Legendary: At its height, The Ritz had a classy revolving restaurant on its top. (Supplied)
If you’ve ever driven through Sea Point in Cape Town and caught a glimpse of that tall, skinny building towering above Main Road, then you already know her. She’s hard to miss at 23 storeys high, 80 metres tall, with sleek curves and a shiny skyline presence that still steals the show even when she’s asleep. I’m talking, of course, about The Ritz Hotel.
She’s bold and legendary. And now, after standing empty for nearly seven years, she’s finally been sold.
Yes, the grande dame of Sea Point has officially changed hands in what insiders say was a deal worth anything from R240 million to R300 million. An international family-owned hospitality group has taken over from another family business that owned the property for decades. It’s a big moment,not just for Cape Town real estate, but for everyone who remembers The Ritz for what she once was, and who dreams about what she could still become.
And as someone obsessed with buildings, their stories and the strange, beautiful crossroads where the two meet, this one feels personal.
Construction of The Ritz wrapped up in 1970, and even then, it was considered futuristic. The way it was built was ground-breaking for its time — literally. The hotel’s rooms, including the bathrooms, were all prebuilt off-site using modular construction methods — a technique that feels modern even by today’s standards — and dropped in, one by one, from the top of the structure. It was a bold, efficient way to construct a high-rise hotel in a prime location, and it earned the project a string of awards in the early 1970s.
The original owner, Barney Hurwitz — a pharmaceutical mogul — was no stranger to risk or innovation. He was the man behind the vision and the money. But he also knew when to let the professionals run the show. In the mid-1980s, he contracted Protea Hotels to manage and market the building, and that’s when The Ritz began its golden years.
Under the watchful eye of general manager Alan Romburgh and his deputy, John Watson (who would later manage The Peninsula), the hotel thrived. The energy was electric. Celebrities stayed. Sports stars partied. And the two nightclubs on the ground floor — Paschas and In-Excess — became legendary spots on Cape Town’s nightlife map.
In-Excess, tucked away in the basement, was known for its wild energy, bold music and fashionable crowd. These were the years when The Ritz was a social magnet. A place to be seen. A place that hummed with the energy of the city.
But perhaps the most poignant story ever told about The Ritz doesn’t involve celebrities or champagne — it involves a president and a view. More specifically, Nelson Mandela’s view from the top.
After his release from Victor Verster Prison, Mandela stayed at The Ritz for more than two months. The manager at the time told me something that still gives me goosebumps: Madiba made his own bed and tidied his own room every day. He was reported as the only guest to ever do this daily. He rose at 4.30am and went for walks along the Sea Point promenade, flanked by his security. When he returned, he’d sit and have tea with the hotel manager.
He once spoke about how, during his years on Robben Island, The Ritz was the one building that stood out on the mainland skyline. Sitting in the hotel years later and looking back at the island that once held him prisoner must have been an emotional full-circle moment. That story alone captures what this building means to Cape Town. It’s more than bricks and mortar. It’s memory. Legacy. Layers of lived experience.
At its peak, The Ritz boasted two penthouses and 213 hotel rooms, with a legendary fine-dining restaurant called Top of the Ritz. The crown jewel that looks like a spaceship. The restaurant revolved. It made a full 360-degree rotation every hour, offering diners a moving feast of Atlantic views, city lights and Table Mountain silhouettes. Sydney Joseph was its first manager and was the place to celebrate life’s milestones.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the general manager was Bernard MD Cassar, a name that many in the industry will recognise. He graciously gave me his time to talk about those years, and I want to thank him here. Under Bernard’s management, The Ritz was running at more than 80% occupancy. They even had a weekend special where you could stay for just R19.50. Can you imagine?
But, like many grand hotels, The Ritz also had her darker chapters. Over the years, she became infamous for a series of tragic events, including a number of suicides. There are heartbreaking records of guests leaping from bathroom windows. And in one particularly chilling case, the hotel made front-page news for seven consecutive days after an axe murder took place in room 1803.
Even so, the building soldiered on. Protea Hotels eventually stepped away and The Ritz became independently managed again. At one point it was operated by a company called African Sky, run by Gustav Krampe, himself a former food and beverage manager from the Protea team.
The hotel underwent several refurbishments. In 2006, the iconic revolving restaurant was reopened. And in 2014, a large-scale renovation began to bring her back to life.
At its height, The Ritz had all-round luxury. (Supplied)
The Ritz had glitz, and she had glam. And then, she had the drama. In 2016, a new chapter seemed ready to begin. Celebrity couple Nicky van der Walt and Lee-Ann Liebenberg took over the lease of the building. Their company planned a dramatic relaunch, featuring R110 million in renovations, a fresh restaurant concept (Casa) with celebrity chef Bertus Basson, a champagne lounge backed by Dom Pérignon, and a nightclub with performances by Black Coffee. The dream was alive. The promise was seductive.
But the fairytale unravelled quickly.
Despite hosting a flashy launch party, the hotel never actually reopened. The landlord cancelled the 20-year lease agreement after nearly two years of no rent being paid, despite the R1.3 million a month rental obligation. The matter went to court. Nicky’s company demanded R20 million in damages from the landlord. Then, in a twist worthy of a soap opera, Nicky resigned from his own company, and the saga ended with them vacating the property.
Since then, the hotel has stood still and silent.
Now, in 2025, The Ritz has finally been sold. Time for a new chapter. A hospitality group has stepped up to continue writing her story.
Their portfolio of laid-back luxury, top hotels around the world is sure to make a statement with their latest acquisition in the Mother City. OKU Hotels is a Spanish hospitality brand best known for its beach resorts in Spain, Greece, Ibiza and Turkey. The brand is backed by Westfort Capital, a hotel investment fund that focuses on resort properties, as well as Alychlo NV, the private investment company of Belgian Marc Coucke.
The website, under the coming soon tab, says: “The team at OKU Hotels are constantly searching for opportunities to develop new OKU’s, from Bali to Miami to the Maldives, our family is expected to grow soon – watch this space.” Whatever OKU decides to do with this site can only add value to Sea Point.
The ground-floor retail spaces were more recently managed by Excellerate JHI, but the rest of the building has been dormant since July 2018.
This sale marks more than just a transfer of ownership; it’s the start of a reinvention and reimagining. She deserves it. Concrete isn’t cold — it holds stories. And The Ritz is one of those places where personal history, architectural brilliance and urban identity intersect.
Buildings aren’t just structures; they’re time machines, memory banks, cultural mirrors. I write about concrete because it’s a language — one of ambition, legacy and the power of place. Got your own memories of The Ritz? Please share them with me.
Ask Ash examines South Africa’s property, architecture and living spaces. Continue the conversation with her on email ([email protected]) and X (@askashbroker).