One of our favorite hoteliers, Cape Town-based designer Liz Biden has successfully transformed her family’s vacation retreats into some of the finest hotels in South Africa. Their safari lodge in Kruger National Park became the intimate Royal Malewane. Their beach house overlooking the waves and whales in the coastal town of Hermanus is now the luxurious Birkenhead House. And their estate in the Cape Winelands was turned into the elegant La Residence.

One of Biden’s most ambitious hotel projects is The Silo, which opened in March 2017. It dominates the Cape Town skyline and is among the most talked-about hotels in the city.

The Silo is built on the top six floors of a landmark grain elevator that’s part of a 1920s silo complex on the famed Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront. Each of the 28 rooms and suites is decorated by Biden in an individual, colorful style mixing contemporary and classical furnishings. Sixteen-foot-high bulging windows allow guests to feel part of the panoramic views, which cover the city, Table Mountain, the Waterfront and the Atlantic Ocean. From the outside, lit up at night, the windows make the hotel look like a beacon on the waterfront. A gathering spot for guests is the pool perched atop the 213-foot-high building, which offers mesmerizing 360-degree views.

The hotel rises above another interesting conversion in the silo complex: the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, commonly referred to as Zeitz MOCAA, which opened in 2017.

London-based design firm Heatherwick Studio partially carved through the 42 contiguous grain silos (in the style of artist Gordon Matta-Clark) to create a cathedral-like atrium for the museum. Reflecting its position above the museum, The Silo hotel is also filled with African art.

Artisans of Leisure arranges customized luxury tours and safaris in South Africa. Contact us to start planning a tour of the highlights of South Africa, including a visit to Cape Town and a stay at The Silo.