cmstraf

I am close to settling on a SA itinerary for May 2022, but am indecisive between three hotels in Capetown:
Taj hotel in the center of town or Marly's or the Tweve Apostles in the Camp Bay Area, which are near the ocean and more expensive.\

My usual option of small charming 3 star hotels of moderate price won't work because I need a restaurant. I am white, will be in my mid seventies, and will be traveling this time without my husband. Friends and travel agent have suggested that I am not safe even going out to eat or for a walk without a guide.

I'd appreciate any advice or comments. I am used to living in an ethnically diverse community and feel saddened by the level of racial tension that seems to continue (here as well as there, but in different form,.

Heimdall

The Twelve Apostles Hotel is located just outside Camps Bay, on a road overlooking the ocean. My daughter and son-in-law had their wedding reception there. It’s a fantastic hotel, and you will have beautiful sunset views every night. You will need a car or Uber if you stay there, even to get into Camps Bay itself. To get into central Cape Town would require about a 20-30 minute drive (Rome2Rio says only 14 minutes) either over Kloof Nek or through Sea Point. Sometimes traffic is heavy, so R2R might be optimistic.

I’m not familiar with the Marley, but it is on Victoria Road, which runs along the beach and Promenade in the middle of Camps Bay. The hop on hop off Red Bus has a stop on Victoria Road, and it’s meant for tourists. It’s safe to walk along Victoria Road, on the Promenade along the beach, or to a restaurant in the evenings. I love Camps Bay, and stayed there in an AirBnB for two weeks when my daughter was married. We used Ubers to get into Cape Town , and they aren’t very expensive.

The Taj is located in central Cape Town, not far from the V&A Waterfront, Company’s Gardens, Castle of Good Hope, District 6 Museum, etc. There are perfectly safe walking tours you could arrange through the hotel, take an Uber to the mall shopping centre at the V&A Waterfront, etc. Don’t isolate yourself in the hotel—enjoy the things Cape Town has to offer.

cmstraf

Thanks for you response. In the end, I chose The Vineyards, a hotel in the southern suburbs of Cape Town, that was suggested by a South African friend.It is pretty, moderately priced and has beautiful gardens with trails. It's still near enough to get to Camp's Bay and downtown Cape Town by Uber quite easily. Thank you for the encouragement to try local restaurants. I would have been hesitant and shy.