LIVING IN THE LAP OF LUXURY AT THE PALACE
Even after 25 years, the Palace of the Lost City is no less glorious than the day she was built. Boasting marble floors, huge sculptured granite columns and opulent handcrafted details that extend from the carpeted floors right up to the painted ceilings and across to the tapestries that drape the walls, she is a sight to behold. So when I was invited to spend a night in this gorgeous hotel in South Africa’s Sun City Resort, I jumped at the opportunity.
arriving at the Palace, the first thing that grabbed my attention was the magnificent statue at her entrance. Cheetahs are suspended in action as they leap to catch jumping impala in mid-air. It’s an optical illusion and magnificent piece of art by Danie De Jager who left no stone unturned in its creation. He meticulously studied photographs, videos and even dissected the carcasses of cheetahs and impala to examine their muscle structure before creating the piece. Once I had managed to draw my eyes away from the elegance of the statue, I was greeted by the bowed heads of giant sable and ornately carved wooden doors that had to be the largest I had ever seen. The Palace is built to give the impression that it was once the home of a stately King that ruled a long lost civilisation that lived in these parts and she does not disappoint. Step inside her grand entrance hall and the ceiling is handpainted, the intricate mosaic floors hand laid and the colourful tapestries hand woven. However, it was the palm-frond chandelier that drew me through to the Crystal Court area. Surrounded by gigantic pillars and floor to second-storey glass doors, the grand dining area is a feat of engineering. The chords of a grand piano filled the space and immediately transported me to another world. With just one day in this epic location, however, I had no time to stop and enjoy the music before I was off to explore Sun City’s famous Valley of the Waves. Having recently added two new mindboggling slides to this amazing waterpark, the Valley of the Waves provides an adventure playground like no other. With an amazing constructed beach with rolling waves, a leisurely lazy river and a host of water slides, each one seemingly more terrifying than the next, I enjoyed an afternoon in the water, unleashing the child within me! After trying to find my way out of the labyrinth that is the new Maze of the Lost City and indulging quite delightedly in the craft beer tasting that awaited me at the end, it was back to my opulent abode at the Palace and a night well spent. In the morning, a breakfast of kings awaited me and I struggled to choose from the elaborate affair on offer. Roast, sushi, pancakes, waffles, cheeses, pastries, an omelette station and all the usual breakfast trimmings were lined up before me and I try as I did, I couldn’t taste it all. Happy as can be and as stuffed as a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, I packed my things and bid farewell to the perfection that is the Palace – knowing what it feels like to be Queen, even if just for one day!