Scent is a powerful thing, and the first whiff of a place or plate can subtly and seamlessly elevate – or ruin – our experience of a hotel or restaurant. It's partly why many luxury hotels take as much care with their decor and soundtrack as they do with their signature scent.
It's big business, too, with hotels spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on custom scents and subtle diffusers. Wander the halls of a Westin, and you might notice their wellness-forward White Tea fragrance. The Edition hotels use a custom Le Labo scent blending black tea and bergamot. Scents by Floris elevate selected Four Seasons. The list goes on.
One hotelier who understands the power of scent is Johan du Plessis, owner of Labotessa Boutique Hotel in the heart of Cape Town. It's a hotel brimming with European charm, overlooking the historic Church Square and infusing a touch of Parisian luxury into the Mother City. What's more, Labotessa has long been the only hotel in South Africa and one of just a handful worldwide to offer Diptyque amenities in all suites.
And for those who take scent seriously, Diptyque needs little introduction. Founded in Paris in 1961, the French fragrance maison has gained a cult following for its candles, perfumes, and home scents. And now, Capetonian fragrance fans can immerse themselves in the world of Diptyque, with the hotel offering South Africa's first standalone Diptyque Boutique.
It's an intimate ground-floor space designed for a deeply sensory experience. With up to 18 fragrances in various formats, along with Diptyque's legendary candles, body lotions, and soaps, it's a haven for fragrance lovers.
In step with the rebranded boutique comes the Diptyque Tea Experience, a sensorial journey that pairs fine teas and delicate bites with Diptyque's signature fragrances. It begins, quite rightly, with a glass of Cap Classique enjoyed with a guided tour of the boutique's exclusive collection. The tasting then moves to Labotessa's Café & Terrace, where a curated selection of teas and bites complements the scents on display. And the cherry on top? A Diptyque gift bag worth R1000 to take home.
The tea experience is priced at R650 per person, which is an excellent deal for anyone who loves the finer things in life!
Labotessa Diptyque Tea Experience is offered daily at 11am and 2pm. Bookings must be made 24 hours in advance.
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