Valet service, spa treatments, three-course meals and cocktails presented poolside are not very run of the mill for a midweek evening — unless you’re checking in to the Seven Villa Hotel & Spa for their night spa package.
In this case, expect to be greeted at your car door by a broad-smiled, smartly dressed man ready to whisk you and your bags away for check in, where you’re presented not with a sickly sweet welcome drink but rather with a menu. Will you be having a hot beverage, soft drink, fruit juice, whisky, gin, wine, or perhaps a glass of Cap Classique, the friendly staff want to know?
Bubbles, check. Spa treatment and dinner booking, check. Then, off to your room for some down time before you’re expected for canapés and drinks pre-pamper.
URBAN ESCAPE
The hotel opened as the three-star Capital Moloko business hotel about 10 years ago and has since undergone a number of transformations. It was later named The Ivy Villa Hotel & Spa, and moved up a notch to four star status, before transforming into its current version over two years ago, becoming a five-star hotel in the process.
The new name, Seven Villa Hotel & Spa, is not in reference to the number of rooms, or villas, on the property (there are, in fact, 61 different rooms and suites), but rather plays on the idea of evoking the seven senses: the oft-acknowledged sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste, plus movement and balance for a holistic experience.
Along with the name change, some things like the rooms and overall look of the hotel have been upgraded but an impressive Anton Smit sculpture collection displayed throughout the hotel and gardens has remained a staple. You'll be greeted by these larger than life sculptures from when you first arrive and your stay will be marked by their presence throughout: from walks down the hall to your room to ambling about the garden or traipsing up the stairs to the gym.
The hotel has put together a number of curated experiences, from gourmet picnics to a deluxe friendcation option and an intimate Villa Spa Experience. Their night spa package — marketed as one to rejuvenate your seven senses — is the perfect pick for a date night or treat for girlfriends.
The experience kicks off with canapés and an arrival drink next to the pool in time for the last glow of sunset, a 60-minute full body couple's massage in the Camelot Spa to mellow you out and a two-course dinner in Textures restaurant interspersed with long yawns calling you to bed. It's the ultimate recipe for a good night's rest.
STAY THE NIGHT
The package can be booked with or without an overnight experience but what’s the point of relaxing and then driving yourself home?
A close second to the presidential villa suite (which will set you back an eye-watering R15,345 a night), is a ground floor jacuzzi villa suite (with a slightly improved rate of R5,020 a night), with a king bed, lounge and en suite bathroom spread out across the 50m2.
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Details like a drinks cabinet proudly boasting bottles of Möet & Chandon Champagne, Rémy Martin cognac and Glenfiddich whisky (at an additional price) and Molton Brown products in the bathroom add to the luxury price tag but it’s the jacuzzi on the deck that I imagine is the biggest drawcard for these rooms. A small moat runs along the towering walls of the property, providing a soothing soundtrack to your soaks and allowing you to (almost) forget you’re less than 10 minutes from the heart of Sandton.
An overnight stay has the added bonus of a breakfast buffet with a smorgasbord of coffees and fresh juices, pastries, fruits, cheeses and all sorts of meaty, hearty morning delights.
WHAT ELSE?
The hotel also has a gym where you can expend your pent-up energy from all the pampering and in the snazzy cognac, Champagne and cigar lounge you’ll find a cigar menu boasting Cuban, Nicaraguan and Dominican varieties which are stored in a temperature-controlled fridge.
Outside, a heated swimming pool and lounge area caters to sun-kissed relaxation and a garden with private pods provides the lush setting where gourmet picnic experiences take place.
RATES
The night spa package costs R3,100 per couple, excluding accommodation. Packages including an overnight stay with breakfast the next morning start from R4,900 per couple in a grand luxe room and cost R7,300 in a jacuzzi villa suite. For more information or to book visit the website.
• Oberholzer was a guest of Seven Villa Hotel & Spa.
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