, celebrated the end of World War I by painting the building pink, sparking a furor across Europe in the decades that followed.

The Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel remains pink to this day. In fact, paint experts have developed the unique shade "Mount Nelson Pink."

Celebrities

I asked about the celebrities who had stayed at the hotel. "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was one of them," Craig continues, "as was John Lennon, who meditated in the garden under this tree.

And then there was the Dalai Lama, who was enlightening the locals and sitting cross-legged on the floor of the ballroom.

Sir Elton John visits us regularly, as do members of the British royal family – Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 21st birthday with us.

President Nelson Mandela held the first-ever World Economic Forum on African soil here. Movie stars, rock stars, supermodels—he waved his hand toward Table Mountain—there were too many to list."
Afternoon tea may once have been a simple activity with a practical purpose, but at the 'Pink Lady', as Mount Nelson is affectionately known, it is simple and without a doubt a true sensory delight not to be missed.