Where to Stay in Cape Town – Visitor Information & Guide

If you are new to Cape Town, it can be a daunting task finding the right type of accommodation in the right area so we have given you a little information on the different areas of Cape Town to help you with your search for the best accommodation locations in Cape Town to suit your needs.

You may wish to stay on the beach with sea views, near, or in the city, close to what you want to do in Cape Town or within easy reach of the main attractions AND at the right price. Cape Town is a large city, with diverse suburbs and many ‘satellite’ towns, villages and beach towns dotted around a mountainous Peninsula and curving coastline, and there are simply so many accommodation options.

A First World Tourist Destination in Africa with Diverse Accommodation – Backcpackers to 5 Star Hotels…

For those unfamiliar with South Africa as a whole, it’s worth noting at the outset that Cape Town is a first world cosmopolitan city with a definitive leaning toward high end fashion and the latest and trendiest in designer couture, products and interiors. It is also a very popular and upmarket International tourist destination.

Though many areas within the City and the greater Cape Town area lean toward quaint and colonial, others toward arty, and still others toward ‘fishing villages’ or forest retreats and, as in any city, there are also run-down or ‘cheaper’ areas to stay, there are many 5 star luxury hotels, apartments and boutique guest houses offering everything the heart could desire. For those who want to “live out loud” expect to find world-class luxury, while for those looking for an authentic African experience, something closer to Nature or a beach holiday, eco-friendly ‘Bush Lodge’ and rustic ‘Beach House’ accommodation is also easy to find.

Atlantic Seaboard & V&A Waterfront Accommodation

The most familiar image of Cape Town is the view of the City and the Atlantic Seaboard with the imposing backdrop of Table Mountain towering above it. Accommodation on the Atlantic Seaboard includes both luxury and budget hotels and upmarket to ultra-luxury apartment rentals overlooking the ocean. The V&A Waterfront offers excellent accommodation within the vibrant atmosphere of the Harbour, with its yachts, quayside shops, cocktail bars and restaurants, and some of the most exclusive hotels in South Africa are located here, just minutes from the City Centre. The appeal of staying here goes beyond luxuriously appointed accommodations; ‘high-end’ boutiques, jewellery shops and other designer retailers offer shopping from the comfort of your 5 star hotel room or luxury apartment, and for the sports mad, Cape Town Stadium is just down the road.

Less expensive and smaller, more personal, hotels and accommodations such as backpackers can be found along the nearby stretch of the sea-front called Sea Point and Green Point near the Cape Town Stadium. However, be warned that Sea Point has a ‘night-life’ profile with many late night cafes and nightclubs open till sun-rise , and with that, the associated street life that makes this area less than desirable for those looking for a family getaway or ‘peace and quiet’.

Luxury Apartment Rentals – Sea Point to Llandudno – sea views!

The most luxurious apartment rentals can be found along the coast between Sea Point and Hout Bay in areas like Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay & Llandudno. This stretch of coastline is famous for both its beaches and beach bodies! Expect beach-front al fresco cafe vibrancy and world-class establishments from restaurants to shops to hotels such as the unique and famous Fire & Ice Hotel.

The Cape Peninsula – Accommodation with views ‘To Die For’!

Further along the coast, as it winds eastwards to Hout Bay, Llandudno, Kommetjie, Long Beach and Cape Point, numerous small bays offer homely guest house accommodation along a wild and beautiful coastline. With the notable exception of the famous 12 Apostles Hotel, large developments are limited by protected nature reserve areas and the topography of the very western reaches of the Cape Peninsula mountain range, so you can enjoy peaceful stop-overs along this coastline, with views “to die for”!

Both sides of the mountain boast endless stretches of beach, such as Muizenberg and Kommetjie, with associated beach cottage rentals, small cozy B&B’s that fit in with the coastal surrounds and other accommodations catering for tourists, surfer and families looking for a ‘sea-side’ holiday with beautiful beaches, views, watersports and the freshest seafood imaginable at excellent coastal restaurants. The beauty of staying in these ‘outlying areas’ is getting to enjoy nature while the city, nightlife, shopping and hustle & bustle of Cape Town is only a 20 to 40 minute drive away. Remember to be safe at night and use one of Cape Towns’ many taxi companies that service these areas. (link to taxi post)

City Bowl Accommodation

City Bowl accommodations include apartment rentals and delightful Bo-Kaap semi-type holiday house rentals in suburbs like Gardens, Oranjezicht, Tamboerskloof and Vredehoek. These suburbs stretch up the lower slopes of Table Mountain and offer truly unique accommodation options.  Don’t be fooled though – the quaint and tightly packed buildings here are not ‘cheap’. Even though there are some backpackers here, thanks to quaint and unique architecture, the incredible views, proximity to the City Centre and the dramatic mountain backdrop, property ‘on the slopes of the mountain’ changes hands at a premium and the interiors of the homes, B&B’s and Guest Houses in this area range right through from 4 or 5 star to ultimate designer luxury.

Cape Town Southern Suburbs Accommodation

For the most part Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs (Rondebosch, Rosebank, Observatory, Clairmont Newlands and Wynberg) offer suburban house rentals and student accommodation. A little further out, the leafy, quiet and wealthy suburbs of Constantia offer upmarket guest house accommodations and holiday home rentals.

Accommodation in Constantia, Hout Bay, Fish Hoek & Simons’s Town

Just 10 – 15 minutes drive from Constantia, the fishing villages of Hout Bay, Fish Hoek and the Simon’s Town area, including St James and Kalk Bay, offer sea views and laid-back atmosphere typical of small harbour towns, with apartment rentals ranging from premium to budget along a suburban coastline characterized by a delightful mix of avant-garde ‘artiness’, book and antique shops, pubs, fishing boats, fresh fish markets on the wharfs, water activities, and ocean-front restaurants and cafes. This area offers whale-watching and other boat-based marine activities and some beautiful coves such as the delightful home of the jackass penguins at Boulders Beach. Simon’s Town is  also the location of one of Cape Town’s oldest and most famous watering holes, the Brass Bell – loved not only for its Sunday afternoons, beer and pub meals, but also for ‘dramatic drinking’ when waves crash over the deck and against the big glass windows.

The South Cape Peninsula, Cape Town - harbour and beachfront guest houses and apartments abound

These ‘satellite towns’ are located on the western side of False Bay before it stretches east to the popular coastal towns of the Helderberg – Gordon’s Bay, Strand, Pringle Bay and Betty’s Bay.

Accommodation in Blouberg – on the beach…

On the other side of Table Mountain, a 20 minute drive north drive along Marine Drive (R27) from the City will take you to Table View and Blouberg (also called Bloubergstrand or Blaauwberg).  This beach-front area offers excellent beach accommodation, ranging from budget self-catering and backpackers to 4 and 5 star luxury hotels and other establishments, all with spectacular views of Table Mountain and the Atlantic Seaboard across the Bay. This is the prime area of Cape Town for kite surfing and windsurfing and is an extreme adventure paradise with the Eden on The Bay Lifestyle Centre providing the idyllic setting for shopping at excellent boutiques, a multitude of dining experiences and sundowners right on the beach.

Cape Town Northern Suburbs Accommodation – incl. Wine Estates

The Cape Town Northern Suburbs offer quieter more rural and family run self catering guest-house accommodation in close offer proximity to the airport – good accommodation for business people and those looking to to be near the city with all its tourist activities and yet close to the vineyards and wine estates of Zevenwacht, Durbanville Hills and the Stellenbosch Wine Route. The Northern Suburbs also offers golf courses and the upmarket Willowbridge Lifestyle Centre, Tygervalley Centre, Cape Gate Centre and the Grand West Casino and Entertainment World.

Staying in The Cape Winelands

A little way out of Cape Town, the Cape Winelands beckon with luxury Wine Estate accommodation, many boasting 360 degree views of vineyards. Boutique Hotels and Winelands guest houses offer a unique blend of African and Cape Dutch Heritage coupled with superb culinary offerings and world-class local wines. Some of the best wines in the world are produced here, and the accommodation offered in these areas is as classy, bold, confidant and full of character as are their ‘nectars’. These areas are outside of Cape Town’s suburban limits, but are considered part of the tourism profile of Cape Town due not only to proximity, but  also due to the cultural contribution they make to Cape Town’s character. To find out more about these areas and where to stay in the Winelands visit ShowMe Helderberg (Somerset West, Strand and Gordon’s Bay), Paarl, Wellington and Stellenbosch.

Budget Accommodation in Cape Town

Besides being a tourism hotspot and an International entertainment destination, Cape Town is also a University Town with a thriving student and youth culture, a ‘Gateway’ for backpackers, aiming to travel along the West Coast or up the Western Cape Garden Route, and an International surfing destination. Backpackers abound in all areas of Cape Town, as do budget guest houses, B&B’s and hostels catering for travelers looking to spend less on sleeping and more on experiencing the delights of the city, the wonders of nature, watersports and travelling around the rest of South Africa.

The Observatory area (or ‘Obs’ as it called) is full of small student oriented bars, clubs and eateries, so this is a good place to book in for the younger crowd looking to experience Cape Town’s thriving local music scene, meet the ‘Varsity’ crowd and enjoy ‘cut price’ meals in an arty rather than cheap atmosphere.

There are as many places to stay in Cape Town as there are diverse places to visit and things to do. We hope that our guide is of assistance to you. Please see our maps to help you get around, and our accommodation listings and comprehensive directory for hotels and all other kinds of accommodation in Cape Town.