AMX Ellerman Villa & Spa

Ellerman & Spa Hotel
When the rich and famous travel to Cape Town, South Africa, they are likely to stay at The Ellerman Villa and Spa, an exclusive home-away-from-home immediately adjacent to the world-renowned, five-star Ellerman House Luxury Hotel. Constructed in 2004, the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired building was designed from top to bottom with unparalleled luxury in mind. “We wanted to create a utopia of sorts – a unique lifestyle experience in which the modern traveler could truly kick back and relax while basking in their lavish surroundings,” said Nick Dreyer, manager of Ellerman Villa and Spa.

Seamless Integration and Flexibility
The owner of the Villa, which is located on Bantry Bay and offers breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, had a clear vision for the project. He wanted to create a contemporary environment offering state-of-the-art technology, and he knew control was essential to achieving the results he wanted. South African-based home automation and home theatre specialist QUESTEK was selected to design and install the system. Frans Kruger, QUESTEK’s CEO, explained that, “AMX® was used for this project because its technology seamlessly integrates with equipment from other manufacturers and offers the flexibility to redesign and reengineer the system as our client’s needs evolve over time.”

Modern Convenience
The spacious three-story Villa includes five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, an entertainment room, kitchen, dining room, living area, study and infinity pool, as well as a private spa. Using any one of the 18 AMX 7 inch Modero® Touch Panels installed throughout the building, a guest can control the whole “home” environment, including closing or opening window coverings, adjusting room temperature or ambient lighting, controlling the pool or sauna and even requesting services from the on-site massage therapist, butler or caterer. The Villa also includes two AMX Modero ViewPoint (MVP) wireless touch panels, one of which is placed in the entertainment room for convenient control of the home theater.

High-Tech Simplicity
To ensure each and every guest could enjoy the benefits of the technology, QUESTEK’s software engineers worked closely with Dreyer to develop a customized touch panel user interface that is intuitive and easy to use – no instruction needed. To simplify the interface without limiting the system’s capabilities, they pre-programmed each display with 50 one-button scenarios and preset options.

In addition to control technology, the Villa also includes three AMX MAX Multimedia Servers, each of which holds up to 300 DVDs and 6,000 CDs, for distributing high-quality, digital audio and video content to any room. “Our guests expect the same comforts they enjoy at home, and then some,” explained Dreyer. “With the servers, we can offer diverse entertainment options across a wide-range of cinematic and musical genres, all of which are easily accessible via the touch panels.”

Mission Accomplished
“Thanks in large part to AMX, our vision for the Villa is now a reality,” said Dreyer. Since opening its doors to the public, the Villa has attracted dignitaries and celebrities from around the world. “Our guests often comment that the control system’s features and capabilities are ‘phenomenal.’ I couldn’t agree more,” he added.