The Credentials
In the famous South African city of Gqeberha (formally known as Port Elizabeth – PE), is the elegant boutique art hotel, Mantis No.5. A few roads back from the seafront, on a quiet street in the affluent suburb of Summerstrand, it’s close to all amenities and is in a great location for day trips to popular places like Addo Elephant Park and St. Jeffrey’s Bay. It’s also just a 10 minute drive from Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport.
Mantis No.5 is part of the Mantis group of hotels, founded by Adrian Gardiner, a keen conservationist and entrepreneur – within this group is also Founder’s Lodge by Mantis, a stunning safari just a couple of hours away by car.
From the outside, Mantis No.5 looks like any other hotel but on the inside, the walls are adorned with artwork and sculptures stand proudly in the foyer and in the lounges. It’s Art Deco and chic at the same time, with over 200 pieces from Gardiner’s private collection.
Sleep
There are just 10 suites at Mantis No.5 spread across the main hotel and the ‘Villa’. The villa has two rooms as well as its own lounge area and private pool – this is where we stayed. It’s much quieter on this side and a little more private, which is great if you want some R&R. The artwork in the Villas pays tribute to the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, with fun football sculptures, readings and paintings.
Our villa room was large and spacious, with a huge and incredibly comfortable bed! We also had a small bar/kitchen area with a fridge and glasses as well as complimentary coffee and tea, and there was a TV and dressing table. The bathroom had two sinks, a shower and a bathtub, although the Eastern Cape struggles severely with water drought, so hotels prefer guests to shower. There’s a bucket under the shower, to collect cold water, which the maid uses to water the garden or clean – I think it’s a rather good idea.
The rest of the rooms are in the main hotel, where the restaurant, spa, cinema room and larger pool are. This is also where the more luxurious rooms are, like the Luxury Class, Presidential and Business suites.
All the rooms in the hotel have artwork in them and the decor follows a similar pattern, with bold colours and strong lines. While clean and well-presented, it did feel a little dated to me.
Dine
The hotel has just one restaurant, the Jazz Room, which is open from 7am to 10pm daily, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The room overlooks the pool area and is lovely and bright. Guests can also sit outside on the decking, should they wish to.
The breakfast menu had all the classics, from fresh fruit and yoghurt to Eggs Benedict, omelette, pancakes, pastry baskets and, of course, a Full English also features. There was no buffet, which I rather like – at least for fresh fruit and yoghurt – but you could order multiple breakfast dishes, should you wish.
On the first morning, I had a ham and mushroom omelette, which was served with toast. It was presented beautifully on the plate, with edible flowers, and deliciously light and fluffy. The following morning I had poached eggs and salmon – one of my favourite things about South Africa is they ask you how you would like your eggs cooked; soft, medium or hard. My partner and I also shared the pastry and muffin basket, an assortment of small sweet treats.
For lunch and dinner, the restaurant offers slightly different menus, the lunch one a slightly stripped-back version. We visited for an early dinner, treating ourselves to a lovely bottle of South African chardonnay from the large wine list, and a few dishes to share. We started with the lentil and aubergine stack, which was similar to a Melanzane but with lentils. It was well-seasoned, light and delicious. We then had the pesto pasta, which was rich and creamy, and a beef burger, with a soft bun and nicely cooked patty.
The staff are very attentive and receptive to guests’ needs and dietary requirements.
Out & About
Gqeberha is the central hub of the Eastern Cape, perfectly positioned to reach beautiful beaches, small suburb towns and safaris. You can also drive to Cape Town from here, along the garden route, visiting iconic towns like Knysna and George.
A must-visit is Addo Elephant Park. This is about a 1.5 hour drive from Mantis No.5. You can get a day pass or stay in one of the huts and while most guests drive their own car around the reserve, there is the option to go on a guided safari drive, which takes you into the bush a little more. It’s a brilliant experience, elephants walk majestically as you drive through the grounds and you can spot Springbok, Impala, Cheetahs and more!
Downtime at the hotel can be spent relaxing by the pool, reading the book, getting some exercise in at the hotel’s small but well-equipped gym, watching a film in the cinema, which you can rent for private viewings, or treating yourself to a massage at the hotel spa.
The Crowd
There was a real mix of nationalities and ages at the hotel but mostly, people were in couples. I imagine during the week it’s popular for people on business, too.
The Worst Thing
While the hotel has some amazing artwork, it did feel a little dated, especially the curtains and furniture in the room.
The Best Thing
I really enjoyed our private cinema viewing. Having just come back from a safari ourselves, we chose the new Lion King film, which provided some nostalgic viewing for a couple of hours before we retired to bed (not before stopping at the hotel’s cellar bar!). The cinema has about 10 big comfy red chairs and a large screen which the projector plays onto.
The Details
Rates start from £147.33 per night, including bed & breakfast.
traveldesk@mantiscollection.com
140 West Street, 9th Floor, South Tower, Sandton 2146, Gauteng, South Africa
