WHALE COTTAGE
Accommodation Services in Plettenberg Bay

She began her career at the Unit for Futures Research at the University of Stellenbosch, moving to the Bureau of Market Research at UNISA in Pretoria. Six exciting years as Market Researcher followed at advertising agencies JWT and Y & R in Johannesburg. Reaching the glass ceiling in advertising, she was appointed as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Wits Business School. In this period she established a Market Research consultancy called Relationship Marketing, and was soon appointed as a Research Consultant at the fledgling M-Net. Moving to Cape Town, Chris shifted the focus of her consultancy to Public Relations, representing food clients Bonnita (now Parmalat), Baker Street Snacks, 7 Eleven, and Aylesbury, as well as Hunt Lascaris Cape and Omnigraphics. She was Chairman of the Institute of Marketing Management, created and wrote Ad-Monitor for the Weekend Argus, and created and presented the Sweet & Sour Excellence Awards on Radio Good Hope. Two years later Whale Cottage Camps Bay was established. The Whale Cottage Portfolio was the first branded guest house group in South Africa, with a recognisable corporate identity, and unique marine decor style. The Whale Cottage Portfolio properties were all sold in Chris has served on the Board of Cape Town Tourism as Deputy Chairman, and has been a Director of FEDHASA Cape, chairing the Small Accommodation segment. She established Guest House Associations in Camps Bay and in Franschhoek, the foundation of which is active networking with guest house colleagues for the benefit of all. As the first in the series of Cape Town Alive’s introductions to the people behind your favourite Cape Town blogs, we sat down with Chris von Ulmenstein, the sole female driving force behind the Whale Cottage Portfolio blog. Sharing information is a reflection of the collegiality that is characteristic of the small accommodation industry. Our guest house guests like to be updated with what is happening in the Cape, pick up restaurant tips, and generally are well informed by the time they come to stay with us. We do not believe in hard-sell at all, but our blog is Whale Cottage Portfolio branded. It’s nice to receive compliments about it too, about its content, writing, and the usefulness it has, even for locals wanting restaurant advice. General talk in the village is that it is no longer as good as in its opening days of eight years ago, and most guest houses in Franschhoek no longer recommend it. For seven years we were one of Chef Reuben’s biggest advocates!