Is this REALLY news?

I would be celebrating and popping the champagne, if the news came as a surprise. But it doesn’t. I mean, is it wrong to expect these kind of accolades from 2oceansvibe brands and sponsors? Are we not perhaps numbed by the success of the associated brands and advertisers and people on 2oceansvibe? Brands and products and people that fall within the 2oceansvibe culture and mindset of good service combined with coolness and an understanding of what is fair and right, with no red tape to be seen? Is that really so amazing? Please, give me a break – that shit comes standard around these parts.

Check it out, this from my primary residence, the Cape Royale hotel:

The Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence, Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa, is proud to announce that it has been selected as the Overall Winner of the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award for Best Luxury Hotel in Africa.

The award winners are selected based on the millions of reviews and opinions from travelers on tripadvisor.com. Cape Royale Luxury Hotel has been awarded the Best Luxury Hotel in Africa, in the eighth annual TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Awards. 95% of the travelers who reviewed Cape Royale recommended staying at the hotel. TripAdvisor attracts more than 36 million visitors every month.
The Cape Royale is thrilled with the achievement, having only opened in 2008. Boasting 95 luxury suites right in the heart of Green Point.

The Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence is also the recent Overall Winner of the Luxury Hotel Award, in the ‘All Suite’ category at the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2009, which were held at the world renowned Lebua at State Tower Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand on the 27 November 2009. Award winners set the benchmark for luxury establishments in achieving recognition for their world class facilities and service excellence.

Commenting on the Award the Managing Director of Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence, Mr. Nathan Schmidt said, “This is not just an outstanding achievement for our entire team after just two years in business, but confirmation that world class hotel accommodation is available in Cape Town in the run up to the World Cup. Coming on top of our recent selection by distinguished Preferred Hotels as their first Super Luxury hotel in South Africa, this has been a memorable few weeks for all our staff”.

Nice.

Those of you who have stayed in the Cape Royale hotel, in my suite or any other, will agree there is something about the Cape Royale that the others just don’t “get.” That’s probably why more and more people are having their meetings at The Cape Royale – let alone staying at the place.

I’ll tell you something else pretty unique about The Cape Royale. They’ve got a concierge service that will blow your mind. Headed up by Ryan Van Zyl – he happens to be one of only three genuine concierges in South Africa! Ie. the Cape Royale hotel has one of only three genuine concierges in South Africa (there are only 3,000 in the world).

Hotel concierge staff have their own professional association, called Les Clefs d’Or (“The Golden Keys”). It was formed in France in October 1929 and you will see those very keys on Ryan’s jacket lapels.

Ryan is obsessed with being the best concierge and he completely and utterly nails it – and then some. There is simply no task too complex or difficult – and that, my friends, is what I’m looking for. It’s what you’re looking for and it’s the reason why you are here at 2oceansvibe and the reason why we hang out at the Cape Royale and Caprice and HQ and Caveau and Miss K – because it’s safe – we know what we’re getting and we just want to carry on being ourselves and not worry about whether or not the place we’re at is going to get it right.

I do it all for you, I hope you know that…