A few issues of Live Out Loud ago we featured the new 7 Series as a comfortable executive saloon with enough muscle to make it anexciting drive and in its 760Li format with its V12 twin turbo, it’s as sublime as any supercar. Popular press at the launch of the new 5 Series was saying that little differentiated the two models from each other and that it was just too similar to the larger seven. I must at this point, completely disagree although the two models are made in the same factory and share components, as well as joint development and production.

In the looks department, Chris Bangle’s edgy design has been softened into a more curvaceous solution which is so much easier on the eye.

Body panels are chiselled which draws the eye toward the front of the car into the sporty confluence of kidney grille and headlight clusters.

The rear is very 7 Series, particularly the shapeof the rear lights and the high boot line.

Six derivatives are available at the moment starting at the 523i and 528i straight six normally aspirated, to the 535i straight six twin turbo and the 550i V8 twin turbo. I drove the 530d, the big brother to the 520i and found it to be one of the most balanced, well rounded and complete cars in its category.

While this car looks really big, it doesn’t feel that way when you’re in the driver’s seat. Parking aids like cameras and park assist make it easy to manoeuvre in confined spaces and the car’s set up makes it extremely agile in tight corners. It has an eight speed intelligent transmission which thinks for you and makes sure you’re never inthe wrong combination of gear and engine speed. The manual option with steering wheel paddles while more direct in terms of control can’t do a better job than this box. In Sport and Sport+ modes the gearbox and engine work together to produce excellent performance in the diesel and what I would imagine to be ridiculous performance in the 535i and 550i. The cabin is a more confined version of the 7 Series and another step in the direction of BMW interiors.

Basic audio selections are on the centre console, as well as climate controls but the rest of the car’s functions are exclusive to the iDrive system, now revised and almost perfectly user friendly. It has short cut keys to all functions and even offers the entire owner’s manual in a comprehensive or quick reference guise.

The 530d came with a head up display, a myriad cameras, night vision with pedestrian alert, lane change and deviation warnings, active headlights, cruise control with active distance control and rear seat entertainment. That’s an extras price tag in the region of R100 000 on top of a R660 000 standard price.

Is it a small 7 Series? Not quite because it offers some distinct and attractive styling elements, particularly at the front end. It’s also something of a small big car in its ability to feel quite nippy, at the same time carry five adults in extreme comfort and style.

Is it worth the price tag? You’re getting ultimate luxury in a very capable vehicle which makes it a fantastic executive saloon. The previous 530d was a favourite among the ministerial entourage and I think this model will provide the perfect excuse for them to upgrade their fleet and brag about the fact that they could do so for less than R1 million.

Nobu is, arguably, the greatest sushi master in the world and certainly one of the savviest cooks-turned-businessmen to export his heritage as a dining commodity. The occasion is Cape Town’s One&Only hotel’s first birthday, so Nobu-san has flown out for a weekend of festivities. This is his only outpost in Africa, frequented by forex-touting tourists and recession-evading locals. Along with Gordon Ramsay’s Maze (also at the One&Only) and Bombay Brasserie at The Taj, Nobu is a mark of South Africa’s attempt to claw her way onto the circuit of internationally identifiable gastronomy. It’s the Golden Arches with a sommelier and linen napkins. In AA Gill’s inimitable words: “the upmarket version of the Hard Rock Café, without the T-shirt.” Albeit a few Michelin stars separate Nobu from the franchised masses.

Nobu arrives munching on a pastry snatched from the high tea buffet, eating on the run as the perpetually busy do. He’s well kept for his 51years, with a hint of salt and Szechwan-pepper creeping through his crew cut. We chat about what he eats for breakfast and his belief that passion is the premise of good food. He lionizes his mother, whose cooking-from-scratch approach – “no frozen ready meals!” – spurred his own love of food and consequent career path.

“Simplicity is key. Eating at home isn’t supposed to be fancy. I will never complain about a simple home-cooked meal of soup, fish and steamed rice.” Nobu’s sense of humour and obvious affection for his mother, who raised him and his brothers after his father was killed in a traffic accident when Nobu was just six years old, is endearing, and my preconception of a cleaver-wielding sushi samurai wanes.

Despite his delight in the domestic, Nobu agrees that running a restaurant is a different kettle of sushi-grade fish. How does he ensure the quality of every dish leaving every one of his kitchens around the world? His staffing strategy is to build a familial hierarchy. He can’t stand over each sliver of sashimi every night, but he trusts his employees, travels regularly and runs a tight ship.

“The word weekend is not in my vocabulary,” he tells me. After Cape Town, he is heading straight to Dubai, and then hopes to stop in here again during the 2010 games, where he’ll be rooting for the Japanese side. When time permits leisure, Nobu flees to his second home in Hakone, Japan, where his private chef – read: Mrs Matsuhisa – takes care of the catering.

When asked about the state of South African cuisine, Nobu speaks highly of our seafaring foodstuff – the sardines in particular – and our wine. His favourite tipple? A Constantia Uitsig vintage paired with a meal at La Colombe.

A man of many talents, you might recognise Nobu from cameos in Hollywood blockbusters Casino, Austin Powers in Goldmember and, a little closer to home, Memoirs of a Geisha. I ask if business partner Robert De Niro helped him prepare for his screen roles, and he laughs, “He is a good partner, a good friend and a good actor. But he can’t cook. I can act and I can cook.”

Nobu is happy to discuss all of the above and his weakness for French fries. What he won’t discuss is the bluefin tuna debate. You haven’t been following? Here’s the précis: international bluefin tuna stocks are dangerously low due to overfishing. The fish is absurdly valuable, fetching tens of thousands of US dollars on auction at Tokyo’s Tsukiji market every day. Conservation groups, environmentally aware celebs (Sting, Stephen Fry and our own Charlize Theron) and sustainably conscious chefs (Raymond Blanc, Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay) alike have campaigned to ban bluefin on restaurant menus.

Despite much public pressure about this inconvenient truth, including a feature-length documentary narrated by Ted Danson, End Of The Line, Nobu has blatantly refused to remove the beleaguered bluefin from his menus. After an outcry from Greenpeace, his London menus now carry a cursory asterisk leading to the disclaimer that bluefin tuna is ‘environmentally challenged’. When I ask Nobu-san, he says no more than, “we are not doing anything illegal”. I begged for further comment, and elicit an indignant, “I didn’t kill a kangaroo”. This isn’t a soapbox, so I won’t push the point. I guess slippery buggers like tuna don’t get as much sympathy as the panda. The maître d’ had warned me that Nobu-san, true to his culture of minimalist tradition, is a man of few, measured words. This is a man of firm convictions and sturdy beliefs and he can hold his own, in and out of the kitchen.

The competition to the public was held in the banking court of Sandton City and over 500 people took their time to write down their Live Out Loud Moment. Two winners were chosen: MacDonald Kgare who was the first in his family to get his degree, cum laude, and Ilana Friedman, who brings joy to the lives of children. We could have chosen entries from people who had made billion rand fortunes or who had achieved great material things but that was not the point of the competition.

The other two categories involved a photographic competition won by Kit Bruyns and a media competition won by Pabi Moloi of All Access and Highveld Stereo. We gathered in Johannesburg late on a Friday night to travel to Cape Town, all with our partners and all total strangers from all

walks of life. We got home on Sunday as friends having shared unforgettable experiences and having all had a glimpse into each others’ lives.

Our arrival in Cape Town was late, 11pm and there stood luxury Bentley limos at the arrivals door ready to take us to our hotel.

The management of 15 on Orange were waiting for us as we arrived close to midnight. We were welcomed, given a rundown of the facilities and shown to our rooms in which we found designer snack platters and complimentary truffles.

After breakfast on Saturday we made our way down to the marina and on to Princess Intrepid arranged through Barron Charters. She’s a 20m motor yacht with all the luxuries of ice cold bubbly, sushi and the fresh sea wind through your hair. We were limited by a fairly high sea but weather permitting, the entire peninsula is your oyster with any of the yachts offered by Barron Charters.

Dinner that evening was at The Grand Café & Beach in Granger Bay with its astounding views across Table Bay and its innovative dining concept. The energetic of the group hit Cape Town’s night spots after dinner and partied to the wee hours.

We bade our farewell to the staff of 15 on Orange on the Sunday and arrived at Allée Bleue wine estate for a decadent picnic in the winelands.

That’s about as much as we could have squeezed in to our magical weekend and it was back to Johannesburg with fond memories of once in a lifetime experiences and great people.

The highlights? Watermelon and Rose cocktails on the 15 on Orange Terrace, sushi and sparkling wine on the deck of Princess Intrepid, and the lights of Table Bay twinkling in the distance at the Grand Café & Beach.

BMW MEDIA INFORMATION – It stands out through modern aesthetics in design, conveys all of the Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of BMW, and offers unparalleled efficiency in the upper midrange segment. The premium character of this outstanding Sedan is underscored by features and technologies otherwise to be found only in the luxury class. In the sum total of its features, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan thus represents the outstanding competence in development of the world’s most successful manufacturer of premium cars.

The sophisticated aesthetics and dynamic looks of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan are the result of perfectly balanced proportions. Again in the typical style of the brand, the new 5 Series Sedan boasts a long and contoured engine compartment lid, short overhangs, a coupé-like flowing roofline as well as the longest wheelbase in the entire segment. The charismatic flair of the upright front section and the BMW kidney grille inclined slightly forward from certain perspectives, the stylish elegance of the side view and the muscular sportiness of the rear end all come together in typical BMW design language to provide an outstanding look of style and supremacy.

Within the interior horizontal surfaces and exciting lines create a truly generous and harmonious ambience. The clear structure of the cockpit enhances the high level of driver orientation, while the stylish, modern design of the interior may be further refined by top-quality materials and tastefully composed colour combinations reflecting the individual choice of the customer.

Benefiting from BMW EfficientDynamics naturally featured as standard, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan further extends BMW’s leadership in the segment also when it comes to efficiency. All power units fulfil the EU5 emission standard. Intelligent lightweight technology is borne out among other things by chassis components as well as the engine lid, front side panels and doors all made of aluminium.

The new BMW 5 Series Sedan is entering the market with one eight-cylinder and three six-cylinder petrol engines as well as one six-cylinder diesel. The top model is the BMW 550i powered by a V8 with BMW TwinPower Turbo featuring High Precision Injection (300 kW). Then there is the world’s first straight-six petrol engine with TwinPower Turbo, High Precision Injection and VALVETRONIC (225 kW) in the BMW 535i as well as two straight-six petrol engines with bi-VANOS and VALVETRONIC in the BMW 528i (190 kW) and the BMW 523i (150 kW).

The latest generation straight-six diesel featuring an all-aluminium crankcase and common-rail direct injection develops 180 kW. Due to supplement the model range in the near future, the new BMW 520d comes with a thoroughly upgraded 135 kW four-cylinder diesel. Offering average fuel consumption of just 5.2 litres/100 km in the EU test cycle and a CO2 emission rating of 137 g/km, this high-tech power unit sets a new benchmark in its segment.

An eight-speed automatic transmission comes as standard with all engine variants of the BMW 5 Series. Sports Automatic with shift paddles on the steering wheel is also available as an option. With its innovative gearset configuration, a unique level of inner efficiency and optimised weight, the eight-speed automatic transmission combines outstanding gearshift comfort, dynamic performance and efficiency of the highest level.

The combination of a double track arm front axle and the Integral-V rear axle ensures supreme driving dynamics and motoring comfort all in one. Further efficiency is provided by EPS Electric Power Steering including Servotronic as standard feature for the first time in the BMW 5 Series. Optional Integral Active Steering, finally, adds a controlled rear axle steering function to the active steering on the front wheels, with a steering lock of up to 2.5o.

In its driving behaviour, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan is even more dynamic than before and offers a significant improvement in motoring comfort. In its agility it follows the benchmark set by the BMW 3 Series, in its supremacy it comes very close to the BMW 7 Series Luxury Performance Sedan. All the car’s driving characteristics may be set and tuned individually by Dynamic Drive Control available in conjunction with the Sports Automatic, Dynamic Damper Control and Integral Active Steering options.

The clearly structured cockpit and intuitive controls enhance Sheer Driving Pleasure in typical BMW style to an even higher level, at the same time underlining the sophisticated ambience within the passenger compartment of the new BMW 5 Series. The driver-oriented cockpit in Black Panel technology, the multifunction steering wheel featured as standard, the two highly functional steering wheel columns, and the separation of driving and comfort functions further enhance the feeling of supremacy at the wheel. An important option for the truly discerning customer is the BMW Head-Up Display optimised once again in terms of the information provided, image resolution and the size of the image presented.

The new BMW 5 Series Sedan comes as standard with the latest generation of BMW iDrive control. Both the standard and optional audio, navigation and communication functions are masterminded via the Controller on the centre console and the 10.2- or, respectively, 7-inch Control Display integrated harmoniously in the instrument panel.

BMW offers a unique range of functions for enhanced comfort, safety and infotainment, unparalleled even in this superior segment. For the first time the new BMW 5 Series Sedan comes with a Parking Assistant, a collision warning and brake initiation function in conjunction with Active Cruise Control and Stop & Go, Surround View and the Speed Limit Device all available in the new model. Further options are Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Warning, a High-Beam Assistant, BMW Night Vision able to detect even individual persons, Park Distance Control and a reverse-view camera.

In the interest of enhanced agility and safety, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan boasts a particularly stiff body structure. Appropriate use of high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel increases the mean stiffness of the new model car by approximately 55 per cent over its predecessor, at the same time optimising the weight of the car.

Standard features include three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, frontal and side airbags as well as crash-activated headrests for the driver and front passenger, curtain head airbags at the side, a tyre defect indicator as well as an active engine compartment lid for optimum pedestrian safety. Daytime driving lights, foglamps, two-stage Adaptive Brake Lights and cruise control complete with a brake initiation function all come as standard, bi-xenon dual headlights, Adaptive Headlights with variable light distribution, adaptive headlight range control and bending lights are all available as options. The wide range of sophisticated features offered as standard in the new BMW 5 Series comprise Comfort Start without requiring the driver to even insert the key, the BMW Professional radio complete with a CD player, an AUX-In plug and six loudspeakers, automatic air conditioning with separate temperature and ventilation control on the driver’s and front passenger’s side, as well as an Integrated Owner’s Manual. The exclusive comfort options clearly oriented to the luxury class, finally, include Comfort Access, a USB plug, a multi-channel audio system, rear seat entertainment systems, four-zone automatic air conditioning, active seats, Soft Close Automatic on the doors, a contoured sliding roof optimised for supreme acoustics, as well as an electrically retractable trailer bar.

Power units:

BMW 550i V8 petrol engine with TwinPower Turbo and High Precision Injection Capacity: 4,395 cc, max output: 300 kW from 5,500 – 6,400 rpm Max torque: 600 Nm/442 lb-ft from 1,750 – 4,500 rpm Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds Top speed: 250 km/h Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 10.4 ltr/100 km CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 243 g/km, full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 535i Straight-six petrol engine with TwinPower Turbo, High Precision Injection and VALVETRONIC Capacity: 2,979 cc, max output: 225 kW at 5,800 rpm Max torque: 400 Nm from 1,200 – 5,000 rpm Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds Top speed: 250 km/h Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 8.4 ltr/100 km CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 195 g/km full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 528i Straight-six petrol engine with bi-VANOS and VALVETRONIC Capacity: 2,996 cc, max output: 190 kW at 6,600 rpm Max torque: 300 Nm from 2,600 – 5,000 rpm Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds Top speed: 250 km/h Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 7.6 ltr/100 km, CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 178 g/km, full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 523i Straight-six petrol engine with bi-VANOS and VALVETRONIC Capacity: 2,996 cc, max output: 150 kW at 6,100 rpm Max torque: 270 Nm from 1,500 – 4,250 rpm Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds Top speed: 234 km/h Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 7.6 ltr/100 km CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 177 g/km, full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 530d Straight-six diesel with aluminium crankcase, turbocharger with variable turbine geometry and common-rail direct fuel injection (piezo-injectors, max injection pressure 1,800 bar) Capacity: 2, 993 cc, max output: 180 kW at 4,000 rpm Max torque: 540 Nm from 1,750 – 3,000 rpm Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds Top speed: 250 km/h Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 6.2 ltr/100 km CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 162 g/km, full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

BMW 520d Straight-four diesel with aluminium crankcase, turbocharger with variable turbine geometry and common-rail direct fuel injection (magnetic valve injectors, max injection pressure 1,800 bar) Capacity: 1,995 cc, max output: 135 kW at 4,000 rpm Max torque: 380 Nm from 1,900 – 2, 750 rpm Acceleration: 0–100 km/h in 8.1 seconds (provisional), Top speed: 225 km/h (provisional) Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 5.2 ltr/100 km CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 137 g/km (provisional), full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

Sorrento is the last stop on the Cicumvesuvio line, a single track railway running the 100 minutes or so from Naples and passing through two of Italy’s headline attractions, Pompeii and Herculaneum, both casualties of the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Just as a full stop implies a new sentence to follow, so Sorrento presages the lyrical line of cliff-hugging towns that constitute the Amalfi Coast before the following sentence begins at Salerno, from whence a whole different geography of flat coastline stretches southwards.

Having caught the train down from Rome and heeding Lord Horatio Nelson’s caution about Naples – “A country of fiddlers and poets, whores and scoundrels” – we did not tarry but immediately changed trains for Sorrento.  With a one-way ticket costing a mere €3,50, this is probably the cheapest travel anywhere in Italy and probably hasn’t changed since Sorrento was part of the Grand Tour.

Following in the footsteps of Goethe, Shelley and his wife Mary, and Sigmund Freud, we headed immediately to the Grand Hotel Cocumella. Unlike Mrs Shelley who later returned to the hotel after her spouse’s death accompanied by her son and her husband’s heart as a relic, we were travelling light. It seems under-powered to check into a 5-star hotel with nothing but a knapsack but that is exactly what we did.

Not only is Sorrento the town at the end of the line, it’s also the town where time stopped and nowhere is that more apparent than at the Cocumella.   A former 16^th Century Jesuit monastery built on a promontory overlooking the Gulf of Naples, the hotel – part of the Small Luxury Hotels portfolio – is set in a large park comprising orange and lemon orchards and Mediterranean gardens. It’s a gracious retreat which distils all the charm one could wish for on a coastline renowned for its beauty.

Unless those Jesuit monks belonged to the cult of Sybaris, I can only imagine that the Olympic sized pool, tennis court, Jacuzzi and hammam were later additions to the property. Not to mention the hotel’s private tall ship, the Vera, which is available for daily or weekly charter and is today considered one of the most exclusive vessels available in the Mediterranean.

Considering its fame, Sorrento is surprisingly unspoilt and un-trafficked by tourism. Why this should be I’m not sure – possibly because land is not easily come by or because the town is so end-of-the-line. Its main road, the Corsa Italia, is positively plebeian – there’s not a designer label shop in sight.

Visitors will find more to purchase in the Via San Cesareo which yields successive photo opportunities of market stalls brimming with fresh produce, galleries with chocolate-box paintings of the town’s coastline and shops displaying the region’s signature craft – marquetry.

On our first night in this little corner of paradise, we did what any self-respecting backpacker would do: went to a local corner shop, bought artisanal breads, salami and cheese, a bottle of wine and, because our junior suite had a sound system, a once-in-a-lifetime find – a CD of the great American songbook sung in Italian.

Sitting on our top floor terrace at dusk, the whole stretch of the Mediterranean twinkling beneath the shadow of Mount Vesuvius off in the distance, was a perfect way to end the day.

Any hotel can be as grand or as pretentious as it wants to be – and many are – but where an establishment like Cocumella transcends others in its category, is in the warmth and down-to-earthiness of its reception. For a 50-room property, I certainly didn’t expect the hotel’s manager, Simone Guida, to take us up to our rooms. Nor was I prepared for the empathetic counsel of long-time concierge Giuseppe Di Pietro who was a touchstone for service excellence as the following anecdote may illustrate.

Having spent several days exploring the town’s neighbouring sights – Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Greek temples at Paestum and the idyllic Isle of Capri – on our last morning we realised that we hadn’t yet swum in the Mediterranean. Giuseppe arranged for a complete set of the complex’s keys to be left for us downstairs. And so it was that at 06:00 in the morning, in a pearlescent dawn and garbed in voluminous fluffy bathrobes, we walked through the citrus trees and down the avenue to the cliff-side terrace as daybreak touched the blue-grey waters of the Sorrentine peninsula. Descending a staircase hewn into the rock-face that was the equal of any Hardy Boys fantasy, we arrived in a grotto at the base of the cliff.

With our ring of keys, we could unlock the gate giving access to Cocumella’s private beach of pebbles, and plunge into the warm and slightly salty Mediterranean. There is nothing quite so exhilarating as swimming at the base of a cliff… or discovering that there was a lift and that we didn’t have to negotiate the 100 or so steps back to the top!

On checking out of the hotel, Giuseppe pressed a bottle of marmalade on me, produce of the hotel’s gardens.

I can quite see that I have to go back to Sorrento and the Grand Hotel Cocumella – not as Mrs Percy Bysshe Shelley before me carrying the heart of her husband, but to return to claim the one I left behind.

Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ is an unsurpassed collection of over 480 hotels spanning more than 70 countries.   For further information on Small Luxury Hotels of the World visit their website www.slh.com or contact Luxury Brands on (021) 702 3436, e-mail luxurybrands@iafrica.com

Sorrento

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The 100-room Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa is part of the 263-hectare Oubaai Golf Resort, an upscale residential and golf development on the Garden Route, which extends along the Western Cape from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, overlooking the Indian Ocean on Herolds Bay. The development also features the country’s first Ernie Els Signature Golf Course. Located less than seven minutes from George Airport in an area renowned for its pristine beaches, indigenous forests and nature reserves, the hotel’s position between the ocean and the majestic Outeniqua Mountains naturally lends itself to the development of an exclusive resort. “Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa will offer guests a complete holiday experience by blending Hyatt’s authentic hospitality with five-star facilities and an unmatched natural landscape,” said Gebhard Rainer, managing director of Hyatt Hotels & Resorts – Europe, Africa and the Middle East. “The hotel’s opening will not only build our presence in Africa, but also will add to our long history and reputation of international, world-class hotel offerings,” added Rainer. The M.A. Kharafi Group acquired the Oubaai site, which is located on 263 hectares of prime real estate with sea and mountain views, in 2000 with the express purpose of developing a premier luxury golf and lifestyle centre. In 2008, the estate was named “Best Golf Resort in South Africa“ and “Best Multiple Architecture in Africa” at the International Property Awards. In 2009, in the Professional Management Review, the estate was recognised as the “Institution contributing the most to the economic development of the area of the Southern Cape.“

Accommodation and Design

Leading firms, including QTS – Quadtrisir Architects and LLP – Design, were selected to handle the interior design of Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa. The hotel will offer 100 stylish guestrooms and suites equipped with the latest in communication and entertainment technology, all featuring spacious bathrooms with a glass-enclosed showers and separate baths. The Presidential Suite, two Executive Suites and six Junior Suites are designed and furnished to accommodate the requirements of the discerning traveller. Room sizes range from 40 to 49 sq m for standard rooms, 86 sq m for the Junior Suites, 118 sq m for the Executive Suites and an impressive 155 sq m the Presidential Suite. Additionally, the hotel will provide Regency ClubTM accommodation.

Services and Facilities

The spa at Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa will be part of Hyatt Pure, a worldwide collection of extraordinary spas in urban and resort settings. Each spa in the collection is designed to embrace the local culture and provide an authentic indigenous experience. Returning to the true definition of spa, “sanitas per aquas”, which is Latin for “healing by waters”, treatments and services promote wellness and renewal. The hotel will also offer a state-of-the-art fitness facility. Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa will offer guests a range of first-class services, including airport transfers on request, Concierge service, babysitting by prior arrangement, 24-hour room service, Business Centre services, wireless Internet access in public areas, and a dedicated retail centre.

Food and Beverage

Guests of the hotel will have a choice of three restaurants, each offering a unique and personal dining experience. The hotel’s three-meal restaurant, featuring picturesque floor-to-ceiling windows, a show kitchen, and outdoor seating, will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. A large wine wall will accent the private dining room and a separate fireplace lounge will be adjacent to the restaurant. Located in the village area of the resort, the hotel’s signature grill restaurant will serve lunch and dinner, as well as snacks and drinks during the afternoon. The bustling atmosphere here will cover an extensive outdoor seating area, a show kitchen, and an oyster bar counter. A lounge adjacent to the seafood restaurant will offer cosy seating arrangements, an outdoor terrace and a unique bar, with service available from indoors and out. The visitors’ clubhouse will provide scenic dining options for breakfast and lunch, with windows providing stunning views over the mountains and the driving range.

Convention and Meeting Facilities

The hotel will provide more than 1,200 sq m of conference and banqueting space with a ballroom divisible into two sections, four meeting rooms, and a spacious boardroom. There will be indoor and outdoor pre-function areas as well as multimedia facilities with WiFi connectivity available in all meeting rooms. One unique feature of Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa will be a wedding chapel for guests seeking the perfect, picturesque location in which to tie the knot.

Recreation and Relaxation

Oubaai is a naturally undisturbed site nestled in the heart of South Africa’s Garden Route. Once the site of a prehistoric settlement, it is bordered on one side by a river valley, on one side by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, and on two sides by woodland and natural vegetation. Guests can take advantage of the hotel’s location by surfing and fishing in the crystal clear waters of Herolds Bay Beach and exploring the Oubaai Heritage trail, which offers more than 8 km of hiking trails within the resort. The hotel will also feature an outdoor swimming pool, a separate children’s wading pool and access to the already open Lifestyle Centre, which includes a tennis court, two outdoor swimming pools, including a heated lap pool, a squash court, and an exercise facility and studio for group classes. Other activities include bird watching, dolphin and whale watching from the on-site deck, and tours to nearby wineries. The development features the first Ernie Els signature golf course in South Africa. In the design, the three-time winner of major championships, Ernie Els, and his team have taken full advantage of the spectacular landscape. Furthermore, they had the full support of Nicklaus Design, the privately held company of golf legend Jack Nicklaus and family, which served as technical advisor. The (6,516 m) 18-hole links-style golf course was completed four years ago and is fully operational. The majority of the residential and individual plots located within the development have been sold and are currently under construction.

Reservations for any Hyatt hotel worldwide may be obtained by calling the local hotel, Hyatt Worldwide Reservations Centre, or logging on to www.hyatt.com. Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa 406 Herolds Bay Road Herolds Bay, George, 6528 P O Box 2957, George, 6530

http://oubaai.regency.hyatt.com

Preferred Hotels® & Resorts, with its head office in the US and with 28 global offices, is known globally as the ultimate luxury collection, featuring more than 185 exceptional hotels and resorts in the most desirable locations around the world.

As a member of the Preferred Hotel Group™ family of brands, Preferred Hotels® & Resorts celebrate the individuality of its properties and intuitively understand the preferences of its guests, as does the Cape Royale. They share a passion for travel with our guests, understanding that discerning travellers have a preference for individualised experiences, for anticipatory service and for sophisticated style.

Jose Ventura, Preferred Hotel Group Regional Director for Africa says, “We at Preferred Hotel Group™ are excited to bring into our portfolio one of the best hotels in Africa, in one of the most recognisable destinations; Cape Town. We are sure that the Cape Royale will meet, if not exceed all our customers’ expectations, that follow our Hotels around the world due to our uncompromised approach to luxury and service.” Jose adds, “Africa presence and growth is one of our main objectives as a group, and this partnership with the Cape Royale shows our intent to bring the best hotels in the region under our brands.”

The Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence will form part of Preferred Hotels® & Resorts, positioning itself amongst some of the world’s top hotels in some of the most desired destinations: The Trump International Hotel and Tower and The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago, The Lanesborough Hotel in London, The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, The Imperial in New Delhi, The Balzac in Paris, just to mention a few of this restricted luxury collection that the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence now belongs. “We are thrilled about our partnership with the Preferred Hotel Group™ family of brands and are very proud to be recognised as one of the top quality, luxury hotels in both Cape Town and around the world. We are pleased to be positioning ourselves with the Preferred Hotels® & Resorts portfolio and to have established our hotel and property amongst the groups globally acclaimed hotel collection.

The Preferred Hotels Group™ brings unrivalled experience and world renowned expertise to our table, positioning the Cape Royale as their benchmark property in their African Luxury portfolio,” says Nathan Schmidt, Managing Director, Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence. The Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence will embrace Preferred Hotels® & Resorts award-winning Standards of Excellence™, an extensive quality assurance program that has been honoured with the “Best Practices Champion Award” by Cornell University. For more than 40 years, the brand’s legendary commitment to quality has ensured an unparalleled guest experience, from the very best amenities to superb service.

About Preferred Hotel Group™

Celebrating more than 40 years of excellence, Preferred Hotel Group™ is proud to be a global leader in the hospitality industry, delivering high-performance sales, marketing and technology solutions to more than 700 independent hotels and resorts in over 75 countries. Its family of brands represents a collection of the finest hotels in the world and include: Preferred Hotels® & Resorts www.PreferredHotels.com, Preferred Boutique™ www.PreferredBoutique.com Summit Hotels & Resorts™ www.SummitHotels.com, Sterling Hotels™ www.SterlingHotels.com and Historic Hotels of America™ www.HistoricHotels.org. For more information please visit www.PreferredHotelGroup.com.

About the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence

 The Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence www.caperoyale.co.za  is set against the iconic outline of Table Mountain, with panoramic views over the city and Atlantic Ocean, providing an enclave of luxury and refinement right in the heart of South Africa’s most beautiful metropolis. From the grand and elegant façade and entrance to the intimate and relaxed atmosphere of the designer furnished suites, the Cape Royale is the first choice for discerning travellers seeking the very best in comfort and convenience. With ample living and entertainment areas in all suites, a choice of two restaurants www.18hundreddegrees.com, state-of-the-art executive meeting rooms, a Spa www.equinoxspa.co.za and Wellness Centre and gym and roof deck pool and bar, the Cape Royale is a landmark hotel in Cape Town.