Cape Cadogan | Cape Town One Of South Africa's Best Hotels

We drive past the colourful townships and into the city, a network of interwoven streets flanked by enticing bars, restaurants and boutiques, before arriving at our double-story hotel. It has a distinctive whitewashed Edwardian exterior (our driver tells us it was originally a Cape Georgian house that was declared a National Monument in 1984), wrought-iron fencing, shuttered windows, upstairs balconies and perfectly manicured shrubbery set against the stunning backdrop of Table Mountain. We’re in Gardens, in Cape Town’s vibrant City Bowl, just outside of the hustle and bustle yet close enough to plug into it should we wish to. We’re escorted inside the smart, upmarket, boutique hotel, finding it easy to imagine it as a lavish family house more than a century ago. It retains this old-world charm, successfully combining it with dashes of modernity: velvet-covered sofas on wooden floors decorating the lounge area with its restored fireplace; an old-fashioned library with a dedicated computer for guest use; gilded mirrors and chandeliers with fashionable vases overflowing with blooms; and French windows that open onto the garden.

We walk up the spiral staircase to our room, one of the hotel’s seven luxury suites. While my partner starts unpacking, I run a bath in the freestanding tub, wrapping myself in a gown and then walking out to our private balcony for another look at the majestic mountain behind us. It’s strange to think we’re in the heart of a city with so much natural beauty surrounding us. After a delicious afternoon high tea, it’s time for our sunset trip on Table Mountain. A cable car takes us up the side of the mountain, leaving us amazed at how quickly we reach the top (perhaps we’ll have to hike it next!). As we sit at the mountain’s edge drinking glasses of bubbly, we enjoy panoramic views of the cityscape, mountains and ocean as the sun casts the sky in a glorious display of colour.

Cape Cadogan is close enough to allow you to feel the heartbeat of the city, while still offering space to retreat in the peace and solitude of its mountainous surroundings. The many restaurants, bars and boutiques in the area are a short walk or cab drive away, and there’s even a scheduled shuttle service to the V&A Waterfront. With so many fantastic eateries around (Cape Town is celebrated as one of the world’s epicurean capitals) it makes sense that the hotel only serves breakfast – which we could savour in our room, the breakfast room or in the courtyard with the other guests. The staff couldn’t have been more helpful, assisting with everything we needed including dinner recommendations as well as insider tips about what else to do during our stay.

• An exclusive boutique hotel in the heart of Cape Town, with a swimming pool. It has 15 rooms, including a superior luxury room with a private plunge pool and entrance.
• Central location, concierge service, private dining and flexible schedules.
• Swimming and various off-site experiences (additional costs).
• Children over 10 are welcome, and babysitting is available (additional cost).

• Not only do African safari lodge prices shift with the seasons, they also change based on your length of stay, room type, travel party composition, special offers, if your trip involves stays at sister lodges – and for more reasons besides.
• It’s worth noting that depending on your itinerary, your lodge cost will make up about 75–85% of your total safari trip cost.
• Our safaris are tailor-made to match your personal safari dream, we’d be delighted if you’d allow us to create a bespoke proposal for you.  Simply enquire now – our quotes are complimentary and obligation-free.
• However, to help you get an idea of safari lodge prices we’ve created three safari-lodge categories with various price ranges, to find out more click here.