Elder Statesman and Hollywood Celebrities grace hotel opening at Dubai World luxury resort
In a rare honour, the Father of modern South Africa and elder statesman, Nelson Mandela, on Thursday joined Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai World, and Sol Kerzner Chairman and CEO of Kerzner International, at a luncheon to mark the opening of One&Only Cape Town.
The luxury masterpiece, located on Cape Town’s fashionable Dubai World property, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, is the latest gem to be unveiled by Kerzner, owner and operator of One&Only resorts worldwide.
Guests of honour at the two-day opening event were celebrity Hollywood stars including Clint Eastwood, Matt Damon, Sharon Stone, Mariah Carey, Robert DeNiro, Thandie Newton, Marisa Tomei, and Morgan Freeman. Some 350 guests were specially invited to the inauguration.
Bringing extraordinary culinary taste to the occasion were the resort’s master chefs Gordon Ramsay and Nobu Matsuhisa, who together kicked off a moving celebration of the African region.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman, Dubai World said:
“We are delighted to welcome a leader of Mr Mandela’s stature to the grand inauguration of this beautiful resort.
“Dubai World and Kerzner International are strategic partners in several mega projects internationally, but, importantly, the One&Only Cape Town is also set within the vibrant V&A Waterfront.
“The august gathering of world renowned personalities here is testimony to the respect commanded by Kerzner International,” Mr Bin Sulayem said.
Two of the most prestigious ventures of Dubai World and Kerzner International are Atlantis The Palm, and One&Only Resort in Dubai.
One&Only Cape Town is the crown jewel of Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, which Dubai World acquired in 2006. The Waterfront is located between the majestic Table Mountain facing the Atlantic Ocean, and the historic Robben Island, where Mandela served his long prison term during South Africa’s liberation struggle.
After Sol Kerzner introduced his 350 guests to the resort’s world renowned chefs, Ramsay and Nobu surprised him with one metre-long and one-half metre high cake – a detailed replica of One&Only Cape Town – to commemorate his return to his homeland 40 years after he started the South African tourism industry.
A master ensemble of global musicians including Clint Eastwood’s son Kyle Eastwood on bass, the legendary Dave Koz on saxophone, Jonathan Butler on guitar, the magnificent Patti Austin on vocals, Maceo Parker, formerly James Brown’s saxophone player, on sax, 6-year-old Cape Town percussion prodigy Daniel Peterson on drums and the amazing Hugh Masekela on Flugle & Trumpet performed an array of hits including “Fire & Rain,” “I’ll Take You There,” “Let’s Stay Together” and many more.
As the evening drew to a close, Capetonians could see the outside areas around the waterfront lit with hurricane lamps and tikki torches. All food was donated to Feedback (www.feedback.org.za) immediately after the event. Feedback is a non-profit organization committed to community development through food recovery and redistribution to impoverished communities in South Africa.
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town is a mixed-use prime waterfront real estate development in which shopping and entertainment venues are intermingled with office locations, world-class hotels and luxury apartments in the residential marina and active fishing port. Established by South African Government-owned Transnet in 1988, V&A Waterfront now attracts more than 22 million visitors a year, making it Africa’s number one property, leisure and retail development.
