Technology has transformed the hospitality industry, but this is also a sector where innovation is not always about digital transformation.
The Protea Fire & Ice in Cape Town is a classic example. In days gone by, it was known for its edgy decor, hilariously themed toilets and elevators that simulated a cable car and a shark cage. That was toned down into vanilla accommodation a few years ago, and the hotel lost its “funkiness”.
But now, it has returned to its roots of innovative branding, although with a completely different edge.
Photo: ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
Street art crawls up the walls of conference rooms, neon lights shimmer in the corridors, and tattoo-inspired murals greet one outside the elevators. If it feels like a cross between an outdoor art gallery and a nightclub, that’s the point.
“We’re bringing back the funk,” says David Campbell, the hotel’s general manager, with a smile that says he’s having far too much fun. But why not? Fire & Ice has made a shift that’s more about vibe than luxury—a mix of hustle and flow, that mirrors the city outside.
Photo: ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
“Cape Town is Zen on the outside and bustling on the inside,” says Campbell, pointing to redesigned spaces that shout creative rebellion.
The shift isn’t just cosmetic. Campbell, a “failed rugby player” who “stumbled” into hospitality, wants Fire & Ice to be Cape Town’s answer to the global trend of lifestyle hotels—places where people come for more than just a bed.
Clarke has drawn from his experience opening hotels across Africa, for chains like Radisson and Marriott. This has taken him to places as diverse as Kigali in Rwanda and the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
Photo: ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
The hotel’s new direction embraces the city’s street culture, pulling in artists from the neighborhood to make sure the hotel feels as alive as the streets surrounding it.
“We’ve had local tattoo artists come in, and even graffiti artist Sailor Tinkerbell has done pieces for us.”
One of the standout features is a mural by Die Honest, a Loop Street tattoo artist, who turned a bland elevator wall into something one expects to see in the back alleys of Woodstock. The graffiti gives the space a rough charm that Campbell is keen to nurture.
“That wall used to be covered in old newspaper clippings from when this building was the Argus print store. We’ve moved on — just like Cape Town has.”
Photo: ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
The rooms at Fire & Ice have been revamped with a focus on smart design. Campbell talks about “industrial minimalism,” but it’s also about using the space well.
“Most hotel rooms today are small, so we took out the unnecessary stuff—side tables, bulky desks — and made things more functional.”
Even the shower doors open inward — an unexpectedly practical touch in a hotel where one might expect function to take a backseat to form.
While the hotel rides on its artistic aesthetic, Campbell admits there’s more to running a place like this than being cool.
The hotel is riding a wave of changing travel trends, attracting a mix of international visitors and locals.
Photo: ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
“In the last year and a half, we’ve seen a shift,” Campbell says. “It used to be mostly local travellers, but now there’s a strong international presence, especially from the US, UK, and Germany.” That shift, he says, is partly due to the hotel’s evolving identity as a lifestyle destination, blending a chic urban vibe with Cape Town’s inherent natural beauty.
The real innovation behind the reimagining of the Fire & Ice, though, lies in its refusal to play it safe. In a world of box-ticking hotels, Fire & Ice doesn’t just reject the cookie-cutter hotel model — it smashes it with a spray can and turns it into something far more interesting.
* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on social media on @art2gee.