A hotel isn’t cutting it now, for many travellers around the world.

In the same way that tourist attractions and brands have to constantly evolve and come up with something new, so too is the demand put upon global hospitality.

What that means for you, is that you now have a veritable Charcuterie of accommodation options to gorge yourself on. The aesthetically chic and minimalist Halyard Apartments, for example – a relatively fresh city offering in the famed City of Cape Town – make a good case for the “aparthotel”.

An aparthotel differs from a hotel, in three (3) basic ways:

• Facilities
• Space
• Price
• Duration of Stay

Guests are often offered remote working essentials (think coworking spaces, ergonomic chairs, plug points, sturdy tables and lighting, and reliable Wi-Fi), and self-catering style facilities such as fully-equipped kitchens, and sometimes even laundry facilities. All these aparthotel design attributes give visitors the autonomy to work with office conveniences, keep the apartment and their luggage clean themselves, as well as populate the larder and fridge with all their own food and beverage pickings, and subsequently not be bound by the constraints of specific dining times and the decorum required for those public meals.

Aparthotels also mean the price can equal a better deal for travellers, as food and daily housekeeping labour costs are factored highly into the hotel rates we’re familiar with (and often complain about).

And one of the more significant reasons Aparthotels have gained proper traction around the world is because of the duration of a stay – sometimes totalling better for budgets and traveller conveniences.

The Halyard Apartments themselves have seen a whole host of guests quietly traverse their well-lit warm halls checking in and out at all hours, from families to singles, business travellers to spontaneous staycation-seekers, and everyone in between.

Why?

• It’s the kind of contemporary cosy stylish you can oddly enough feel at home in,
• It shirks the standardized brick & mortar hospitality, to offer a stay that’s simultaneously hands-on and hands-off, at the guests’ convenience,
• Its design and decor, and its conveniences, provide something far more experiential – encouraging guests to stay.
• There is space to stretch out in so you don’t feel restricted to just a bedroom, which hotels tend to be limited to.
• I just really liked working out of this apartment.

What criteria do you have when picking a place to book into?

There is merit to a stay here, on so many levels that appeal to different kinds of travellers:

• For Relocators – if you’re new to the Foreshore area, or Cape Town, The Halyard Apartments can be a great base while you:
  • seek out a more permanent place to live
  • discover the city
  • and find facilities, like a fitness centre, suited to your tastes.
• For a Solo Traveler like me – You can centre yourself with the peace found in waking up to a truly unblemished view of one of the most magnificent cities in the world, AND a verifiable World Wonder
• For Families – it’s a homelier space than a hotel, which allows the family much more freedom and space, as well as proximity to sites to entertain the whole family
  • The Halyard Apartments open-plan living facilities include a breakfast bar, lounge, and dining table area to settle around, for example.

• For Business Travelers – An aparthotel like this is designed with office and remote working essentials in mind, allowing you to work alone, or even invite people for meetings
• For the Differently-Abled – The ground floor and elevators allow space for manoeuvring, and there is plenty of room in the apartments I have so far explored. Additionally, lighting and tap fixtures, allow for easier usability (*Note: inquire about the availability of safety rails within the apartment you’re thinking of booking though)
• For Everyone – it’s an accommodation option that’s as much aspirational in its luxury inside as the city inspires outside.

Quality of Sleep

Quality of sleep is what it comes down to for a stay, right?!

Well, if you want the kind of sleep to brag about…

• the kind that leaves you rested
• the kind that marks itself with sleep lines on your face and arms
• the kind of sleep where you wake with no idea where you are

The beds in The Halyard Apartments are where it’s at!

The crisp clean linen, plush (cocooning) bedding, and bright, floral decor accents, help ease the way to sleep better than most hotels I’ve laid my head down in.

Hygiene & Service

With my second stay, I also just wanted to double-check that the impression of the first visit, still held true – from hygiene protocols to service. The Halyard Apartments remains consistent with their service, as I witnessed this when arriving and seeing exiting guests smiling as they were personally given a warm goodbye by the team. My welcome was professional, efficient, and warm – and that was even before I gave my name.

Hygiene remains a priority at this aparthotel too, as hand sanitisers everywhere from the main sliding door to the elevators and foyers reminded visitors to keep the building and its inhabitants safe. Guests are offered their own little spray bottle of hand sanitiser to tout about, and the bathrooms are equipped with handwashing essentials, while the kitchens have really convenient bottles of dishwashing soap, and other cleaning material available at the ready.

Experts say…

“the concept of aparthotels isn’t necessarily new—i.e. a serviced apartment with hotel-like amenities that attempts to elevate the experience to something beyond both—what is new is the popularity of aparthotels in the post-pandemic era.”

Laura Parker, for FORBES. (2022).

How to Enjoy an Aparthotel Stay

1. What am I packing in my suitcase? Essentials include:

Slippers, a robe/gown, a skin regiment to decadently do after a bubble bath, moisturizing coconut butter, floofy pyjamas and socks, and a feast.

Unfortunately, slippers and a robe that fits my voluptuous frame, are always hard to find in places I stay, so I’ve begun packing my own and am better for it.

2. Self-Catering – and what seems like a rather excellent kitchen – means packing for cooking away from home. What to bring?

Well, I’m packing (and also hitting the market) for:

• A travel-sized spice mix that works with most dishes I usually cook
• Half a dozen eggs
• Fruit salad mix of hydrating, seasonal citrus fruits
• Olive oil
• Black Pepper
• Snacks, including:
  • pretzels
  • truffle-flavoured crisps
  • Milk Chocolate covered Turkish delight etc.
• Red Chilli Flakes
• Cream Cheese Schmear
• Bagels
• A packet of Bacon
• Vegetable Soup
• A handful of my favourite Tea Bags
• An Infuser
• A Sealed bag of Loose Leaf Tea
• A Packet of Vegetables to Wok
• Taglietelle Pasta
• A tray of Pork Fillet Steaks
• And a packet of lettuce and rocket greens

It’s all compactly fitting into my travel tote, and right next to my suitcase in the Uber.

I have to keep myself alive for a weekend, and my ferocious appetite has weird fluctuations so I must be prepared to properly feed myself.

Thanks to the advent of air fryer technology and pandemic experimentations with kitchen appliances, I’ve realized I can toast my bagels on pretty much anything, and that breakfast foods can be prepared without pans even making their way to stovetops…but the aparthotel affords me a full kitchen with luxury-branded appliances, so why not enjoy the perks of the apartment and its stellar appliances?!

3. Bubble bath Essentials.

I have noticed that hotels and other accommodations have long since given up on offering bubble baths in their bathroom amenities, and so regardless of where I go, I always keep a travel-sized bottle for my bubble bath pleasure. Not even this aparthotel is exempt from having this item missing from its repertoire but it does have a deep and luxurious stand-alone bath, which I LOVE!

4. Bring your own Amusements.

Whether it’s books which you’ve long said you’d read, or a rubrics cube, a camera, or a yoga mat, bring something that lets you wind down and enjoy your time.

5. Live in the Space.

Don’t live out of your suitcase, but actually unpack into the likely carefully-designed wardrobe and storage spaces. An aparthotel like The Halyard is a great pick, in part, because their living spaces are actually functional!

6. If you have a view, take time in the morning and at sunset, to enjoy it.

With the apartment’s Nespresso machine ready to churn out some pretty decent coffee, I took to taking in the cityscape from up high, at The Halyard. They have one of the most exceptional perches to truly revel in the Cape vistas. It makes for a pretty great location for a photoshoot too!

By my recommendation:

The Halyard Apartments