Three decades on, The Palace of the Lost City proves its magic endures, now elevated by Michelin-starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen’s visionary touch.

 

• Built at a cost of R5-billion in today’s money, Sol Kerzner’s Palace remains an unrivalled African dream.
• More than 30 years after opening, the Palace remains fully booked on weekends – proof its magic still resonates.
• At the Palace, humble local ingredients now meet elephants, chandeliers, and Liberace’s piano in a true feast for the senses.
• Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.

 

It has become something of a tradition – and let’s be honest, an indulgence too. Any excuse to return to South Africa’s most famed hotel, part luxury, part fantasy, will do. During a recent announcement of a new partnership between The Palace of the Lost City and Michelin-starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen, The Sandton Times packed its bags for the Pilanesberg to experience first-hand what’s new at a hotel that has defined opulence for more than three decades.

 

Keeping a property of this magnitude both fresh and relevant is no small task. The Palace of the Lost City was originally built at a staggering R5-billion in today’s money – an investment unlikely to be repeated in South Africa any time soon. Yet, under the leadership of General Manager Nico Myburgh, The Palace continues to hold its position as a standard-bearer of African luxury.

 

A Star-Studded Partnership

From Paris to the Pilanesberg, Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen – South Africa’s first Michelin-starred chef – has made a name for himself as a culinary storyteller, celebrated for curating hyper-personalised experiences. Now, he has turned his creative gaze towards The Palace. Through the lens of his JAN brand, he is revitalising the hotel’s legendary hospitality touchpoints, beginning with its most iconic: the Crystal Court breakfast.

 

Once billed as the largest breakfast buffet in Africa, the Crystal Court had become a familiar favourite in need of a little zhuzh. Enter Chef Jan Hendrik, who looked beyond simply “adding more eggs” and instead developed a narrative-driven dining experience centred on lost ingredients. Think heirloom corn, amaranth, bambara groundnut, and cowpea – ancient staples of African diets, revived and reimagined for the modern palate.

Food is concept to me. You can’t just redo a breakfast buffet; it needed a story. The Palace is the Lost City, so we went looking for what was lost. We found so many forgotten ingredients, and now we’re celebrating them by placing them at the heart of the plate.

// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen

 

It’s not just the menu that has been refreshed. Chef Jan Hendrik’s disruptive touch has extended to crockery, cutlery, table linens, even the flowers and music.

We re-silvered the silver, re-upholstered the chairs, and rethought the entire sensory journey. This isn’t just dinner. It’s about the thread of hospitality – taking care of guests from breakfast through to bedtime.

// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen

 

Sol Kerzner’s Dream, Reimagined

The Palace of the Lost City first opened its eight-metre-high carved doors in November 1992. Billed as Africa’s first seven-star hotel, Sol Kerzner’s flagship quickly became a global byword for opulence. At the launch, more than 300 luminaries and heads of state – from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Oprah Winfrey and Thabo Mbeki – mingled beneath the vast dome ceiling painted by nine artists over 5’000 hours, a feat likened to South Africa’s own Italian Chapel project.

 

Everywhere you look, the details whisper of indulgence: 10’000 pieces of Czech rock crystal in the Crystal Court chandelier; 800 custom-crafted items in the King’s Suite; 1.2-million plants and trees across 25 hectares of gardens and waterscapes. Even the grand piano in the Crystal Court is rumoured to have once belonged to Liberace.

 

Sol’s vision was not just bricks and mortar, however – it was theatre. And three decades later, that sense of drama still permeates The Palace. Guests checking in today are just as likely to be wide-eyed international tourists who discovered the hotel through the Adam Sandler film Blended as they are repeat visitors who have been returning for years.

 

The Human Touch

For all its grandeur, it’s the people who make The Palace truly special. Staff members, many of whom have been with the hotel since its earliest days, give it soul. One of those familiar faces is Sherly Moseki, Front Office Manager, who epitomises the warm yet efficient welcome that turns a visit into a homecoming.

 

Despite South Africa’s challenged economy, The Palace is thriving – fully booked every weekend well into the following year. The consistency of service, the sense of belonging, and the almost familial bonds between staff and guests are a large part of why.

 

A Suite Life

Our suite, allegedly once occupied by one of pop music’s most famous female voices, reflects The Palace’s distinctive African glamour. Spacious and elegant, it boasts a lounge, private patio, guest bathroom, and en-suite bedroom. The small touches impress: dried snacks, a refillable fruit bowl, and refreshments thoughtfully laid out. The private dining area within the suite is a bonus for those who prefer to entertain or dine in seclusion. Complete with its own service station, coffee setup, and dedicated crockery, it transforms the space into a discreet personal retreat.

 

Steps away lies the Royal Spa, a relatively new but welcome addition to The Palace. Inspired by the surrounding Pilanesberg landscape, this oasis of calm offers six treatment rooms, three luxurious spa suites with hydro baths, a Rasul chamber, and a Himalayan salt sauna. From massages to advanced skin therapies, even a kids’ spa menu, the Royal Spa expands the Palace experience into a full sensory indulgence.

 

Heritage In A Bottle

No detail at The Palace escapes curation, down to the bathroom amenities. The hotel recently launched its own in-house brand, 1992, named after its opening year. From shampoo to body wash, the products may not reinvent the spa wheel, but their branding is cleverly in sync with the hotel’s heritage story.

 

A Future Of Lost Ingredients And Found Memories

The collaboration with Chef Jan Hendrik is not static; the menu evolves every six months, each cycle introducing a new ingredient and accompanying culinary installation. This ensures that repeat visitors have a reason to return, not just for the nostalgia but for something novel each time.

 

There’s also a pleasing contrast in Chef Jan Hendrik’s concept: humble ingredients like cowpeas or groundnuts set within one of the most opulent dining rooms in Africa, framed by elephants, chandeliers, and hand-carved columns. It’s heritage meeting haute cuisine.

It’s about reviving what was lost—ingredients, yes, but also memories. Guests often say, ‘Oh, my grandmother used to make this.’ That’s powerful. It makes the experience personal.

// Michelin-Starred Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen

 

The Palace Endures

Thirty years after Sol Kerzner’s dream became reality, The Palace of the Lost City remains unmatched in its audacity, scale, and spirit. It is part legend, part living luxury. For some, it is a once-in-a-lifetime destination. For others, it’s a tradition, a touchstone of indulgence, or even a second home.

 

Now, with Chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen’s imaginative hand on the tiller, it is not just holding its ground – it’s finding fresh ways to surprise. From lost ingredients to re-silvered silverware, from celebrity suites to lush spa rituals, The Palace of the Lost City proves that even icons can evolve.

 

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