Having worked at Mount Nelson Hotel for over three decades, Sydney Moonsamy and Paul Pillay are hospitality legends

In today’s quick-fix culture, it’s reassuring to know that there are still hotels where combined heartfelt hospitality and extraordinary service is an everyday occurrence. The Mount Nelson Hotel has an unusually high number of long-serving staff.

At least 20 out of 180 permanent staff members have been with the hotel for over fifteen years. This may explain why the hotel has a reputation of offering a warm and genuine Cape Town experience, and guests feel like they never want to leave.

SYDNEY MOONSAMY, Hotel Lounge Waiter

Visitors enjoying Afternoon Tea at The Mount Nelson Hotel will recognise Sydney by his speediness. A Grand Masters winner of Cape Town’s Big Walk, Sydney’s big passion is for speed-walking, as well as for people and service.

At 63 years of age he shows no sign of slowing down, choosing to power walk from his home near Muizenberg to the hotel on most clear days – a 25 kilometre trek!

 “My history with the hotel dates back to 1964 when my father moved here from Durban, so that he could work as Head Waiter in the hotel’s dining room. My dad taught me everything I know and always said that if a guest asks for a glass of water – be as quick as you can,” Sydney says.

 Sydney embarked on his career at Mount Nelson Hotel in 1981. He was originally offered a job at the hotel’s Grill Room, which was one of the city’s leading eateries at the time, but he asked to work in the lounge and Lord Nelson Bar (now the Lord Nelson Room) instead, so that he could enjoy the hotel’s garden setting. Nowadays you’ll find him weaving through the Hotel Lounge, stopping only to deliver pots of tea and to regale guests with entertaining stories about Big Walks.

He continues: “I never take notes. I can remember up to 30 orders because I pay attention to what the guest is asking for.  I’ve served members of the royal family and other famous people, but to me everyone here is a VIP” .

PAUL PILLAY, Hotel Lounge Supervisor

Paul has The Mount Nelson Hotel in his blood. He is the third generation in his family to work at the hotel - his grandfather was Head Steward in the Hotel Lounge for 35 years and his father was a waiter at the Grill Room. Much has changed since then, but like his forefathers, Paul believes that his job is to create a real sense of occasion for his guests.  “It’s important to be discreet and to put the guests’ needs first - to go the extra mile” he explains.

Paul joined Mount Nelson Hotel 30 years ago, in 1982, when the hotel still catered primarily for the First Class passengers of the Union-Castle Line cruise ships. He worked at the Oasis Restaurant Bar and the Lord Nelson Bar, before moving across to the Hotel  Lounge to oversee Afternoon Tea in 1995.

He has also waited upon some of the world’s most famous movie stars, high profile businesspeople and royalty. “I really enjoyed meeting John Cleese, Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and the Queen of The Netherlands, but I meet interesting people who aren’t famous everyday. And that is one of the best parts of my job,” says Paul.

Issued by Gabrielle Palmer, Public Relations Manager, ph: +27 11 481-6030; e-mail: Gabrielle.palmer@orient-express.com; www.mountnelson.co.za