Timeless Design Meets Coastal Elegance: Victorian Bathrooms at St James Manor

For over three decades, Victorian Bathrooms and Rovos Rail have shared more than just a founding year. Since 1989, the two South African icons have built a creative partnership defined by elegance, precision, and an enduring love of classic design. What began with bespoke details tailored for the movement of a luxury train, including a deeper soap basket, has evolved into a relationship that continues to shape remarkable spaces.

Their latest collaboration sees this shared ethos realised on solid ground, in the newly restored St James Manor Guesthouse by Rovos Rail. Perched above Cape Town’s False Bay, the 1911 residence has been reimagined as a stately coastal retreat, blending the glamour of South Africa’s gold and diamond era with the ease of contemporary seaside living.

Under the refined eye of Anthea Vos, one of the visionary founders of Rovos Rail, and in collaboration with Vaniti House, the Manor’s bathrooms have been entirely re-envisioned to create a series of spaces that marry comfort with coastal exuberance.

Victorian Bathrooms fittings ground each of the new en-suite bathrooms in craftsmanship and character, from oversized showers and twin basins to deep freestanding baths that invite unhurried rituals. Cara Saven wallpapers and playful tilework soften the formality, adding a personalised layer of joy and design.

Much like the train carriages that first united them, St James Manor is a study in atmosphere: rich in narrative, finely detailed, and unmistakably authentic. Victorian Bathrooms is proud to continue its journey with Rovos Rail, crafting beautiful, functional spaces that capture the romance of a bygone era while answering to the needs of the present.

Known for the quality and timeless elegance of their designs, Victorian Bathrooms is a well-known specialist supplier of luxury bathroom products in South Africa. Customers can view their extensive range of artfully curated bathroom ware, accessories, soaps and scents at their showrooms in Kramerville, Johannesburg, or Paarden Eiland, Cape Town.