Areas and Places News

Husband-and-wife duo to open first luxury hotel in one of SA’s townships

Annette Skaap, entrepreneur, and former flight attendant for SA Express, has become the first hotelier to open a luxury hotel in a South African township, the Spade Boutique Hotel and Spa in the heart of Khayelitsha.

Set to open its doors on the 5th of December 2021, the venture is a partnership between Annette and her husband, businessman Bulelani Skaap, popularly known as Ace Mabheka who has pioneered the local lifestyle. With full support from the community, Ace opened what would eventually become a premium double storey lounge in 2007 and he expanded over the years by buying his neighbours out and relocating them to better residential homes within Khayelitsha.

Tapping into the hospitality and accommodation space, the husband-and-wife duo have an impressive business portfolio spanning over fourteen years in the lifestyle and entertainment sector with establishments including Kwa-Ace Lounge, Kwa-Ace Kitchen and Kwa-Ace eParkin based in Khayelitsha.

We are pleased to introduce our new business expansion with the development of our first luxury hotel, The Spade Boutique Hotel and Spa. This project has been in the making since 2018 but was derailed by the global pandemic, Covid-19, which has affected the global and business community. With this hotel we wish to accommodate our guests, local and international, to experience the other side of Cape Town and more beyond the city. We wish for our guests to leave with an incredible South African experience that will stay with them forever”, commented Annette.

Situated 24km away from Cape Town International Airport and 35km away from the Cape Town City Bowl, the 4-star boutique hotel features thirteen luxurious suites with the backdrop of Table Mountain, the Cape Winelands, and the Helderberg Mountains with each suite designed to offer opulence, complete comfort, and relaxation, featuring elegantly decorated interiors with modern features and a sophisticated look and feel.

The boutique hotel offers guests luxurious en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning, uncapped Wi-Fi, complimentary tea/coffee making facilities, remote control Smart TVs with DSTV, fully stocked mini bars, room service, an in-house gym, a heated outdoor swimming pool, a restaurant and bar, business services facilities and complimentary shuttle services.

The Spade Boutique Hotel and Spa is affiliated with Cape Town Tourism, the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA) and currently in the processing of grading with the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) and South African Tourism (SAT).