In this latest article in our ongoing South Africa series, Elite Traveler brings you a guide to the very best hotels in Cape Town.
Whether a sumptuous bed, a spectacular view or service beyond compare – choose from our stunning selection of hotels in the cosmopolitan city.
One&Only Cape Town
One&Only Cape Town is a destination unto itself – an urban chic waterfront resort providing an unprecedented level of luxury in South Africa.
In the heart of the picturesque Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with captivating views of Table Mountain, this contemporary resort features the largest accommodation in all of Cape Town, with stylish island design and African flair accentuating the 131 spacious guest rooms and suites. Within the lobby of the seven-story Marina Rise, guests can experience the continent’s only restaurant by legendary chef Nobuyuki ‘Nobu’ Matsuhisa, where the upper-level Nobu bar features a selection of Sakes including plum wines, Japanese beer and a selection of Sake and Shochu based cocktails. Welcoming to both couples and families, Reuben Riffel captures the essence of the South African spirit and pride with his first urban restaurant, Reuben’s. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Reuben’s is known for its acclaimed local flair and wholesome bistro fare.
The suites at One&Only Cape Town range from 480 square feet (the one-bedroom Island Suite) to the 1,300 square feet Presidential Suite on the fifth floor with its uninterrupted views of Table Mountain. Two bedrooms with king size beds and en-suite bathrooms, a private gym and a fully equipped kitchen with separate entrance make this suite one of the best Cape Town has seen.
The Table Mountain Suite (1,000 square feet) located on the same floor has a similar look and feel. With only one bedroom, the suite really has a luxurious and spacious ambiance. This suite can also be transformed into a family-friendly two-bedroom suite by using the interleading Marina Queen Room (the largest entry level room in Cape Town at 200 square feet).
Top Suite: The One Penthouse
The One Penthouse is Africa’s most impressive accommodation, with wraparound views of Cape Town and breathtaking vistas of two World Heritage sites – Table Mountain National Park and Robben Island. A private lift allows for discreet entrance to The One Penthouse while a 24-hour butler service caters for your every need.
Encompassing an impressive 4,200 square feet of prime real estate, The One Penthouse features four spectacular en-suite bedrooms, several lounges with atmospheric fireplaces, a stylish study, glamorous dining room, state-of-the-art kitchen, wine wall, fully-equipped gym and a large sauna.
Two pools and outside entertainment areas create the perfect setting for indulgent evenings enjoying the 360-degree views of one of the world’s most beautiful cities. With a singular collection of South African art combined with truly captivating interior design, The One is the place where you can relax in resplendent luxury at times when only the best is good enough.
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Tel: +27 21 431 5888
Email: reservations@oneandonlycapetown.com
Website: oneandonlycapetown.com
[See also: Top 100 Suites – The One Above Penthouse, One&Only]
The 9 Best Restaurants in Cape Town
The Silo Hotel
The Silo Hotel is the latest luxury hotel to arrive in Cape Town and sets a new standard in opulence. Built in a grain elevator portion of the V&A Waterfront’s historic grain silo complex, The Silo Hotel occupies six floors above the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. The hotel itself is a fine example of modern contemporary design with each of its 28 rooms individually designed and decorated by renowned Liz Biden of the Royal Portfolio.
Guests can enjoy cocktails and a casual lunch at the hotel’s Rooftop Bar, which overlooks the stunning Table Mountain while dinner and Sunday roasts are available in in the eclectic Granary Café.
Top Suite: The Penthouse
Naturally located on the top floor of The Silo, The Penthouse Suite offers stunning private vistas across Table Mountain and a triple-aspect view of Cape Town. The 2,271sq ft room has one master bedroom has a 10-seat private dining room and a private movie theater, making it perfect for entertaining guests. There is also a private study for the executive needing to keep abreast of their work, a private spa room for in-suite treatments and his and her changing rooms. The Penthouse Suite is available from $8,030 per night in high season.
Contact
Tel: +27 21 670 0500
Email: info@thesilohotel.com
Website: theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo/
The Twelve Apostles
Presidential Suite / ©TwelveApostles
The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa is just a short drive out of Cape Town, but it may as well be a world away. Nestled in the foothills of Table Mountain National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site, this hotel is more like a rural retreat than a city hotel, yet a shuttle bus can transport you to the trendy V&A Waterfront in just 15 minutes.
All of the hotel’s 55 rooms and 15 suites are light, airy and peaceful. The designers were inspired by both contemporary African style and classic European comfort, which is reflected throughout the hotel. Guests can choose to overlook the mountains or the sea, but the views are spectacular regardless of what you choose.
The hotel also contains one of Cape Town’s best spas. It has been designed to give guests the sensation of being underwater with the reflections from its three pools emanating through the facility. The spa’s ultimate experience is undoubtedly held in the incredible outdoor gazebos. These treatment rooms allow guests to enjoy the stunning verandas out across the Atlantic Ocean while they have their treatment.
Top Suite: Grand Master Suite
Why choose between a view of the mountains of the sea when you can have both? The Grand Master Suite’s wraparound terrace enables guests to enjoy the best from land and sea. Recently re-decorated, the suite also boasts a free-standing antique marble bath and Italian-imported chandeliers.
Contact
Tel: +27 21 4379000
Email: reservations1@12apostles.co.za
Website: 12apostleshotel.com
Cape Grace
Like many of the hotels on this list, Cape Grace is located in the heart of the V&A Waterfront. But this hotel’s trump card is its location on its very own quay. The hotel is tall enough to offer unrestricted views of Table Mountain from its upper floors while the lower levels benefit from the buzz of the nearby working harbor.
The hotel’s décor focuses on South Africa’s colonial history. Guestrooms are full of antiques and indigenous artifacts while nautical themes run throughout its shared spaces. The Bascule Bar offers over 400 whiskeys and a wine list filled with South Africa’s finest vintages. The hotel’s Signal Restaurant is widely recognized as one of the best in the area and is well worth a visit, but guests can also wander to find a plethora of alternatives in this buzzy central location.
Top Suite: Penthouse Suite
The Penthouse Suite includes a huge terrace that overlooks Table Mountain. It also has a large lounge and dining area as well as a private jacuzzi. Guests staying in the hotel’s top suite benefit from a private check-in area upon arrival and bags will be unpacked into the walk-in closet as part of the attentive service.
Contact
Tel: +27 (21) 410 7065
Email: reservations@capegrace.com
Website: capegrace.com
Ellerman House
Ellerman House & Villa offers discerning guests an alternative to the everyday experience of a large brand luxury hotel.
This stunning establishment is the former home of entrepreneur Sir John Ellerman, and the ethos of intimate, personalized home comfort remains, alongside impeccable standards of luxury and convenience. A truly exclusive boutique hotel in a beautiful location overlooking Bantry Bay, Ellerman House is dedicated to providing guests with a true South African – and Capetonian – experience. You’ll enjoy old-fashioned personalized, intimate hospitality at an internationally recognized level of luxury, an impressive collection of South African art, and an exceptional concierge team.
Top Suite: Ellerman Villa
Ellerman Villa represents the pinnacle of modern standards of luxury, privacy and comfort. The enormous, five-bedroom space offers private access to each bedroom and stunning marble bathrooms packed with complimentary elite beauty products. Vast windows and deck space bring the endless ocean breathtakingly close, and the adventurous contemporary design sets it apart from the Edwardian opulence of the main House’s rooms and suites, making a stay at the Villa a truly exclusive and private luxury experience. To get the best out of your time at the Villa, select the exclusive package for your stay – the spa area in the Villa will be closed off for your own private use, with a dedicated spa therapist catering exclusively to you.
Contact
Tel: +27 21 430 3200
Email: info@ellerman.co.za
Website: ellerman.co.za
Taj Cape Town
An iconic, unmistakably Capetonian establishment in the heart of the historic St George’s Mall district, the Taj Cape Town was built from the palatial structures of the city’s past.
Close to a cosmopolitan mix of art, culture, entertainment and cuisine, the hotel immerses its guests in grand historic architecture alongside a thoroughly modern luxury experience that showcases the best South Africa has to offer. The 177 exceptional rooms and suites offer state-of-the-art conveniences, sumptuous views across the city, and beautiful interiors in which to sink into luxury. Lavish banqueting and meeting rooms cater to guests’ business and conference needs, while fine dining, glamorous bars and an exceptional Indian-themed spa promise pure indulgent bliss.
Top Suite: Presidential Suite
Everything about this two-floor suite is on a grand scale. The extraordinary space is split over two floors. Windows are floor to ceiling, flooding the suite with an astonishing view across the city and the 350-year-old Company Gardens towards magnificent Table Mountain. Every possible need is catered for, with an exceptional lounge space, two luxurious en-suite bedrooms, personal exercise space, spa treatment and hammam steam rooms for fitness and relaxation, a state-of-the-art kitchen and pantry, and a personal chef and 24-hour butler service. Enjoy the spectacular wraparound roof terrace with its stylish entertainment facilities – perfect for intimate cocktails with friends, formal dinners, or tranquil, romantic evenings soaking up the view.
Contact
Phone: +27 21 819 2000
Email: res.capetown@tajhotels.com
Website: tajhotels.com/taj-cape-town
The Westin Cape Town
The Westin enjoys a prime location at the entrance to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and is hugely popular with political, business and media figures.
Its 483 sublime rooms and suites boast bespoke-design beds and astonishing full-length views of the city, ideal for unwinding during a high-pressure business trip, or a short city getaway. State-of-the-art conference facilities, with 11 venues accommodating between 12 and 600, fine dining with a magnificent 19th-floor view at the exclusive Westin Executive Club, and the blissful top-floor Heavenly Spa make this the perfect base for both business and pleasure.
Top Suite: Presidential Suite
A true gem of a business and pleasure hotel, The Westin has furnished its 19th floor top suite with every state-of-the-art convenience and luxury, including a soundproofed games and entertainment room with state-of-the-art curved TVs. The suite enjoys stunning floor-to-ceiling panoramas of Cape Town’s most awe-inspiring vistas, including iconic Table Mountain, beautiful Table Bay, and the sparkling Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The inviting space has also been imbued with something special – subtle reminders of the African continent, through warm, rich décor and furnishings inspired by traditional African textures, fabrics and designs.
Contact
Tel: +27 21 412 9999
Email: 01445.reservations@westin.com
Website: westincapetown.com
Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel
An iconic, century-old establishment, the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel embodies the colonial-era grandeur of Cape Town’s heritage, offering 144 elegant rooms and 57 sumptuous suites, and catering to a glittering array of elite guests for more than hundred years, from HRH Prince Philip to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
With Table Mountain as a panoramic backdrop, the hotel offers sumptuous luxury in absolute privacy, and world-class facilities for leisure and relaxation, including a glamorous champagne bar, gourmet restaurant and luxurious spa.
Top Suite: Presidential Suite
This beautiful top-floor suite begins with a grand marble entrance hall and opens out onto a private balcony with stunning views of iconic Table Mountain. Lavish décor and fittings include a century-old desk that had pride of place in the hotel lounge when it first opened in 1899. The suite offers a mini-bar, private dining room and large, elegant lounge perfect for entertaining guests.
Contact
Tel: +27 21 483 1000
Email: reservations.mnh@belmond.com
Website: belmond.com
The Table Bay Hotel
The Table Bay Hotel is right on the historic Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, home to luxury yachts and Cape Town’s buzzing restaurants, shopping and nightlife.
Opened by former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela in 1997, the hotel cuts a grand silhouette on the water, and inside offers guests a lavish and personalized luxury experience. Enjoy strikingly beautiful views, either of the Bay across to Robben Island, or of the waterfront, the city and Table Mountain from any of the 329 sumptuous rooms and suites.
Top Suite: Table Mountain Presidential Suite
The suite is a warm, beautiful space, exuding touches of decadence and luxury, such as a baby grand piano in the dark-wood-finished sitting room, a private library, and stylish Jacuzzi-bathing in front of a TV in the master bathroom. An awe-inspiring eighth-floor vista of Table Mountain is its main attraction.
Contact
Tel: +27 21 406 5000
Email: tbhres@suninternational.com
Website: suninternational.com/table-bay/
Kensington Place
Nestled on the slopes of Table Mountain, the fashionable Kensington Place offers bespoke modern luxury, with just eight sumptuously finished rooms sporting up-to-the-minute technology and impressive views.
Kensington’s impeccably gracious staff are determined to create a ‘home-from-home’ for guests, and private terraces and in-room spa services provide opportunities to melt into private relaxation. When it’s time to head outside and experience the city, the shops and restaurants of trendy Kloof Street are just minutes away.
Contact
Tel: +27 21 424 4744
Email: reception@kensingtonplace.co.za
Website: kensingtonplace.co.za
Steenberg Farm
The luxurious Steenberg is situated on the Cape’s oldest farm, a mere 20-minute drive from the bustling heart of Cape Town. The hotel nestles in the tranquil Constantia Valley, against the slopes of the Steenberg Mountain, offering sweeping views over the False Bay.
Its buildings, dating back to 1682, were lovingly restored and have been declared a National Monument. Here the legendary elegance and traditions of the 17th century blend harmoniously with the most refined luxuries and conveniences of our modern age.
Contact
Tel: +27 21 713 2222
Email: reservations@steenberghotel.com
Website: steenbergfarm.com
