A New Chapter for a Cape Town Icon: The Winchester Reveals Art-Led Room and Event Space Redesigns

The Winchester Boutique Hotel, a long-standing landmark on Cape Town’s Sea Point Promenade, has revealed a refreshed look following the soft refurbishment of all 78 guest rooms and a significant update to its event space offering. The project, undertaken in collaboration with interior designer Francois du Plessis, brings new depth, colour, and local artistry to the iconic property, while strengthening its appeal as a contemporary hub for both leisure and corporate travellers.

A Soft Refurbishment That Builds on the Hotel’s Character

Completed between May and October 2025, the room refresh focused on the Winchester’s existing aesthetic through new furnishings, added texture and a more cohesive visual identity. No structural changes were made; instead, the intention was to build on the hotel’s classic character with subtle modernity, warmth and a stronger sense of place.

General Manager Walda Lloyd says: “Guests are recognising the refreshed look immediately. The rooms feel updated and more inviting, but still very much in line with the Winchester’s classic character.”

Art-led Design Through a Collaboration with Local Creatives

A central feature of the refurbishment is the installation of bespoke wallpapers by Cara Saven Wallpapers, created in collaboration with Cape Town visual artist Hermien van der Merwe. The designs emphasise the hotel’s unique position between ocean and mountain:

• Sea-facing rooms feature custom palm-themed wallpapers, echoing the iconic palms lining the Promenade.
• Mountain-facing rooms are wrapped in fynbos artworks taken from Hermien’s original oil paintings, inspired by the flora of Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill,.

Each wallpaper was custom-designed for the shape and proportions of its room and is produced locally on seamless, wipeable and Green Tag–approved materials. During a special signing ceremony, Hermien personally signed selected walls to mark the collaboration.

Artist Hermien van der Merwe says: “Seeing my work integrated into the rooms at this scale has been remarkable. These fynbos pieces began with time spent observing the landscape, and it’s rewarding to see them form part of the hotel’s design story and guest experience”

“With the ocean on one side and the mountain on the other, The Winchester occupies one of Cape Town’s most iconic locations,” says founder Cara Saven. “We wanted the interiors to reflect that sense of place in a way that feels intentional and true to the hotel’s surroundings.”

Upcoming Art Exhibition: Hermien van der Merwe at The Winchester

In celebration of the collaboration, An accompanying exhibition of Hermien’s work will be hosted in the Constance Room at The Winchester from 16 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, open daily from 11h00 – 16h00 (closed 25 December and 1 January). The exhibition will showcase a selection of her fynbos-inspired works, echoing the botanical themes now found throughout the mountain-facing rooms.

Strengthened Meetings & Events Offering

Alongside the room enhancements, The Winchester has significantly expanded its meetings and events capabilities with a fully redesigned Constance Room and the addition of the brand-new Francon Room. Together, these venues offer greater flexibility and sophistication to meet the growing demand for corporate, event and conferencing spaces, supported by upgraded interiors, acoustic improvements and advanced AV technology.

The Constance Room now features refreshed interiors, acoustic treatment, upgraded AV, double-glazed doors and windows, and a new acoustic divider that enables the venue to operate either as one larger space or two separate breakaway areas. With French doors lining both sides, it is suited to multi-format gatherings requiring natural light, comfort and versatility.

Created in response to increased demand for boutique, tech-forward conference spaces, the all-new Francon Room is equipped with 75-inch interactive touch display, video-conferencing technology, floor-box connectivity (HDMI, USB, USB-C), adjustable lighting and original artworks by Max Wolpe and Rossouw. Designed for high-level meetings, hybrid sessions, incentives and exclusive dining, it features panelled walls, luxury wallpaper, carpeted floors, curtains, blinds and stone-top coffee stations.

A Contemporary Chapter for a Coastal Icon

Neil Markovitz, CEO of Newmark Hotels & Reserves, says: “This project honours everything people already love about The Winchester, while strengthening its relevance in a rapidly evolving hospitality landscape. It reflects the hotel’s history, its sense of place and the creative South African talent we’ve collaborated with.”

With its refreshed interiors, art-led design and strengthened corporate offering, The Winchester Boutique Hotel enters a new chapter that both respects its heritage and meets the expectations of today’s leisure and business travellers. The enhancements reinforce its position as one of Cape Town’s most recognisable coastal landmarks — now offering an elevated guest experience across stays, meetings and events.