In this insightful and entertaining programme, Giles and Monica travel to South Africa - where they experience a land of contrasts through working in two very different hotels. The Silo is an industrial-chic, luxury art-themed hotel in the heart of Cape Town. It sits in the former elevator shaft of a 90-year-old, 187-foot grain silo (once dubbed the tallest building in sub-Saharan Africa) and on top of the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa - the African equivalent of the Tate Modern - within the same repurposed historic building. The redesign of the silo building was led by British star designer Thomas Heatherwick, who created 96 stunning windows which contain over 5,300 individual panes of glass overall and cost £50,000 each to construct.\n\nGiles and Monica discover that what looks amazing can be challenging to maintain. Giles puts his best window-cleaning skills to use on the angular panes inside the hotel, whilst Monica draws the short straw and gamely abseils from the 11th floor of the building to clean the exterior, using a mixture of citrus peel and alcohol. The choice of waterless cleaning products highlights a huge challenge for the hotel and for the city - during Cape Town's worst drought in a century. Giles works alongside maintenance man Dean as he checks the hotel's water aerators - special devices fitted to taps and shower heads - and finds that so far they have reduced water consumption in the hotel by nearly 60%.\n\nWhilst there is a severe shortage of one liquid, Monica discovers another is very popular in town. She works with Zimbabwean bar manager, Jonas, who offers 14 different types of gin, many distilled in Cape Town and infused with plants that can only be found locally. She cooks with Chef Zyaad, who draws inspiration from his Cape Malay heritage, and is shown the hotel's own bijou art gallery, The Vault, which features the work of emerging artists.
Source: BBC 2
Series 5: Kasbah Tamadot
Monica Galetti and Rob Rinder travel to Kasbah Tamadot in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. With Sir Richard Branson as their boss, they discover how genuine Berber hospitality an ...
28-03-2024
BBC 2
Series 5: 8. Hotel Hubertus, Italian Alps
In the Tyrol region of northern Italy lies Hotel Hubertus - a family-run resort which offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains thanks to its panoramic aspect.\n\nTh ...
31-12-2023
BBC 2
Series 5: 7. Glenapp Castle, Scotland
In Scotland, Monica Galetti and Rob Rinder discover Glenapp Castle, where guests are treated to a magical stay made possible by a dedicated team of local staff. \n\nMonica and R ...
12-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 5: 6. Borgo Egnazia, Italy
Monica Galetti and Rob Rinder visit Italy to go behind the scenes of Borgo Egnazia - a hotel modelled on Puglia’s historical local villages. They work with the local staff ...
03-10-2023
BBC 2
Series 5: 5. Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa
At Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa, Monica Galetti and Rob Rinder join forces with the hotel staff to learn how to deliver a luxury safari experience. The hotel is o ...
27-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 5: 4. Ceylon Tea Trails, Sri Lanka
Monica and Rob travel to the highlands of central Sri Lanka to learn about Ceylon Tea Trails - a series of colonial era bungalows that have been renovated and revisioned by a lo ...
14-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 5: 3. Nusfjord Arctic Resort
Nusfjord Arctic Resort is a preserved 200-year-old cod fishing village in the Lofoten Islands of Norway. Working alongside the dedicated team, Monica and Rob learn to appreciate ...
01-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 5: 2. Joali Maldives
Monica Galetti and Rob Rinder travel by seaplane to a paradise island in the Indian Ocean. Joali Maldives offers guests a luxury experience despite its remote location, but just ...
24-08-2023
BBC 2
Series 2: 6. Hacienda Vira Vira, Chile
In this insightful and entertaining programme, Monica and Giles travel to South America to work in Hacienda Hotel Vira Vira - a unique hotel near Pucon, the adventure capital of ...
10-07-2023
BBC 2
Series 4: 5. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort
Giles Coren and Monica Galetti visit Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort, an extraordinary hotel built where people usually struggle to survive - deep in a Middle East desert.\n\nSurrou ...
11-06-2023
BBC 2
Series 5: 4. Ceylon Tea Trails, Sri Lanka
Monica and Rob travel to the highlands of central Sri Lanka to learn about Ceylon Tea Trails - a series of colonial era bungalows that have been renovated and revisioned by a lo ...
14-09-2023
BBC 2
Series 5: Kasbah Tamadot
Monica Galetti and Rob Rinder travel to Kasbah Tamadot in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. With Sir Richard Branson as their boss, they discover how genuine Berber hospitality an ...
28-03-2024
BBC 2
Series 4: 4. Nimb Hotel, Copenhagen
Monica and Giles travel to Copenhagen to work at Nimb Hotel in the historic Tivoli Gardens. Giles learns to be the brake man on one of the world’s oldest wooden rollercoas ...
21-05-2023
BBC 2
Series 2: 2. Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman
In the second episode, Giles and Monica travel to the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar in Oman. It is the highest five-star hotel in the Middle East and a resort seeking to blend loc ...
26-04-2021
BBC 2
Series 2: 4. Ashford Castle, Ireland
Monica Galetti and Giles Coren hop across to Ireland to scale the imposing and ancient ramparts of Ashford Castle. Set in 350 acres, it was founded 800 years ago by the Anglo-No ...
09-03-2021
BBC 2
Series 5: 8. Hotel Hubertus, Italian Alps
In the Tyrol region of northern Italy lies Hotel Hubertus - a family-run resort which offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains thanks to its panoramic aspect.\n\nTh ...
31-12-2023
BBC 2
Series 4: 6. The Lanesborough, London
Monica Galetti and Giles Coren visit London's most expensive and exclusive hotel, the Lanesborough. It's the first time the hotel has allowed anyone behind the scenes.\n\nThe ho ...
06-11-2022
BBC 2
Series 3: 1. Mgm Cotai, Macau
Monica and Giles travel to the self-governing Chinese city of Macau, which is the gambling capital of the world, welcoming millions of Chinese visitors every year. \n\nJoining t ...
22-03-2021
BBC 2