Grand Daddy

Jody Aufrichtig worked in London as an accountant but he was always destined for greater things – in his native South Africa.

Moving back home a decade ago he dabbled in various entrepreneurial ventures including property. It was from his exposure to the property market that Jody spotted the potential of Long Street. Jody and his partners bet their shirts on the street becoming Cape Town’s next big thing. Between them they were responsible for some 80% of the bars and restaurants that now make upper Long Street one bit of the city that is visited by four out of five overseas tourists.

In 2005 Jody opened Daddy Long Legs, a self-catering art-themed boutique hotel on Long Street. The hotel was an immediate hit with journalists who spotted the story in the fact that each of the 13 loft-style rooms was decorated by a different artist. From the media the world heard about this one-of-a-kind hotel and occupancy rates took off.

Caravans in the sky

If the media loved Daddy Long Legs they positively swooned over Jody’s next venture. The venerable old Metropole Hotel, at 38 Long Street, was turned into the four-star Grand Daddy and decorated in a style every bit as avant garde as Daddy Long Legs. But it was what Jody did next that really captured the imagination. Seven vintage Airstream caravans were sourced from around the world (one of them bought on eBay) and deposited on the Grand Daddy’s rooftop. “Like we did at Grand Daddy, each Airstream was given to an individual artist to design. Staying in the caravans is a world-first, unique experience,” says Jody, “but you can expect all the creature comforts; queen-size beds, mini bars and showers. In your caravan on the roof.”

Soon Grand Daddy will screen classic movies on a wall between the caravans. Catering will be themed around Jeremy Taylor’s famous pop song, Ag Pleez Daddy, with snacks, served to guests on recliner chairs, including popcorn, chewing gum, peanuts and bubble gum.

Spiderman tours of Cape Town

As if he isn’t having enough fun with his hotel projects, Jody has a new scheme which is bound to raise the eyebrows of the city authorities: bringing the concept of treetop canopy tours to the city. “That’s right, we’re going to make visitors swing between the building, abseiling onto Velcro walls. It’ll be perfectly safe but it’s going to be brilliant,” says Jody.

“I think we are so fantastically lucky with what we have in Cape Town. The city itself is amazing and the surroundings are the most beautiful in the world. We’re focused on really utilising what we have, through things like the Airstreams and the canopy tours, to give tourists an experience they will never forget.

The bottom line, Jody believes, has to remain quality and value for money, particularly at a time of worldwide economic uncertainty. Grand Daddy’s rates are R945 per room, R765 corporate rate. “Overcharging is just not good for business,” says Jody. “We’re a long-term business, not in it for short-term profits.”