7 Of The Best Places To Stay In Cape Town, South Africa - Updated 2024

where to stay in cape town
Anne
Anne 
Updated
| 3 min read

Framed by the iconic Table Mountain and located in Table Bay, Cape Town is a small but sprawling city, spread over a number of suburbs and smaller towns along the coastline. Whether you want to stay at the beach, in the exciting V&A Waterfront, enjoy a quieter, green area or spend the night in the heart of the busy city, there is plenty of choice.

To help readers decide, below is a breakdown of seven of the best places to stay during your Cape Town holiday, with guest-recommended accommodation for each.

We handpicked these listings carefully, considering (wherever possible) Superhost status, recent guest reviews, location, accommodation type, prices, availability of dates, decor, and amenities. The image galleries get refreshed with the latest updates regularly. They were last updated on March 13, 2024.

1. Camps Bay (from USD 561)

Apostles from Camps Bay
Source: Photo by user Derek Keats used under CC BY 2.0

Camps Bay is an affluent and popular seaside resort, located a short drive from the city centre. The hub of the town is bracketed by the rugged and scenic Twelve Apostle Mountains, while the beach is Blue Flag quality, golden sand. It is a place to “be seen” and look beautiful. While the Atlantic is too cold for swimming, there is a natural tidal pool available, to cool off after a day in the sun. The beach is lined by many beautiful homes and penthouses and a selection of great restaurants and bars. Enjoy a sundowner or cocktail while watching the gorgeous sunset.

The following accommodation options in Camps Bay are highly recommended by previous guests.

The Marly

Address: 201 The Promenade, Camps Bay, Camps Bay, 8005 Cape Town, South Africa (see map)

Stayed at this property?

South Beach Camps Bay Boutique Hotel

Wifi Available Wheelchair accessible

Address: 6 Link Road
6.23 km (3.9 mi) from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Parking Bar 24-HOUR FRONT DESK Fitness centre Terrace Non-smoking rooms Airport shuttle Laundry

2. Cape Town City Bowl (from USD 233)

Cape Town city bowl from Table Mountain
Source: Photo by user Ryan Kilpatrick used under CC BY-ND 2.0

The Cape Town City Bowl covers several areas - the city centre itself, along with suburbs spreading out from the city towards the slopes of Table Mountain and bordered by Signal Hill and Lion’s Head on one side, and Devil’s Peak on the other. Gardens, Tamboerskloof and Oranjezicht are all green and lovely suburbs within easy reach on foot from the town centre and often with beautiful mountain or sea views. De Waterkant is closer to the water and is an upcoming and edgy area.

The following are some choice options for a stay in Cape Town’s CBD.

The Capital Mirage

Address: Corner Strand & Chiappini Street, Cape Town, City Bowl, 8000 Cape Town, South Africa (see map)

Stayed at this property?

Taj Cape Town

Wifi Available Wheelchair accessible

Address: 1 Wale Street
7.13 km (4.5 mi) from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Parking Restaurant Room service Meeting/banquet facilities Bar 24-HOUR FRONT DESK Sauna Fitness centre

3. Constantia (from USD 61)

Constantia Nek
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Zaian used under PUBLIC DOMAIN

Constantia is an upmarket and very beautiful suburb, located in the Constantia Hills. The area is a part of the Cape Winelands and the Groot Constantia Winery is an interesting visit. There is a small village with supermarkets, banks and other shops available, as well as some fine restaurants. It is a short drive from Constantia to either the Cape Town city centre or Hout Bay. Some of the gorgeous properties in the area have stunning views across to False Bay and the sea.

The following are two guest-recommended properties available as holiday accommodation in Constantia.

Nova Constantia Boutique Residence

Address: Corner Welbeloond & Muscat Lane South, 7806 Constantia, South Africa (see map)

Stayed at this property?

Constantia Vista Guest House

Wifi Available

Address: 34 Price Drive
4.47 km (2.8 mi) from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Parking Room service Bar 24-HOUR FRONT DESK Golf course (within 3 km) Garden Terrace Non-smoking rooms

4. Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (from USD 373)

Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Christopher Murphy used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Located close to the main Cape Town harbour, the V&A Waterfront has grown in the last few years from a waterfront entertainment area, to include a full-blown residential area. While staying in the Waterfront, you can enjoy a range of great shopping opportunities, restaurants, bars, museums, and more, all backed by the iconic Table Mountain. Visit the Two Oceans Aquarium to get a close-up view of marine life, or head out on an exciting sailing cruise, into Table Bay. All this and more is available to you, while your apartment or luxury hotel is just steps away. The beaches of Sea Point and Clifton are only a short drive, or bus ride, away.

Lawhill Luxury Apartments V&A Waterfront

Address: V&A Marina Residential, V&A Waterfront, Port Road, Waterfront, 8000 Cape Town, South Africa (see map)

Stayed at this property?

The Table Bay Hotel

Wifi Available Wheelchair accessible

Address: Quay 6, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
9.49 km (5.9 mi) from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Parking Restaurant Room service Meeting/banquet facilities Bar 24-HOUR FRONT DESK Fitness centre Terrace

Cape Town Tour Guide

Santie Gouws

Santie Gouws

Santie Gouws is a full-time registered and accredited Adventure Guide for Hiking, based in Cape Town, South Africa. A born and bred South African, she is passionate about mountains and the region's magnificent and highly bio-diverse fynbos vegetation, and offers exquisite, tailor-made, professionally guided hiking experiences to private groups, as well as 'open' scheduled group hikes, on Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula, as well as the nearby Boland Mountains, Groot Winterhoek and the Cederberg. If you love hiking in nature and would like to really get to know these mountains in a safe, fun, mindful and compassionate environment, then a guided hike with Santie, aka the ‘fynbos fluisteraar’/'fynbos whisperer', is for you. Well-experienced, having hiked nationally and internationally for the last thirty years, she knows these mountains like the back of her hand and apart from taking you on curated routes that takes in the most magnificent spots, she also shares her knowledge about their UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE fynbos vegetation, history and geology in a relaxed manner that young and old will enjoy.

Tours by Santie

5. Clifton (from USD 166)

Surfers on Clifton Beach
Source: Photo by user j27 used under CC BY 2.0

Situated between Cape Town and Camps Bay, Clifton is a great beach spot. Clifton is a rather affluent suburb of Cape Town with some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Homes nestle on cliffs just above the beach, offering beautiful sweeping ocean views. There are four beaches in total, at Clifton and each is packed with holidaymakers every summer, either sunbathing, playing volleyball or Frisbee.

Experienced surfers can have a go at the relatively small waves. There’s not much in the way of bars or restaurants in Clifton, but with Camps Bay just a short drive, bus ride or bicycle ride away, this is not a problem.

Below are two options for highly recommended accommodation in Clifton.

Dunmore Blue

Address: Unit 5, Dunmore Apartments, 5 Victoria Road, Clifton, Clifton, 8005 Cape Town, South Africa (see map)

Stayed at this property?

Cape View Clifton

Address: 232 Kloof Road
7.94 km (5.0 mi) from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Children television networks Massage Snack bar WiFi Available Safety deposit box Private check-in/check-out Laundry Family rooms

6. Bloubergstrand (from USD 38)

Table Mountain, Cape Town skyline
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jehielwilliams7000 used under CC BY-SA 4.0

With its picture-postcard views of Cape Town and Table Mountain, along with gorgeous, endless sandy beaches, Bloubergstrand is one of the best places to stay in the area. Enjoy surfing, windsurfing and other water sports, or laze on the beach getting the perfect suntan. The area offers a range of shops and some excellent restaurants and is around a 15-minute drive from Cape Town city centre.

The following are two excellent choices when spending a holiday in Bloubergstrand.

Gull on the Bay Boutique Guest House

Address: 5 Gull Road, Blouberg Beach, 7441 Bloubergstrand, South Africa (see map)

Stayed at this property?

7. The Bo-Kaap (from USD 111)

Bo-Kaap Museum, Cape Town
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Daniel Case used under CC BY-SA 3.0

The Bo-Kaap was formerly known as the Malay Quarter, which used to house slaves brought over by the Dutch in the 16th and 17th centuries. The area is now well known for its vibrant history and also for its multicultural vibe and fascinating, brightly-coloured homes. Visit the Bo-Kaap museum to learn more about the area’s past. In the area, enjoy the best in Cape Malay cuisine, cooked by the masters in the local restaurants or explore hidden little shops in the side streets for bargains.

You can stay in this colourful and historic location at one of the following options.

La Rose B&B

Address: 32 Rose Street, Bo'Kaap, City Bowl, 8001 Cape Town, South Africa (see map)

Stayed at this property?

CAPE TOWN CNTR - Historic Cottages

Address: 100A Chiappini Street BoKaap
7.74 km (4.9 mi) from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Free parking Designated smoking area WiFi Available Non-smoking rooms WiFi available in all areas Sun terrace Movie nights Pub crawls

Enjoy your visit to Cape Town

With its beautiful scenery and so many attractions, Cape Town offers the best in location, sights and activities. Have fun on your South African holiday!

Stayed at this property?
Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Anne Sewell was born in England, but has spent most of her life in Africa - Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa - and now resides on the beautiful Costa del Sol in southern Spain. She loves writing...Read more

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