Living collection scores a perfect 10
While hailing originally from Germany and Ireland, the owners of The Living Journey Collection of eight boutique hotels in the Western Cape are also proudly South African.
Now in their 10th year of trading as a Collection, Friedrich and Lorraine Schaefer have added another property – their largest to date – with the 2025 acquisition of Majeka House in Stellenbosch.
Their team of about 170 people, one third of whom are promoted to more senior positions from within the business, are a valuable asset.
“We aim for all of our guests to experience a sense of joy, having been spoilt and well looked after; that they have shared in something special and gained extraordinary memories to share with others,” says Friedrich, adding: “Our goal has always been to create places where guests feel truly cared for. Attention to detail and genuine connection are what transform a stay into a lasting memory.”
“We feel that each stay, each experience, each interaction forms part of a journey. We want our guests to feel part of our journey and hope that we form part of theirs,” says Lorraine, co-owner.
The couple met while both working in hospitality in New York during the ’80s and, after years of career success, decided to build a collection that embodies their shared belief that hospitality is, at its core, about connecting with people, embracing local culture and delivering consistent excellence without losing the personal touch.
From my experience they have fully succeeded. I stayed at their two Green Point, Cape Town, properties, both ideally suited to explore the buzzing and cosmopolitan area or the Atlantic seaboard.
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The breakfast and all-day-dining menus are the same across the two properties and they share spa therapists.
Both are equally chic with Tree House having an enviable local art collection, while Zest Boutique Hotel, the first in their collection, has a special space dedicated to ephemera from its previous incarnation as Zest Villa.
You’ll be transported to the set of Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, or cutting-edge London in the 1960s/70s with brightly coloured avant-garde design like Eero Aarnio’s white ball chair.
Zest, the founding property of the collection, celebrates retro high-design elements combining modern amenities with eye-popping colour and locally inspired comfort, blending disco vibe with contemporary sophistication.
With the exception of Zest’s inherited items, each hotel sources locally made furnishings, artworks and décor, supporting regional artisans and small businesses, while special art pieces from local artists are featured throughout both properties.
At first look, pricing for this five-star hotel seems a little steep but when you consider the value of the offering and its extras, it remains good value.
First off is the service. With only 14 rooms in each property, staff quickly learn guests’ names and preferences.
Many hotels have coffee and tea-making stations for guests but here it is elevated with pod Hausbrandt bean-to-cup coffee machines, dispensing the full range of espressos and lattes and a high-end Ronnefeldt designer tea collection that is as refined as they come.
Hot beverages are included in the fare, while the bar has an outstanding collection of South African gins and local wines. These are billed to the guest account.
They offer a shuttle and tour-booking service too, which can be settled upon departure.
A complimentary cake of the day is offered and, at cocktail hour, snacks are offered at the bar. Even the alcohol-free welcome drink is a mixologist’s concoction.
The hotel is committed to good environmental practices and they have left the buckets we all had in the shower during Cape Town’s water shortage to collect runoff, which they treat and use to clean balconies and water the gardens. All bathroom amenities are Healing Ocean from Healing Earth.
I listened carefully as operations manager Elton Haynie was chatting to a German couple about their plans and offering suggestions, at their request, of what to do in Stellenbosch.
Based on what I heard, he has an in-depth knowledge and extensive personal experience and is able to suggest quality, interesting options and not simply regurgitating wine estate sales puffery.
Breakfast includes a buffet of cold items with a chef’s special (boerewors and smoor on one day and little bacon-and-egg bites on the other), as well as an à la carte menu of hot breakfasts.
For me, eggs and mayonnaise are a heavenly combination and I always ask for mayo with my softly poached eggs.
It did seem as if my hot breakfast was taking longer than other orders from the kitchen, but I was more than happy to pass the time grazing on quality charcuterie and equally good local cheeses or dipping crispy cut vegetables into hummus.
When breakfast arrived, an out-of-breath Elton apologised for the delay – the kitchen was out of mayo so he ran to Woolworths to buy it.
In 99.9% of the time, the order taker would apologise for not having mayo and 99.9% of guests would be placated.
This is a trivial example of an equally trivial request but it tells you everything you need to know.
Staff seem proud of their outreach programmes that support local education and development, including making beaded bracelets for guests.
Their key focus is on their people.
I’m reminded of something I saw at Ritz Carlton Hotels: “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”
Remember me when you meet the ladies and gentlemen of The Living Journey Collection.
There are many quality and affordable restaurants within easy walking distance of both properties.
Mano’s is the nearest and mustn’t be missed. Giovanni’s, Hudsons burgers, LA Farms, and many others, including Woolworths, are there too.
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