A question I am frequently asked by clients, especially once they have booked tours with Convoy Tours, is: “Where would you recommend we stay while we’re in Cape Town? Can you suggest any good hotels?”
Now, this is always a little bit of a loaded question, because my idea of a nice hotel might be very different from yours!
I’m also looking at it from a tourism perspective — thinking about what works well for someone visiting Cape Town for the first time.
So, this blog post is written from that angle. If I were visiting Cape Town for a week or so, where would I choose to stay? Which areas would I recommend, and which hotels do I think work particularly well for visitors?
So, here are my top 5 picks
Affluent – Money Is No Object
My number one pick, if money was no object, if I wasn’t even looking at the price before I booked something, and I could just pick anything I wanted, wherever I wanted, would be the Table Bay Hotel, based at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.
It was a toss-up, really, between this and the Cape Grace. They’re both exceptional. The Cape Grace may even edge it slightly, but I would lean towards the Table Bay simply because the location slightly edges it. They’re both fantastic.
I would say the Cape Grace is slightly more high-end and probably more expensive. The Table Bay, though, is right slap-bang in the middle of the Waterfront, and it has parking, with the V&A shopping mall right next to it. It’s just the location. Fantastic views of the mountain.
And the important reason why I would stay at the Waterfront is because once you’ve finished sightseeing for the day, travelling and exploring, it’s nice just to come back to a really, really nice place and have everything on your doorstep.
Everything’s there at the Waterfront. You’ve got loads of taxis, loads of shops, bars and restaurants, and you can just wander around in the evening as the sun sets over the mountain. It’s just no drama.
There are other places in Cape Town which are spectacular. You’ve got the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, and it’s brilliant there. But the wind can come up in Camps Bay — it can come up everywhere, and when you’re in Camps Bay, if you want to get anywhere else, you rely on taxis. A lot of the accommodation in Camps Bay is also up on the slops of the mountain, so you have to get taxis or drive down to the seafront.
So I would visit Camps Bay rather than stay there.
I would say the Table Bay Hotel.
Money Is an Object, But You Have Plenty of It
If you find yourself falling into this category, then I would still stay at the Waterfront, but I would stay at the Victoria & Alfred Hotel.
I have a soft spot for this hotel. I stayed there for about a week or so years ago, and I just really like it. I’ve always liked it.
The location, just like the Table Bay, is first-class. You have all of the benefits of the Table Bay Hotel, really, including the location, the service and all of that stuff. It’s just cheaper.
It’s just cheaper than the Table Bay Hotel, but it’s not that cheap. It’s still expensive, but it’s a lot cheaper than the Table Bay.
But once again, I’m saying the Waterfront simply because of its geographical location, easy access to get to it, loads of stuff going on in the evening, loads of taxis, and it’s easy for Ubers to get to.
It just makes sense, in my opinion, to be at the Waterfront if you’re staying at a hotel in Cape Town for your first visit.
You can also walk around in the evenings completely safely and not have to worry about crime or anything like that, because security is great there.
So that’s why I would say the Victoria & Alfred Hotel.
Clean, Central, Safe and Affordable
We’re still at the Waterfront again, for the same reasons as previously explained. But this time, if I wanted something clean, central, safe and affordable for most budgets, then I would suggest the Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge, just about three or four minutes’ walk from the Waterfront.
It’s very clean, has great service, a nice little restaurant and a nice bar, and you get views of the mountain.
It’s a Protea hotel, so the rooms are not big at all. They’re pretty small, but the location is great, and we’ve already talked about the benefits of the Waterfront location-wise for a first-time visitor on holiday to Cape Town.
So, for me, the Protea Hotel at the Waterfront would be a great choice if you’re looking for somewhere clean, central, safe and affordable.
Backpacker / Budget Vibe
So, number four: backpacker vibe. You’re on a budget, you want to have fun, you want a great location, you’re a nursing student, you’re working hard as a healthcare assistant on your days off, and you want to go on holiday, just unwind and chill, and have a bit of a laugh. Then I would stay at a backpackers.
Now, there’s loads of great backpackers in Cape Town, but I would stay at Ashanti Backpackers. It’s in an area called Gardens, the location is good, and it’s right next to the bars on Kloof Street.
It’s clean, and the people who run it are really friendly. You can get really nice rooms there if you don’t want to stay in the dormitory.
I stayed at Shanti for a few days the last time I was in Cape Town, really just for the company and the kicks, because there are loads and loads of great people who hang out there.
So I would say Ashanti Backpackers.
If you’re staying in Cape Town for longer, not on holiday, and you’re going to be based there for a while, then you could look at Stoked Backpackers down in Muizenberg. That’s a great place to stay.
I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re on holiday, though, because the traffic getting in and out of Muizenberg from Cape Town is intense in the mornings and the afternoons. So, logistically, it doesn’t work unless you’re planning on being planted there.
So I would say Ashanti Backpackers in Gardens
Air B&B
So, number five on the list. You’re not really a hotel or backpacker type; you prefer Airbnb. Well, there’s loads of Airbnb accommodation in Cape Town, and you can stay pretty much anywhere in the city if you want to stay in an Airbnb.
So, where would I stay if it was me?
Probably around Green Point, the De Waterkant area, or somewhere around there. That would be a cool vibe. It would be fun, and it’s a good location.
I would look into those areas. Probably not the City Bowl, because in the evenings it depends on exactly where you are.
So, yeah, maybe Green Point or De Waterkant. That’s where I’d stay if I was getting an Airbnb.
So, my recommendations are based on the reasons I’ve given.
Of course, it’s completely up to you to do your own research and make your own decision. I’m not affiliated with any of these hotels or accommodation providers in any way, and if you do decide to book with them, that’s entirely up to you.
I’m not getting any kind of kickback from them. This is simply an information piece to try and make your decision a little bit easier.
