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Two iconic landmarks within Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront precinct — Dock House Boutique Hotel and the 131-year-old Time Ball Tower — have recently undergone refurbishments and restorations that reaffirm the area’s status as one of the city’s most historically significant destinations.
Nestled side by side on Portswood Ridge, these two heritage sites reopen with renewed elegance and cultural relevance: the Dock House Boutique Hotel following a thoughtful interior refurbishment, and the Time Ball Tower after a meticulous technical restoration that returns the maritime signalling mechanism to working order.
A refined new chapter for Dock House Boutique Hotel
Newmark Hotels & Reserves’ beautifully restored heritage building Dock House Boutique Hotel, originally built in the 1800s as the Harbour Master’s residence, has reopened with refreshed interiors that balance contemporary comfort with its storied past.
Closed temporarily from 11 August to 29 September, the refurbishment—led by interior designer François du Plessis—introduces bespoke furnishings, refined finishes and a renewed sense of poise across its six luxurious accommodations: five Luxury Rooms and one Luxury Suite.
Three of the four upstairs Luxury Rooms boast private harbour-facing balconies, while the ground-floor Luxury Room features a shaded verandah overlooking the gardens and pool. The hotel’s signature Luxury Suite, also on ground floor, opens onto an exclusive courtyard garden with a quiet alfresco nook.
“Dock House has always been a jewel within the Waterfront precinct — intimate, sophisticated, and steeped in history,” says Neil Markovitz, CEO of Newmark Hotels & Reserves. “This refurbishment celebrates its heritage while ensuring it continues to meet the expectations of the modern traveller seeking privacy, beauty, and a sense of place.”
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Guests enjoy access to a fully equipped gym, a swimming pool framed by Table Mountain, and the adjacent Sanctuary Spa with its signature Tylaruim soft sauna. Dining is easily accessible at two acclaimed Newmark restaurants nearby: GINJA at the Victoria & Alfred Hotel and the award-winning Terrarium by Chris Erasmus at the Queen Victoria Hotel. With elegant gardens, timeless architecture and sweeping mountain views, Dock House also offers a beautiful setting for intimate weddings and exclusive events.
A maritime icon restored: the Time Ball Tower rises again
A Cape Town maritime landmark, the Time Ball Tower, located next to the Dock House Boutique Hotel, one of only few in operation worldwide, has been meticulously restored to its 19th century glory. Erected in 1894 to ensure safe passage for incoming ships, the Time Ball Tower remained operational for over 40 years and was declared a national monument in 1982. Today, it stands as a revived symbol of Cape Town’s rich maritime history.
The restoration project was initiated after a conversation between Geordin Hill-Lewis, Executive Mayor of Cape Town, and David Green, Chief Executive Officer of the V&A Waterfront, about safeguarding the city’s history. This project breathes new life into a structure that once played a vital role in safe maritime navigation before the digital age of radio and Global Positioning Systems (GPS).
“By preserving our maritime heritage, we symbolise Cape Town’s longstanding role as a global maritime hub and the V&A Waterfront’s continued function as one of the world’s oldest working harbours. We are proud that the Time Ball Tower will add depth to our city’s tourism and cultural offering by bringing this important piece of history back to life.” said David Green, V&A Waterfront CEO
Bringing the time ball back to life was a collaboration between MNA Engineering & Supplies, Thorold Architects, Henry Fagan Consulting Engineers & Project Managers, and Professor George Vicatos. Vicatos, who recreated the original technical drawings for the Time Ball Tower during its 1997 restoration, oversaw the recent refurbishment and reassembly of the 1 200kg fibreglass time ball.
This revived landmark, reopened to the public, operates as it originally did – manually cranked at 12h55 with the ball dropping at precisely 13h00. The Time Ball will operate twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays — a visual counterpart to Cape Town’s famous Noon Gun.
Visitors can explore the Time Ball Tower’s story (and other nearby heritage sites) through the V&A Waterfront’s free “Reinventing the Tavern of the Seas” audio walking tour.
A shared legacy in the heart of the V&A Waterfront
Together, the reopening of Dock House Boutique Hotel and the revival of the Time Ball Tower represent a unified celebration of place — one of contemporary luxury seamlessly integrated with maritime heritage.
Their combined restoration strengthens the V&A Waterfront’s cultural landscape, offering guests and visitors the opportunity to stay within, and engage directly with, one of Cape Town’s most historically layered precincts.
