Durban - Property prospects in KwaZulu-Natal are promising and, when it comes to a beachfront holiday, there are plenty of swanky, new places to choose from.
However, one family-owned hotel, surely a historical heirloom of the province, offers a bit of our heritage, albeit in the lap of luxury.
A large part of the legacy of The Oyster Box is that it has been around for as long as anybody can remember.
The original cottage, called The Oyster Lodge, was built on the grounds in 1863. It was made of Burmese Teak, corrugated iron and reinforced concrete, and was originally used as a navigational beacon.
In 1952, the cottage and overgrown grounds were sold to local residents Ken O’Connor and his sister, Kay O’Connor (Hill) who started a tea garden, which became a restaurant and then The Oyster Box Hotel, in March 1954.
The site next to the iconic lighthouse has undergone a number of architectural changes since the 1800s. The most notable interventions occurred during the 1940s and ’50s with the addition of a variety of largely unrelated, vaguely Mediterranean decorative elements.
The Oyster Box’s reputation as the accommodation of choice for celebrities and “royals”, precedes it.
The Manchester United soccer team, Princes Harry and William, King Goodwill Zwelithini, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, who held a second reception at the hotel, soon after their wedding in Monaco and more recently, actors Sean Penn, Javier Bardem, Charlize Theron and Khloe Kardashian are some of the guests who have graced the hotel.
While The Oyster Box evokes fond memories in the hearts and minds of its countless visitors and guests, it holds a very special place in the hearts of owners Stanley and Bea Tollman, who bought the hotel in 2006 and undertook a two-year long refurbishment.
The Tollmans own the internationally recognised Red Carnation Hotel Collection, comprising 16 four- and five-star hotels around the world.
It was at the Oyster in 1952 that the couple met and began a 60-year long romance and that is the reason they returned later to buy and lovingly restore the property.
Today, the hotel boasts 86 luxurious rooms and suites and a magnificent presidential suite.
Much of the inspiration for the decor was taken from the original features of the hotel – the floors, the arches, the original tiles and the existing artefacts and artwork.
Reference to the period of the ’40s and ’50s during which the hotel was at its zenith, can be seen in the furnishings and decor, and felt in the “ambience” of the property.
Inspired by the hotel’s original colonial architecture with three chandeliers from the Savoy Hotel in London, the day-lit atrium Palm Court is now at the “heart” of the new hotel with all the other areas rippling out from there.
The arches and windows of the “Ocean Terrace” allow wide vistas of the sea into the light and airy space. The architectural elements are complemented by the brightly coloured, hand-painted Turkish tiles on the roof and walls and the brass lanterns, which bring a casual ease to the room.
The tiles are a direct link with original owner, Kay Hill and part of a collection from her travels around the world.
The colourful, quirky artworks in the Grill Room were painted by local hairdresser, Rene Rutgers and depict a time of fun and frivolity.
The contrast of the white furniture and navy walls, high ceilings, deep coffers and rich textures make the room striking and elegant.
Intricate, creative ceramic and mosaic murals by KwaZulu-Natal ceramic artist, Jane du Rand, can be seen throughout the property, including The Spa and the gardens.
The hotel’s extensive art collection, comprises works by European and South African artists, including a significant selection of paintings by local KwaZulu-Natal artists, curated by contemporary art dealer Michael Stevenson.
A calm white aesthetic ensures a casual, yet elegant, ambience throughout the building, reminiscent of the Mediterranean.
The recognisable black and white checkerboard floor has been reinstated throughout.
While the building connects to the ocean on only one side, it also relates intimately to its newly modelled internal courtyards and lush colonial-feel garden.
A number of the original features, including the grand revolving door at the entrance, the reception and foyer with its black and white terrazzo tiles, the familiar wrought-iron balustrade and original, inlaid hand-painted tiles, remain intact.
Omeshnie Naidoo, Daily News