44 Best Hotels in Cape Town, South Africa

Built in 1906 for shipping magnate Sir John Ellerman, this may well be Cape Town's most refined hotel, possessed as it is of stupendous views of the sea and imbued with one of the world's best South African art collections (aside from what's on the hotel's walls, there's a dedicated contemporary gallery at the bottom of the garden with more than 1,000 works on display). Broad, terraced lawns fronted by elegant balustrades step down the beautifully landscaped hillside to a sparkling pool, and as you explore and wander, there are various more nooks and spaces to discover, including a wine cellar with more than 9,000 bottles. Decorated in an updated Regency style, the drawing room, living room, and library are sumptuous and yet designed to make you feel instantly at home—stepping inside, you feel yourself consumed by the tranquility, and by the desire to exhale deeply. Guest rooms flaunt enormous picture windows, high ceilings, and exquisite bathrooms. There's nothing cookie-cutter here at all, and because the hotel accommodates only a handful of guests, the skillful staff caters to every whim, and seems to know everyone who stays here personally. In the kitchen, chefs prepare whatever guests request, and most drinks are included in the rates. If you're traveling with a group, or want absolute privacy, the adjacent (and even costlier) Ellerman Villas are the way to go.

A gorgeous repurposing of side-by-side Georgian and Victorian houses has resulted in one of Cape Town's best-located and best-run boutique hotels. A real oasis in the city, the property dates back to the early 19th century, and boasts a style that successfully blends contemporary sophistication and polish with antique furnishings. The handsome public areas—a library, lounge with a wood-burning fireplace, and patio with a pool—are great places to relax, and the staff is incredibly obliging and able to arrange just about anything you need. Located just off hip-and-happening Kloof Street, the hotel is within walking distance of numerous cafés and restaurants and its sister establishment, More Quarters.

Enjoying a slightly unlikely location in the middle of a working section of the harbor, this grand and gracious hotel has a well-deserved reputation for excellence, especially after an extensive renovation in 2023. The look is now less fussy, more contemporary, and the rooms, which have all been brightened up, are an absolute knockout, with cosseting levels of comfort and ongoing efforts to streamline sustainability (you won't find any plastic). Fantastic, understated service means that you sometimes fail to notice how astute the pampering is, but you will experience it in the way you feel instantly at home, plus, the concierge will be able to make just about any imaginable request a reality: helicopters, boats, yachts, mountain guides, art tours, private dinners . . . anything can be arranged. And don't miss the pool, which feels like it's on a cruise ship; a huge screen live-streams activity on the harbor, and there can be a bit of a party atmosphere when it gets busy. Capetonians love to pop in for a drink at the classy Bascule Bar, or take tea in the Library Lounge, or indulge in the latest culinary offering at Heirloom.

With acres of gardens and spectacular views across the Constantia Valley, this idyllic old-school hideaway in two historic buildings makes the world beyond disappear. Built within the former winery and manor house of an 18th-century wine estate, large and elegant rooms are furnished in either a grand English-country or more pared-down, contemporary look. Rooms on the Hohenort side are gorgeous, with four-poster beds, fine draperies, reproduction antiques, and (upstairs) amazing views across the valley from private decks. Numerous exquisitely outfitted public areas, from a library to nooks and crannies across the stunning garden, mean you're never short on private places to disappear.

Originally the Harbor Master’s residence, this Victorian-era heritage building has been transformed into one of Cape Town's most intimate hotels with just six individually designed neo-baroque bedrooms decorated with edgy modern art, silk drapes, gigantic framed mirrors, large chandeliers, original plasterwork, fireplaces, and fabulous bathrooms. And while everything's wonderfully up to date, the creaking wooden floorboards and original architecture add a real sense of stepping back in time, albeit with modern conveniences and cosseting staff. It's so discreetly situated, though, that hardly anyone knows of its existence, hiding in plain sight as it overlooks the heart of the Waterfront and the harbor beyond from an unmatched elevated position; you'll feel as though you're at the epicenter of Cape Town, with quick access to plenty of amenities (pool, spa, loads of restaurants nearby, your pick of sunset cruises, or perhaps a helicopter flip across the peninsula). Service is highly personal—there’s no reception or lobby, but rather a small team of gracious staff members who treat you like you're finally at home.

Outrageously and wonderfully far from the norm, this centrally located hotel was carved out of a pair of old side-by-side blocks on St George's Mall and made to stand out from the rest with its strong personality, wonderful collection of art, and rooms crafted by sought-after designer Tristan du Plessis. Apart from the make-yourself-at-home atmosphere and the really gorgeous guest rooms (a mix of studios and one- and two-bedroom suites), there are sumptuous lounges, and a bar and rooftop restaurant, as well as a performance-cum-exhibition space that does a great job of making this hotel a popular after-dark venue among hip locals. Events are regularly organized to keep the atmosphere alive and full of verve, and the rooftop pool is one of those secret parts of the city that are worth staying here just for the opportunity to experience.

Built around a verdant courtyard shaded by pomegranate, guava, and avocado trees, the five gorgeous rooms and two self-catering cottages at this centrally located and good-value hotel are all Gallic-charm-meets-South-African-vintage-hipster: think hand-embroidered bed linens, badminton paddles repurposed as mirrors, and art deco light fittings. A lovely lounge space that acts as reception, breakfast room in winter, and tango room on occasion (the owners are enthusiasts), is a warm and stylish place to meet fellow guests (as is the magical garden in summer). The cottages (two and three bedrooms respectively) come with full kitchens and private lounges and offer a touch more privacy and extra space for families or small groups. With dozens of restaurants and cafés within nearby walking distance, this is a super-convenient and welcoming oasis of style.

A fabulous historic building from 1677 has been painstakingly transformed into a hotel with just a handful of suites—all of which are extremely spacious, luxurious, and tranquil—that overlook the hustle and bustle of Church Square below. Although it is inimitably fancy, it's also hard to beat the personalized attention, luxurious linens, and beautiful artwork. Another fancy touch—in lieu of a lobby, the ground floor is a Diptych perfumerie (the only one in the country), so guests must climb the stairs to reach reception before being whisked up to the guest rooms. And, although tucked off to the side, there is a café-style dining room for breakfast and all-day light meals.

An icon of Cape Town since it opened its doors in 1899, this sprawling landmark sits on 9 beautifully landscaped acres and retains a charm and gentility unusual even in the world of luxury hotels. Much of that has to do with the great sense of heritage, retained everywhere and underscored by the elegance of the gardens, the grandeur of the architecture, and the genuine personalities of the people who work here. Rooms in the grand, central building—decorated with a perfect mix of fine antiques and contemporary art, technological conveniences, fresh flowers—feel aristocratic but never stuffy, and, there are cottage-style quarters stashed away in semi-private gardens away from the main block. Though very centrally located and right next to bustling Kloof Street, the famous manicured gardens and spectacular views of Table Mountain lend a bucolic atmosphere. The traditional high tea experience—which takes place in the elegant lounge, glassed-in conservatory, and extends to the gardens in good weather—is one way for non-guests to spend time here. Additionally, there's an excellent spa, frequent events like wine or brandy tastings, art exhibits, and an annual week of fashion shows featuring African designers, not to mention the eternally popular Planet Bar, all of which might lure you inside for a taste of the high life for a few hours. Fabulous and discreet service go without saying.

A pair of side-by-side houses in residential Sea Point, a short walk up from the main drag, have been transformed into what is easily one of Cape Town's prettiest and most welcoming small-scale boutique hotels. Everything here emphasizes color, vibrancy, and quirky, sometimes off-the-wall design ideas, and there are heaps of little details to make sure you feel at home from the moment you step inside and set eyes on the cozy sitting areas, the central kitchen, the piles of books, and all the plants and artworks and smiling faces of the people who take care of you. It's instantly the kind of place that makes you feel settled and happy to have arrived. The rooms come in lots of different shapes and sizes, but all share impeccable style, even in the smallest, rather poky downstairs quarters which will better suit solo travelers or folks who don't intend to spend much time indoors. All the rooms have thick, plush mattresses, locally made toiletries, art on the walls, and bathrobes that match the jungle-inspired theme. Shared spaces include small pool decks and fireplaces in the sitting rooms, and while not all the rooms have any sort of view, those that do are quite wonderful, with perhaps a section of mountain and intriguing panoramas of the surrounding neighborhood's rooftops.

Steenberg brims with genuine countryside charisma, its style a successful integration of contemporary sensuousness and well-preserved heritage personality. More than any of the hotels in nearby Constantia, here you get a sense of staying in the Winelands, surrounded by vineyards. You can explore the property either on foot or by golf cart with a staff member (mainly to get you to the bistro which is across the property), and they have a few mountain bikes you can borrow, too. Not only are there magnificent manicured gardens between the various historic buildings (including the original slave bell), but there are excellent mountain views as well. There's a large variety of accommodations, from fairly straightforward loftlike "Classic" rooms in the Barn, to heritage-style "Classic" rooms, huge suites, and villas where you want for nothing. A daily shuttle will transport you to the V&A Waterfront and back free of charge. This historic wine farm occupies a parcel of land that was, centuries ago, a popular halfway stopover for passengers and crew traveling between the Simon’s Town harbor and the enclave around Table Bay that would eventually evolve into the city of Cape Town.

Directly off of Chapman's Peak Drive, this is arguably the most alluringly located "hotel" for hundreds of miles; not only is it right on the edge of the sea, but it's surrounded by a veritable wonderland of fynbos and milkwood trees. Technically inside Table Mountain National Park, the entire property is designed to be low-impact and to disappear into nature, but step into your room, and it's all dreamy and slightly baroque, with window-side bathtubs and private decks where you can drift off staring across the bay or listening to the crashing waves (except in the two mountain suites, which have a different setting); if you don't mind the sound of the sea, sleep with your sliding doors wide open and be sure to have an eye on the water at sunset and sunrise. The guestrooms are all named and styled to evoke a specific island, and each one has spellbinding views, a plush bed and decadent linens, a wood-burning stove, and a huge bathroom—you could theoretically lie in bed all day keeping watch for whales and boats. Delicious food, an impressive wine cellar, in-room spa treatments, a small pool with a deck (with more bountiful ocean views), and charming service complete the high-level pampering you're sure to experience at this utterly unique hideaway.

If you fancy taking a helicopter to the airport or lazing in a bubble bath while looking out floor-to-ceiling windows at breathtaking sea and mountain views, then this luxurious hotel with a destination spa may be for you. With enormous indigenous gardens that meld into the lower slopes of the Twelve Apostles mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean a stone's throw from the bar, this hotel, which is the only man-made structure between Bakoven and Llandudno, has got location in spades. Light and airy rooms are styled with classic elegance, and most have either mountain or sea views. Constantly changing events like "dinner and a movie" night in the 16-seat cinema or special-occasion high teas and wine tastings are the norm, and the spa, despite being entirely underground, is considered one of Cape Town's best. The well-regarded on-site restaurant Azure also has stunning sea views, a fantastic breakfast, and a wonderful à la carte menu.

Situated on 11 acres of gardens in a verdant part of Constantia, this glamorous and avant-garde boutique hotel was originally an 18th-century Cape Dutch manor house and working farm. Luxurious rooms are in two buildings, all decorated in a bold style that marries the voluptuous excess of velvet and gilt with elegant historical decorum to fantastic effect. Rooms are spacious and bright, almost decadently kitted out, and overlook the gardens and a gorgeous walking trail. There are several places to sink in for a meal, a drink, or a relaxing moment of respite all around the property, and if the environment doesn't satisfactorily help you unwind, there's a chic little spa to slip into for a few dreamy hours.

On a quiet street in upper Sea Point, this good-value small hotel in a beautifully restored Victorian-era mansion includes concierge-level service and quirkiness in spades. Most of the rooms have their own balconies, and a few have mountain or partial sea views; some also have kitchens or kitchenettes. Accommodations are all individually decorated and have extra-long beds, air-conditioning, and bags ready for the beach with towels and sunscreen. Elegant yet offbeat African-chic decor adds another layer of charm to public spaces that are also chockablock with goodies like candy and cookie jars, plenty of reading material, and a bar. Breakfast is served on the covered sundeck overlooking the heated saltwater pool and compact garden. Dinners can be provided on request, and staff will arrange off-site spa treatments, picnic baskets, and bespoke day trips with the lodge's own tour guides.

Built as a private home in 1771, this centrally located boutique hotel's spacious rooms are individually decorated, melding a rather eclectic collection of South African contemporary art with its historic architecture, and making the most of the building's teak-beamed ceilings, foot-wide yellowwood floorboards, and numerous other details that recall its gracious past. Some rooms have four-poster beds, others exposed brickwork, but each has its own special charm. Rooms overlooking the pleasant courtyard—complete with tables sheltered by what's claimed to be the oldest grapevine in South Africa—may be a little noisy, but the revelry theoretically stops at midnight. Parking (for which you have to pay) is across the street in a section of a public lot with good security, and friendly staff makes sure everything runs smoothly. Not to be confused with a similarly named hotel in Bo-Kaap that opened more recently.

Just a stone's throw from the Green Point stadium and the V&A Waterfront—and surrounded by restaurants and public transportation—the Cape Royale offers spacious apartment-style accommodations that make a great base for longer-term travelers. One-, two-, or three-bedroom suites, all with fully equipped kitchens and many with some kind of view, are roomy and luxurious with a clean, contemporary aesthetic. The Casuarina Spa downstairs offers fantastic treatments at competitive prices, and the rooftop pool and Sky Bar are a beautiful though not child-friendly place to spend an afternoon soaking in stunning 360-degree views with a cocktail or three. A free shuttle departing every 10 minutes from 8 to 8 takes you to the V&A Waterfront. Great bargains can be found online.

Independent travelers with a fondness for quirkiness love this place, which is a step up from sharing a dorm with other backpackers, especially if you don't mind late-night noise and want to be close to after-dark shenanigans (weekends can be seriously loud). Conceived as an ode to Cape Town's creative community, well-known local artists—including poet-author Finuala Dowling and architect André Vorster—were invited to decorate a room to their tastes and the results are fanciful. In the Photo Booth room, a huge portrait behind the bed is made up of 3,240 black-and-white photos of Capetonians, while a colorful room by the erstwhile fusion band Freshlyground has a bright red throw, portraits of the band members, and music. But it's not all about show—the amenities are all in place as well. The linen is crisp and clean, the staff is friendly, and the only real drawback, aside from the noise situation, is the dearth of parking.

Wonderfully vibrant and filled with colorful fabrics, themed wallpapers, and displays of artifacts and artworks that clearly celebrate a love of the continent and its people, this beautiful centrally located Victorian house is a place where you'll feel right at home and be perfectly situated to explore Cape Town. Rooms are styled with an eclectic modern African aesthetic and are very cheerful spaces to retire to at the end of the day. Some rooms are a bit small, so if you tend to spend a lot of time lounging in bed, opt for one of the larger quarters. The appealing and spacious public areas include a large bright lounge with a fireplace, lots of books and magazines, and a variety of seating areas.

This stylish, small-scale hotel is perfect for a quiet stay in a convenient location with a mix of comfort, artsy minimalism, and helpful service. Guest rooms come in different sizes, but apart from the deliberately named "S" unit with its in-room glass-wall shower, none is small, and all are cleverly designed to maximize space with a hint of African inspiration that's not gimmicky. Some have their own private decks, garden terraces, or direct access to one of the two pool and deck areas. The front-facing pool enjoys superb views, and there is also a lovely lounge area where staff compose cocktails and serve snacks.

This midsize boutique hotel on a quiet street in Sea Point is one part playful, Ibiza-inspired style—think orchids and a bright Greek Isle palette of white and turquoise—and one part elegant African touches. Rooms in the Victorian-style main building are very masculine with lots of wood, silvered surfaces, and Oriental carpets, while those in the so-called East wing come in neutral tones of white, silver, or taupe, and are airy and bright. Almost all of the East rooms have some kind of private deck or patio area, and most enjoy at least a partial mountain or sea view. Staff are incredibly friendly and happy to organize day trips and tours. Exuding something of a resort atmosphere, its public spaces, including two pools surrounded by chaises and partial views, encourage socializing among guests.

You won't find over-the-top opulence at Kensington Place, but you will experience a sense of restrained style and tranquil sophistication that permeates every nook and cranny of this guesthouse oasis in Higgovale (among Cape Town's most sought-after residential neighborhoods). Built on a seemingly impossible wedge of real estate and surrounded by a beautiful garden, inside you'll find a gracious lounge, shelves lined with books, a collection of fine South African art, just-right lounge music, pockets of privacy, great comfort, and attentive concierge services from hands-on managers. Suites—refined, spacious, and thoughtfully designed—are all equipped with king-sized beds, a patio or terrace, underfloor heating, and extras like a bluetooth speaker, yoga mat, and beach-ready bag.

This good-value hotel enjoys a great location between Mouille Point's seafront promenade and Green Point Park, and it's also just a 15-minute walk from the V&A Waterfront. The comfortable, well-proportioned, and cleanly designed rooms are bright and airy—mostly white with splashes of primary colors and a bit of a vintage-retro feel (with Ben Sherman toiletries)—ask for a sea- or mountain-facing room, either of which will have great views (they're better the higher you go). The downstairs restaurant Sotano serves tasty Mediterranean food and is an ideal spot for sunset-hour cocktails—many Capetonians who gather here often agree. Do keep in mind that the hotel is virtually across the street from Mouille Point's famous (and infamous) lighthouse, which is installed with a loud foghorn that, during weather events (mist, fog, or low visibility), can drone on all night, hampering sleep.

The upper floors of a beautifully restored Victorian building on trendy Long Street house this incredibly good-value boutique hotel made up of a dozen rooms including one- and two-bedroom suites. Chic design—all elegant white-and-silver minimalism—retains warmth thanks to the historic setting. Several rooms have freestanding Victorian bathtubs, five enjoy private balconies, and double-glazed windows help to soundproof your sleep from the buzz of Long Street's sometimes overwhelming nightlife below. The hotel has good amenities (free Wi-Fi, Nespresso coffee machines, ceiling fans, and air-conditioning) for the price, and they're maintained to a rather luxurious standard. Service, too, is surprisingly attentive and knowledgeable.

Even if you like to be part of the crowd, you’ll soon agree that being up at the rooftop pool of this small, classy, hidden-from-the-limelight hotel across the road from the beach is so much better than mingling with the masses. There's a bar, sun loungers, and absolutely thrilling views that stretch endlessly in every direction and capture not only beach, ocean, and bays, but also the majesty of Lion’s Head and the back of Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles, and hordes of millionaire mansions. That said, when you leave the pool, the rooms below are equally fabulous and offer an instantaneous sense of glitz and glam. Strikingly minimalist and done out in a muted palette of white and gray, it's all very sexy, very chic, and very grown-up—think white linens, Marshall speakers, and a Nespresso machine. Choose either a sea view from your room (with a sizeable balcony) or opt to face the mountains, and then dip into the lineup of restaurants that are on your doorstep (there's sea-facing Bilboa or la Belle, both of which are options for your inclusive breakfast, or beach-themed Surfshack, where there’s a pizza oven and lots of seafood, or step into Paranga, with its air-kissing crowd and extravagant prices). There's an excellent spa and a boutique selling everything you need for a classy beach holiday. 

Located in a huge garden filled with indigenous succulents, ancient milkwood trees, and koi-filled water features, this good-value family-owned and -managed hotel enjoys gorgeous views of both the Atlantic Ocean and the Twelve Apostles mountain range, and is a hop, skip, and a jump from Bakoven's pair of gorgeous beaches. Rooms, suites, and apartments in an assortment of shapes, sizes, and styles are spread across the property along with various courtyards, pockets of garden, lounge areas, 2 pools, honesty bars, and a breakfast room. Accommodations all have a patio or balcony, and all are designed and decorated to look and feel bright, fresh, and contemporary—just right for a beach holiday. If you want to feel like you're in nature, the Garden Suite enjoys an entire piece of private garden by the small natural stream that runs through the property.

Tucked between the warehouses and industrial buildings on reclaimed land that was once in the sea, the building—remains of Cape Town’s earliest recorded foundry that dates back to 1876—has been cleverly converted into a slick, chic arrangement of 24 unique rooms with a boutique atmosphere. Despite the minimalist approach to amenities, there's access to a café, members’ lounge, and an in-house gym, and rooms that achieve a balance of functionality and good looks and are decked out with quirky artwork, vintage and antique pieces, and more contemporary elements. It’s also digitally enhanced, so you can handle much of your stay using the in-house app which doubles as a digital concierge and even allows you to order meals and pay for them using your phone.

A smart integration of original Edwardian elements and contemporary features, this guesthouse-style boutique hotel in an old mansion is close to Wynberg's fabulous Chelsea Village precinct. The house itself is gracious and very handsomely put together, with elegant, super-comfortable guestrooms in the main house as well as in the cottages around the edge of the garden. There are wonderful mountain views from some if not all the rooms. There's a handsome little lounge with a bar, a breakfast room, and seating outside in the courtyard which is sublime in spring and summer. And, despite being quite low-key, the intimate fine-dining restaurant is overseen by Gregory Henderson, a renowned chef who creates a mind-boggling tasting menu using foraged and hyper-local ingredients. The nearby town resembles the high street of a small English town, lined with cafés, galleries, boutiques, and antique stores in original Georgian houses. It's also home to Maynardville, a park where every summer there's a Shakespeare festival with outdoor performances. 

This compact designer boutique hotel blends modern sleekness with accents of stone, rough wood, and slate to create a seriously sexy Zen-like ambiance with an almost impossibly great side view of the ocean. Clever design makes use of every available view, in fact, with unexpected windows placed to enjoy slivers of Lion's Head and Table Mountain, and a hallway atrium on the second floor. Rooms are chic, sultry, and minimalist, and the corner Deluxe suites have the sort of awe-inspiring ocean views and sense of restrained sophistication that'll make you wish you never have to set foot outside ever again. The public space—comprising the pool deck, a breakfast area, lounge, and open-plan bar—is the perfect place to curl up and relax into your holiday. Staff are attentive, warm, passionate, and professional, and go out of their way to make you feel at home and sufficiently pampered. Outside of peak season, there is often a "stay 3 nights, pay for 2" special available, so do check.