Where to Stay in Cape Town

Cape Town is full of amazing Airbnbs, hotels, and hostels for all budgets. Where to stay in Cape Town will mostly depend on your budget, how many people are in your group, and your access to transportation. I’ve compiled my favorite places to stay from my own experiences or people I trust.

You should book your accommodation as soon as you know your travel dates. Airbnbs and hotels both get booked out in advance, especially during the December holiday period.

I’ll continue to add to this list as I receive more recommendations and visit myself.

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Loadshedding: A reality

Due to electricity loadshedding, if access to reliable internet + power is necessary for you then I suggest you stay in a hotel. Unfortunately, nationwide power shortages mean that an area could be shut off from power for 2-4 hours at a time. I won’t even begin to explain this but the quick version is that South Africa doesn’t have enough power to run the country and so at different times during the day, different areas are shut off from the grid.

If you’re working remotely while visiting Cape Town, be sure to ask your Airbnb if there is a UPS for the internet router (and beware that many only last 3 hours). Otherwise, you may want to book a hotel that says it has a generator. You should ask if it’s not clear and you need internet/power consistently. I have this powerbank and it lasts several phone and headlamp charges. It’s a little heavy but I no longer travel without it.

Each neighborhood is on its own loadshedding schedule. Ask your Airbnb host for your zone and then download the ESP app, as it’s better than checking the government websites, to keep up to date on the schedule.

Airbnbs vs Hotels

Typically, you can get great value for an Airbnb vs a hotel. The main issue (as I mentioned before) is loadshedding; you need to be wary of internet connectivity or power if on a working vacation. Otherwise, an Airbnb will likely offer you a lot of space, secure parking, and a kitchen. I’ve only stayed in Airbnbs when visiting Cape Town. However, we stay for longer periods of time when we want a kitchen. If you’re short on time and also want internet+ electricity, you should book a hotel. I suggest booking via Expedia as they frequently have deals on hotel rooms.

The most common grocery stores are Checkers, Woolworths (aka Woolies), Spar, and Pick n’ Pay. Checkers and Woolies both have reliable grocery delivery via an app you can download on your phone. If you’re staying in an Airbnb, you may want to make some breakfasts or dinners at home. My siblings and I did that mostly because we were dead tired after a full day of adventuring and wanted to eat dinner lying down.

Check out my post on the most unique restaurants in Cape Town to help you plan your meals for dine-in or delivery.

What areas to stay in Cape Town

I think the best area to stay as a tourist when visiting Cape Town is Sea Point. It can be a little pricey but it’s near a good number of restaurants, you can walk around, and stare at the beach every day.

Other areas I like to stay in are Green Point (just one neighborhood over from Sea Point) and Gardens (next to the popular Kloof Street).

As someone who visits Cape Town pretty often, my favorite area is De Waterkant. It’s easy to walk around and near everything.

For something a little different, I suggest Salt River or Observatory.

Sea Point

Home Suite Hotels, Station House— My aunt and uncle stayed at this hotel for 4 days during their Cape Town trip after our wedding. They LOVED it. My parents and I even visited them for breakfast Sonny and Irene, where breakfast is included for guests. There is a rooftop pool with a gorgeous view of the coast. It’s also home to the Take Me to the Nines restaurant, which we visited for dinner. Generator. Breakfast included. Several room types available.

De Waterkant

De Waterkant has become my favorite area to stay in Cape Town. I have found it safe to walk around by myself in the area and I’ve walked down to Long Street and Bree Street myself too; this is a big deal for me because I am very paranoid walking around in Joburg and consider myself extremely cautious. The area has some cute hotels and also great airbnbs. There is a fancy Spar (grocery store), Sorbet (to get your nails done), sushi, rooftop bars, and more. It’s also within walking distance to the best mochi place in the country (maybe the continent…?), Mochi Mochi. There are cute colorful houses in the area too.

The Grey Hotel— I spent two nights on my own here and loved it. I got an economy room, which was a little bit of a tight squeeze, but the price was worth it. The internet worked well and there was no loadshedding, in my experience. I took video calls for work without a problem or lag. The entrance is cute and it’s connected to a jazz bar, rooftop bar, and restaurant. I also liked the Dim Sum place right next door, which was perfect when I had to run between meetings to grab a bite.

1 Bedroom Airbnb— The first time we stayed in De Waterkant, Wilhelm and I chose this apartment. We had a car and parking was included. The apartment had all the amenities we needed for a week’s stay. I loved being close to restaurants and shops. The wifi worked well for calls and there was no loadshedding at the building. Highly recommend for a longer stay in Cape Town.

2 Bedroom De Waterkant Apartment— I had planned to stay in this Airbnb with my parents but we had to change our dates. However, I still think it’s a great location to stay at as it’s within walking distance of many restaurants in the area.

Green Point

Apartment with Pool—I stayed here with my parents for a couple of days when visiting Cape Town. The apartment was bright and there was a single emergency light in the kitchen that worked when there was loadshedding. It’s a 15-20 minute walk to restaurants. There is a rooftop pool that I was really excited about but the water was also pretty cold in November and I wasn’t brave enough to get in. 2 bed/2 baths. Good for 2 couples or small family. Strong internet for working remotely.

My mom and I attempted to get into the pool…

Bright central beachfront Mouille— Two of my best friends stay at this airbnb when visiting Cape Town after our wedding. They liked the location and cleanliness. The pool looks nicer in the pictures, but it’s facing the roadside so it wasn’t as picturesque as shown. Good for 2 couples or small family.

Observatory

Sunny Cottage—My siblings and I stayed here in December 2021. It was a great value for the space and includes and parking spot. It’s an easy walk to the restaurants and shops in Observatory. We stayed here for 10 days! We had a car and got around really easily from this cottage. The neighbors were a little loud (but it was during festive season so they were partying) but more recent reviews say that the area is quiet. 2 bed/1 bath. Good for 2 couples or small family. Internet was not strong enough for working remotely.

Gardens

64 on Kloof—I loved staying at 64 on Kloof with my parents and Wilhelm for our week-long Cape Town Trip. The apartment was spacious and had a view of Table Mountain from the large balcony. We could walk to dinner and there was secure parking for the car we rented. There was a grocery store across the street, which made making meals at home easy. 2 bed/2 bath. Good for 2 couples or small family. Note there is no UPS, generator, or dishwasher. Strong internet for working remotely.

Mount Nelson Hotel—if you’ve got a lot of money to blow, consider staying at the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel. This pink hotel opened in 1899 and retains a classic vibe of a bygone era. I visited with my parents for drinks and a snack. The hotel is gorgeous but will set you back around USD 1000 a night.

Villa Bianca— My friend stayed here for a couple of days when she visited Cape Town. Check out her review here of this cute bed-and-breakfast in a Victorian style house.

Salt River

Industrial Loft— Great views from the balcony at this apartment in Salt River. Although the Airbnb says it’s a “plus” there wasn’t that much that made it different from a normal Airbnb besides decor. In fact, I assumed there would be soaps and hair wash but none of that was included (which is pretty standard for an Airbnb Plus; maybe we were just unlucky). However, the view and vibe were cool. Best to uber around from the apartment to other city destinations if you don’t have a car. 1 bed/ 1 bath. Good for a couple. Secure parking is available. Strong internet for working remotely.

Some Warnings and Areas to Avoid

Maybe this is just bad luck, but you might want to keep some warnings in mind when booking places to stay in Cape Town.

I received a little warning from friends who recently stayed in Bo-Kaap in January 2023. I wasn’t aware of this but Ubers won’t pick up or drop you in Bo-Kaap area at night. Their Airbnb, in one of the colorful houses, had two attempted break-ins in the same night and they all left for a hotel in the middle of the night. There are several cute-looking Airbnbs in the area, but I’d avoid it for now.

If renting a car, I suggest getting a place with a garage because different friends in November 2022 had their rental car hubcaps stolen when street-parked at night. This wasn’t covered by any sort of insurance and they had to pay a USD 200 fee for the rental company to replace them.

Got any other suggestions on where to stay in Cape Town, warnings, or advice? Lemme know in the comments!