Where to Stay in Cape Town (8 Best Places & Areas, By a Local)

8 Best Neighborhoods & Areas to Stay in Cape Town

Cape Town city lies at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain, but its suburbs stretch along the mountain slopes and around Lion’s Head and Signal Hill to the Atlantic Seaboard. 

There are also leafy suburbs such as Newlands and Constantia at the back of Table Mountain, which is known for its wines.

V&A Waterfront

👉 Best Area For First-Timers | ✨ Best Waterfront Hotels: Radisson Collection Hotel • Silo Hotel • One & Only • Breakwater Lodge

The V&A Waterfront is the best area for first-time visitors to Cape Town. It’s located at the water’s edge, with gorgeous views of the ocean, harbour, and Table Mountain. It’s safe, and there’s lots to do for both adults and children.

There are several shops and good restaurants (as well as takeaway spots at the V&A Waterfront Mall). It’s the perfect place to begin exploring Cape Town, and one of my favorite places here is the Two Oceans Aquarium.

My favourite hotel in this area is the Radisson Collection Hotel, which is right on the water’s edge. It has a gorgeous rim-flow pool looking over the ocean and the outside restaurant and bar area is the perfect spot to watch boats go by as the sun sets. You may even see dolphins. 

If you prefer extraordinary luxury and fine design, then I’d pick the Silo Hotel, which has large geometric windows that look out towards Table Mountain. I love having lunch or sipping tea at the hotel’s Granary Café.

Pros of Staying in V&A Waterfront:

• It’s safe, clean and a beautiful setting
• Lots of great restaurants and bars
• Lots of entertainment options, including boat and helicopter trips

Cons of Staying in V&A Waterfront:

• It’s busy and touristy
• Hotels can be pricey because of the prime location

Sea Point

👉 Best Area For Families | ✨ Best Sea Point Hotels: The Peninsula Hotel • The Villa Rosa Hotel • The Winchester Hotel

Sea Point and its beautiful promenade is a wonderful place for families to explore. Besides walking on the promenade (the perfect spot to enjoy an ice cream), you can rent bicycles or scooters at various points.

Next to the walkway, you’ll find grassy lawns and playgrounds overlooking the ocean, as well as an entertaining putt-putt (mini-golf) course. It also has easy access to beaches with sheltered tidal pools and is close to the V&A Waterfront.

The Peninsula Hotel is a wonderful family hotel with lots of activities designed for kids through the Dream Xplorer program. These include a nature scavenger hunt, mini hoop throwing, bracelet making, charades, table tennis, and more. There’s also a swimming pool that families can enjoy.

Pros of Staying in Sea Point:

• It has easy access to the Promenade
• It’s close to beaches with tidal pools
• There are lots of trendy restaurants overlooking the ocean

Cons of Staying in Sea Point:

• The main road can be a bit chaotic with traffic and taxis
• There are occasional houseless individuals and beggars in the area

Camps Bay

👉 Best Area For Gorgeous Views and Beach Access | ✨ Best Camps Bay Hotels: Ellerman House • The Marly • 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa • Ocean View House

Camps Bay is one of Cape Town’s top beaches, and right across from the sand, you’ll find several restaurants and bars as well as a few hotels. It’s an eclectic space with all sorts of people along its strip, from the young and trendy to families looking for ice cream and a day out at the beach. 

On the one end, you have Café Caprice, favoured by those who like to be seen. It’s known to have been frequented by celebrities from time to time and has a no under 18 (the legal drinking age in South Africa) policy from 6 pm and on weekends. 

Other trendy spaces that do allow families include the Paranga, Bilbao and Harry’s Beach Restaurant. Additional family-friendly spots include Tiger’s Milk, Mozambik and Primi (for pizza). The area also has coffee shops and bakeries like Starbucks and OKja, which are popular with cyclists after a morning ride.

The Marly is a boutique hotel with a gorgeous rooftop pool (and pool bar) overlooking the ocean. If you want to be right on the beach and close to all the restaurants and bars, this is your spot.

Personally, I prefer being close to nature and away from the crowds, which is why my top Camps Bay pick is the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa, which is perfectly positioned slightly away from the suburbs and city, between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean.

Pros of Staying in Camps Bay:

• Cape Town’s most famous beach is here
• It’s a trendy oceanfront location with lots of great restaurants and bars
• It’s an incredibly beautiful area

Cons of Staying in Camps Bay:

• The traffic on the main beach road can detract from the vibe
• Most restaurants are pricey

Gardens

👉 Best Area For Foodies & Nightlife | ✨ Best Gardens Hotels: The Mount Nelson • Cape Cadogan • Rosedene Guest House • Ashanti Lodge Backpackers

The Gardens is a lovely suburb of Cape Town that has a vibey feel, especially along Kloof Street, where you’ll find several restaurants. The area is not a fine-dining hotspot but has a mix of casual and upscale eateries that cater to all tastes.

The suburb has schools, parks, tennis clubs, and shops, but it’s best known for its restaurants and The Labia Theatre, an arthouse cinema. 

My favourite hotel here is The Mount Nelson. This pink 5-star hotel (also known as “The Nellie,” by locals) is famous for its high tea (book this in advance) and also has a beautiful spa, as well as the upscale Planet Bar. 

If you prefer something more intimate, the Cape Cadogan is lovely too and right around the corner from Kloof Street, with all its restaurants and Victorian architecture.

Pros of Staying in Gardens:

• Beautiful Victorian architecture
• Lots of great restaurants and bars
• Close to the Company Gardens and Table Mountain Cable Way

Cons of Staying in Gardens:

• Kloof Street is long and steep – you may need to drive or get a rideshare service to the restaurants near the top
• Traffic on Kloof Street can be noisy at night
• Although generally safe, I wouldn’t walk alone at night

City Bowl

👉 Best Area For Business Travelers | ✨ Best City Bowl Hotels: Gorgeous George • Hotel Sky • The Cullinan Hotel

The Cape Town City Bowl is the central business district and like in many CBDs, you need to exercise a little extra caution, especially at night. However, during the day, you can enjoy the bustling city energy.

The Gorgeous George Hotel is by far my favorite inner-city hotel. It’s set on St. George’s Mall, a wide, car-free paved walkway that makes it easy to walk from the top of the city to the bottom. It’s also near the shaded Company Gardens with its museums and squirrels. 

If you want to combine business with leisure, or you prefer being in the heart of the city on vacation, this would be my pick. You’ll find Green Market Square, which sells African curios as well as clothes, bags and jewelry, around the corner from the hotel. There are also some great restaurants in the area.

The Cullinan Hotel is a comfortable option close to the Waterfront, while Hotel Sky is situated directly opposite the Cape Town International Convention Center. These two hotels make sense for business travelers if you’re attending an event at the Convention Center, as all you need to do is cross the road. Both hotels are within walking distance to the V&A Waterfront (or a short rideshare trip away).

Pros of Staying in the City Bowl:

• It’s convenient when visiting the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)
• It’s close to Bree Streets restaurants and bars

Cons of Staying in the City Bowl:

• You may encounter some houseless individuals and the smell of urine in certain streets
• There are sometimes petty criminals

Bo-Kaap

👉 Best Area For Culture | ✨ Best Bo-Kaap Hotels: Dorp Hotel • Hyatt Regency • La Rose B&B • Signal Hill Lodge

The Bo-Kaap (which means Upper Cape) is known for its unique houses that are a mix of Georgian and Cape Dutch architecture, similar to Singapore’s Peranakan House. The houses were originally built in the 1760s and leased to enslaved people taken from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Africa to work in the Cape.

Today, you can learn more about the area’s multi-cultural history at the Bo-Kaap Museum. It’s a great area if you’re interested in history and culture and if you want to be tucked away from the bars and nightlife. 

You’ll find the Dorp Hotel set right near the top of the Bo-Kaap on Signal Hill. It has a lovely view over the city, and I love the entrance courtyard and the steep, winding roads that lead you there. If you want to be in the heart of the Bo-Kaap near its colourful houses, I’d recommend staying at La Rose B&B. 

Besides being eye-catching, the Bo-Kaap area is known for its Cape Malay cuisine (think mild, slightly sweet curries), which you can try at the Bo-Kaap Deli,  Bo-Kaap Kombuis, and Faeeza’s Home Kitchen. It’s also an interesting area to walk through with some cobblestone walkways and roads. You can join a free walking tour from the Company Gardens, which goes through the Bo-Kaap. 

Pros of Staying in the Bo-Kaap:

• You can enjoy interesting cultural tours and learn about the Indonesian and Malay heritage
• It’s great for photography
• You can learn to cook Cape Malay food here

Cons of Staying in the Bo-Kaap:

• It’s a Muslim area and so you won’t find bars and pubs in the neighbourhood
• The steep narrow roads make driving here tricky

Newlands

👉 Best Area For Sports Fans & Students | ✨ Best Newlands Hotels: The Vineyard Hotel • Fernwood Manor • Riversong Guest House • The Neighbourhood 

Newlands is a pretty area in Cape Town’s southern suburbs. It’s close to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which hosts great summer concerts outdoors on weekends and movies outside on the lawns during the week. 

Newlands Forest is great for walks (you can even hike up Skeleton Gorge to the top of Table Mountain). I’d advise going with a local or booking a guide when going on the mountain.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is situated at the top of Newlands, so you’ll find students living here and visiting the bars and restaurants. It’s also home to the Newlands Cricket Ground, where one of South Africa’s favorite sports is played in summer.

My favorite place to visit is The Vineyard Hotel, which has a lovely garden facing the back of Table Mountain. You can book lunch on the terrace or book to have coffee and cake. After you’ve eaten, take a walk across the lawns (lookout for the hotel tortoises) into the mini-forest that runs along the river. 

Pros of Staying in Newlands:

• It’s close to Newland’s Cricket Ground, which hosts games during the summer.
• It has lots of bars and restaurants
• It’s only 15-minutes from the city centre

Cons of Staying in Newlands:

• Newlands lies on the rainshadow side of Table Mountain, so it receives more winter rain than some other Cape Town areas
• It’s not recommended to walk in Newlands Forest alone

Constantia

👉 Best Area For Couples | ✨ Best Constantia Hotels: Cellars-Hohenort Hotel • Alphen Boutique Hotel • Contancia View Apartments 

Constantia is a wealthy, tranquil and leafy suburb of Cape Town, and also one of the Cape’s wine regions. Vineyards include Groot Constantia (the oldest wine farm in South Africa) as well as Klein Constantia, Constantia Uitsig, and Buitenverwachting. 

I love stopping for Kristen’s Kickass Ice-Cream at the Constantia Uitsig Heritage Market when I’m in the area. There’s also the Steenberg Golf Course, one of the Cape’s premier golf courses, nearby. The area is perfect for cocooning in your hotel as a couple and spending time at the pool or spa while enjoying lazy lunches at a wine estate. 

Stay at the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel to enjoy light snacks at The Conservatory (which has the most beautiful garden setting imaginable!), followed by a romantic dinner at Chef’s Warehouse at Beau Constantia or La Colombe (book well ahead of time).

You’ll want to hire a car or make use of a rideshare service when getting around Constantia, as the properties are vast and not easily walkable. However, if you do want to hike up the back of Table Mountain, I’d recommend the walk from Constantia Neck, or a hike to Elephant’s Eye in Silvermine, above Constantia.

Pros of Staying in Constantia:

• Safe and tranquil
• Lovely restaurants and wine estates
• There are also small holdings with horses if you’d like to go horse riding

Cons of Staying in Constantia:

• It’s about 30-minutes drive from Cape Town Central and the Waterfront
• You’ll need have a rental car or use a ride-sharing app to get around

Tips for Staying in Cape Town

Hike With a Local Or a Guide

In summer, the sky is often blue, and Table Mountain looks innocuous. However, the weather can change quickly, and fog or mist can roll in from the ocean and make visibility poor. 

There are so many routes and trails on Table Mountain and some of them are quite technical, like India Venster. I’d recommend going with a guide or local who knows the trails. 

The exception to this is Lion’s Head which has a straightforward route to the top. However, if you’re unsure, then book a guide for that too. It’s always best to err on the side of caution.

Bring Some Warm Clothes, Even in Summer

While people think of Africa as being hot (and it can be), Cape Town is known to have four seasons in one day. It’s always a good idea to bring some lightweight warmer clothes if you’re traveling in summer.  

While most hotels have air-conditioning and heating it’s not common in homes and apartments, so the buildings can get cold in winter. Also bring a rain jacket in winter as Cape Town gets winter rainfall. See my in-depth South Africa packing list for more ideas on what to bring.

Visit in the Shoulder Season

While it’s wonderful to visit Cape Town during the summer, it is the most crowded season. I recommend that visitors come in November or March, just outside of the summer. 

March and April (and even early May) are generally still lovely and warm during the day but a little chilly at night. It could rain but you could also get lovely, sunny weather.

Keep Valuables Out of Sight

You won’t need to carry lots of cash. Many establishments are cashless and require card payments in Cape Town. However, it’s good to carry some cash for tipping car guards and gas attendants, if you have a rental car. Car Guards are informal security guards found all over Cape Town that watch to see that your car doesn’t get broken into in parking lots and on streets.

If you do have a rental car, don’t leave sunglasses, laptops, cameras, and other valuables in your car, and, if you do have to store them in your vehicle, make sure they are stored out of sight in the trunk. Always lock your car.

In most of the areas in this guide, it’s absolutely fine to carry your mobile phone in your hand. But there are areas (for instance, the City Bowl) where it’s best to keep them out of sight, especially at night. Don’t flash expensive cameras around unnecessarily or leave them unattended on a restaurant table while using the restroom.

Ship Your Wine Back Home

South Africa has fantastic quality wines and you may want to buy bottles to take home. If so, you can pack them well to take in your luggage. However, if you buy a case (12 bottles) or more, you may want to ask the winery if they can ship the wine to the US for you (many wineries do). This also prevents any potential spills.

If you do decide to take the wine with you, be sure to declare it.

FAQs about Cape Town

How many days is enough for Cape Town?

I would spend at least a week in Cape Town if you can. Two weeks is better. Even so, you won’t get to do everything there is on offer. However, once you’ve been you’ll probably want to come back.

What areas of Cape Town should I avoid staying in? 

You should avoid staying in The Cape Flats and informal settlements like Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, and Nyanga.

What are the best parts of Cape Town?

The V&A Waterfront is one of the best parts of Cape Town. It’s great for everyone from families to single people. The Atlantic Seaboard, which runs along Sea Point and Camps Bay is also beautiful. My other top recommended area is the Gardens.

The Waterfront is touristy and expensive, so if you’re wanting to be close to the Waterfront and the Atlantic Seaboard without paying those prices, I’d suggest staying in Gardens.

If you want to venture out of the city, I’d recommend staying in Franschhoek Wine Valley or in Blouberg, at the beach. Blouberg is a bit more rustic than Sea Point and Camps Bay, but has its own charm. 

Which are the best Cape Town beaches?

Most of Cape Town’s beaches are beautiful, but if you want to avoid the predominant southeasterly wind in summer, visit Clifton and Boulders Beaches. The warmer water beaches are Muizenberg, Boulders, and St James, while Clifton, Camps Bay, Llundudno, and Blouberg have colder water.

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Cape Town is a gorgeous city with exceptionally well-styled boutique and luxury hotels, along with plenty of good budget options. I hope I’ve helped you figure out where to stay. 

Once you book your hotel, have a look at my guide on the best things to do in Cape Town to continue planning your trip!