One of the most gracious and unobtrusive landmarks of an older, gentler Cape Town has to be the Winchester Mansions Hotel, whose distinctive Cape Dutch façade enlivens the long strip of Beach Road, Sea Point. A sojourn at the Winchester will soothe the most fevered brow – but beware. The habit is catching; you’ll be back for more, and often.A large part of the Winchester’s charm is the reassuring sense of continuity it breathes: built originally as a smart apartment block in the 1920s, the building came into the possession of the Harvey family in 1952 and was then converted into an hotel. It has remained in the family ever since, and this contributes something indefinable to the warm hospitality and intimate, unhurried atmosphere of the place. How did I become a devotee of the Winchester? As with so many of life’s good things, by surprise. As a young born-and-bred Capetonian whose stomping-ground lay on the other side of the mountain in the southern suburbs, I had often admired the Winchester’s distinctive post-Herbert Baker gables and elegant front terrace while driving past. Yet it was only upon returning to the Cape after a number of years away that I discovered the delightful haven that awaits the intrepid visitor beyond these elegant portals.Once you pass the muted entrance hall with its genial reception staff, you stroll straight through to an airy, spacious courtyard around which the entire hotel radiates – its dining rooms, bars and accommodation. Entering this hallowed space for the first time is a marvellous surprise, a peep into a secret garden. Enter again and that impression is confirmed. You are hooked.The courtyard – all muted pastel shades and shaggy, venerable bourgainvilleas – reminds you of an inner piazza or square of a favourite Italian or Spanish city. A delightful rococco fountain tinkles at its centre, as throughout Europe, and with wrought-iron tables and chairs artfully arranged under umbrellas, the scene is set: it seems only to lack oneself. What seems more easy or more natural than to choose a table and sit down? Happily, the staff at Harveys – the central restaurant at Winchester Mansions, which also services the courtyard and the front sea-facing bar and terrace – are as winning as the surroundings, and appear to live up to their gorgeous private piazza. Over the course of numerous happy breakfasts and lunches, I have found the managers and waiters friendly, good-humoured and eager to be of service. The regular menu in the courtyard – as on the sun-dappled front terrace – is a piquant blend of suitably light al fresco meals, notable for fresh produce and deft presentation, and a good selection of roasts and casseroles if you are in the mood for more robust faire. Yes, rest assured – at different times of the day, under different conditions of light or shade, the Winchester courtyard makes an exquisite setting for romantic tete-a-tete, family banter, renewing friendship – or securing business. (Some of my most promising and profitable deals have been clinched at these sea-green tables.)It was therefore with mingled pleasure and unease that I accepted an invitation a few weeks ago to spend a weekend at the Winchester to sample the new accommodation on the third floor of the hotel. After enjoying the courtyard and terrace as a casual diner, how would I feel about being an overnight guest – an insider, as it were? Such has been the demand from burgeoning numbers of overseas guests, that the hotel took the decision last year to build an entirely new floor to house a further 12 rooms and suites, bringing the available accommodation up to 73 units. It was no easy task undertaking such elaborate construction – the sound of pneumatic drills did drift down to the courtyard in the last few months of 2002 – but the new wing is now open to guests. Well, the good news is that the fit between the lower two floors and the new one is quite seamless: you would be hard-pressed to pick the old masonry from the new. The third floor – which like the others gives onto the courtyard below – is a triumph of contemporary engineering and classic design, a combination that is reflected in the finish of the rooms.Whereas the accommodation on the preceding floors reflects the venerable origins of the hotel, the new wing boasts a chic twenty-first century interior design that deftly gestures at the 1960s in fittings, colour schemes and furniture. Somehow the ”retro” aura of this fashionable decade makes snug sense in a setting such as this. We stayed in one of the (appropriately named) ”Modern Classic” rooms facing up Signal Hill, and I was immediately impressed by the combination of elegant finish and economy of detail: underfloor heating, air conditioning, a well-stocked mini-bar fridge and unobtrusive remote-control television complete with German SAT channel. Now add attentive room service at all hours. My partner and I were initially charmed – and finally completely won over.One small incident will illustrate the calibre of service. After a delectable dinner the previous night, we entertained associates to a marvellous well-stocked breakfast in the Courtyard on Saturday morning. After having sampled all the Continental and English dishes one could wish for – served in a most hospitable setting – we barely ventured outside of the charmed environs of the hotel for the rest of the day. Come Saturday evening, and our required attendance at a smart function in the city, imagine my consternation upon finding I was without a decent pair of socks. A nervous call to the hotel reception followed. The response of the manageress on duty was impeccable, Without missing a beat, she affirmed: ”No problem, sir. We’ll send out to the Waterfront immediately.” It took the Winchester staff exactly twelve minutes to source a good pair of socks and return. Proof positive, too, of how close the hotel is to Cape Town’s favourite shopping destination. And when we returned late, the all-night staff at Harveys could not have displayed greater alacrity in mounting three floors to bring us refreshment with a smile.Sundays are delectably idle days at the Winchester – the hotel often hosts midday jazz in the Courtyard – and gave us ample opportunity to explore the sumptious reception rooms, the sea-dazzled front terrace and – secluded delight – the burnished wooden pool deck which ajoins the building on the Clifton-facing side, and is a wonderfully private retreat for hotel guests. You can also savour the popular Ginkgo Health and Wellness Spa, which offers guests beauticians’ services and a variety of restorative treatments. It was with a wistful heart that, while the late afternoon sun slanted playfully down, we bade my favourite courtyard farewell and thanked anyone who would listen for a memorable weekend. As a Capetonian, I seemed to have escaped workaday cares while remaining in the city’s heart – or very close to it. Now I know the Winchester Mansions delivers as much as its elegant courtyard promises – and more. How good to know that not only visitors from upcountry or abroad can enjoy one of Cape Town’s most pleasurable amenities.