Decency
Originality
Respect
Psycho
“A grand yet unpretentious place to stay, high on the slopes of Signal Hill, with unparalleled views and a fairytale garden … The work of a creative maverick, it’s both haven and inspiration, and unlike any other hotel I’ve encountered.”
- The Daily Telegraph
At the very top of the residential suburb on the eastern flank of Signal Hill, DORP occupies the most enviable position.
Below you the city, all human endeavour dwarfed by the imposing bulk of Table Mountain and Devils Peak … the craggy Twelve Apostles glimpsed through Kloof Nek … the blue sweep of Table Bay… a unique perspective on one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
But exceptional views are just one
of many reasons to choose Dorp.
The rooms are beautiful. The attention to detail is second to none. The food is unfussy, generous, classic – more homestyle than hotel, served in our gorgeous Salon.
The experience is one of being cocooned. In an aura of decadence. With plenty of generosity. And a touch of humour.
A Dorp Poem
Our doors sometimes rattle
and the windows can leak .. look over the puddle and not at your feet .
If you want to be happy we’re here to help .. it only requires the tiniest yelp ..
Please don’t be unpleasant or come here to complain .. it’ll only result in being thrown out in the rain ..
Money isn’t everything but kindness does count
So let’s all agree that this is paramount ?
You feel like a boogy ? Get up and have a dance
You feel a bit lonely .. give friendship a chance ..
It’s not a hotel, nor a house nor a pub. It is instead a sort of oddballs club ..
You’ll know if you fit the moment you arrive
And if you don’t simply reverse down the drive ..
We want everyone to be happy or as happy as they can be. And that applies to the staff here and to me ..
*Inimitable creator of Dorp, Gail Behr
Stay
“Nothing quite like Dorp exists anywhere else in the world … Check in at your own risk, you might never want to leave.”
- Inside Guide
Stay | Dorp
Dorp means ‘village’, and in its most diminutive sense, that’s exactly what it is – a compound of architecturally distinct buildings, clustered around a wild, bird-filled garden, with Onderdorp, a separate wing, located the length of the block below.
With a wide selection of accommodation options, the intention has always been to offer something for everyone. From great value rooms that open onto garden patios under leafy arbours, to huge suites with kitchens and fireplaces; compact rooms with enormous views to top-tier studio-style apartments with his and her bathrooms, and views that will keep you in bed (or your bath!) for days …
A full breakfast, served in the Salon, is included in all Dorp rates.
Stay | OnderDorp
Onderdorp is our self-sufficient wing, ideal for group bookings or for Dorp guests looking for good-value longer stays.
Separate from Dorp, and priced accordingly, it comprises a collection of 15 rooms, each unique in size and configuration, all with either a kitchenette or fully equipped kitchen, and serviced by its own ‘mini-Salon’: Palm House.
Salon
At the heart of Dorp is our Salon: a double-volume space filled with book cases and tables piled high with books and plants; big comfortable sofas on sisal carpets and fabulous old Persian rugs; armchairs clustered around two fireplaces.
Large, arched windows frame Table Mountain and the city – at night a valley of twinkling embers below, illuminated by candles and soft pools of light.
Both airy and cosy, romantic and homely, the Salon is our lounge, library, dining room and café, where you can curl up with a book, meet for coffee or just gaze at the view.
House Rules
It’s written on the Salon walls: D for Decency, O for Originality,
R for Respect and P for Psycho… because we all need a little crazy to leaven the day!
No children under 14.
No unkindness.
Quiet celebrations most welcome but no loud music or parties.
No smoking inside anywhere. We have lots of lovely tables in our garden, patios and balconies.
No intrusive photography in public spaces.
Please try to avoid using your phone in the Salon, and no speakerphone in public spaces.
Eat
“There are hundreds of excellent reasons to stay at DORP but maybe my favorite is the roast chicken…”
- R. Wohlman, Guest
Our kitchen prepares a somewhat old-fashioned choice of generously portioned, simple, home-style meals. From time to time we make small changes but we believe in consistency, and have perfected dishes that have been on our menu since we opened, like the twice-baked cheese soufflé, spinach and ricotta ravioli with burnt-sage butter, and of course, our famous rotisserie roast chicken.
Experience
Dorp has been described as Cape Town’s best kept secret, the city’s most mysterious hotel, a womb, a cocoon, an unofficial club for oddballs, romantics, seekers of beauty. But we also know that we are not for everyone. We are not a five star hotel. We have issues, like limited parking, and staff that dance. Our aim and ethos is not about perfection. We like the well-worn and the lived in. People who don’t take themselves too seriously. Nothing is too much trouble when you do what you love. And we love nothing more than to make people happy.
Detail
“There’s a gravitas and soul to this property… a
whimsical, irreverent and somewhat nostalgic sense of design…”
- VISI
Attention to detail is integral to Dorp,
but not in a fussy uptight way.
Detail
Just like our garden appears wild and unkept but is carefully pruned with nail scissors (almost!), we want to create a sensual yet informal, relaxed environment, mixing the old and found with the quirky and the new.
From the music playing in Salon or Arcadia, the Games Room or Palm House, to the selection of books and bowls of apples; the sprigs of green in empty wine bottles to the cards pinned up as in-room notices; the Behr Necessities tin in every bathroom to the bespoke perfume infused in our Dorp soaps, the trophies in our Tomato House to the layered choice of fabrics you’ll find on every bed.
Events@Dorp
Onderdorp is separate wing of Dorp Hotel: a small compound of buildings located a short (but steep!) walk from the main hotel. It can sleep up to 25 and is ideal for small groups looking for a retreat venue, a bosberaad, film production, reunions, reunions, creative events and quiet celebrations.
Onderdorp has its own reception, located in the Shop. Opposite is the Games Room, with a long dining or meeting table that can seat up to 30, a fireplace and huge-screen TV, tactfully hidden within a cupboard. The hearth of the Onderdorp wing is Palm House: a marvellous demonstration kitchen with dining table and fireside nooks, plus an adjacent lounge and verandah, with sash windows framing beautiful Table Mountain views.
Contact us
For any queries or clarifications:
+27 21 612 0298
reservations@dorp.co.za
273 Longmarket St,
Schotsche Kloof,
Cape Town,
8001
