Where Cape Town sleeps: the harbour, the mountain and the sea

About Where Cape Town sleeps: the harbour, the mountain and the sea

By the ULTIMATE Cape Town Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Cape Town’s hotels sit in three rings around Table Mountain. At the V&A Waterfront, in the working harbour, are The Silo Hotel above Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Grace on its own quay, One&Only Cape Town on its islands and the rebuilt InterContinental Table Bay. In the City Bowl, the Mount Nelson stands in its gardens in Orange Street and the Taj fills the old Reserve Bank on Wale Street. On the Atlantic side, Ellerman House looks down on Bantry Bay, and the road south past Camps Bay leads to The Twelve Apostles. Over the mountain, in Constantia, the hotels sit among vineyards.

The V&A Waterfront

The Silo Hotel occupies the top floors of the old grain silo at the V&A Waterfront, above Zeitz MOCAA, with bulging, pillowed-glass windows. Cape Grace, now “A Fairmont Managed Hotel”, stands on its own quay with Heirloom restaurant and the Bascule Bar. One&Only Cape Town has Nobu, the ROOI grill and a spa on its own private island, in the hotel’s words. The InterContinental Table Bay, formerly The Table Bay Hotel, reopened in 2026 after a rebuild, with 306 rooms (waterfront.co.za).

The City Bowl

The Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, is at 76 Orange Street, Gardens, in its own grounds below the mountain. The Taj Cape Town is at 1 Wale Street, on the corner of St George’s Mall, in the former South African Reserve Bank building, whose old vault is now a ballroom, in the hotel’s words.

You don’t need a room: book afternoon tea at the Mount Nelson or a drink on The Silo’s rooftop.

The Atlantic Seaboard

Ellerman House is at 180 Kloof Road, Bantry Bay, a villa hotel with art and wine at its heart. Further south, past Camps Bay, The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa stands on Victoria Road between the mountains and the sea, with the Azure restaurant and the Leopard Bar. In Camps Bay itself is POD, above the beach.

Constantia and the vineyards

Over the mountain, Steenberg describes itself as “the Cape’s first farm”, with a five-star hotel, a spa and a golf course; The Vineyard Hotel in Newlands has gardens running down to the Liesbeek River and the Morii restaurant.

Our advice: for a first visit, split your stay: a few nights by the harbour or in the City Bowl, then a few on the Atlantic or in the Winelands.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Where Cape Town sleeps: the harbour, the mountain and the sea before you go.