Best Independent Style Hotels in Western Cape

Converted from an Edwardian era mansion, Ellerman House offers a pristine view of the Atlantic Ocean and littoral. It is right by Clifton beach, and only a few kilometres away from both Cape Town city centre and Table Mountain National Park. Every room offers you heated floors, a flat-screen TV and a minibar. The more premium rooms come with a balcony, antique furniture, and an ocean view, as well as a private lounge and dining areas. The villas include a private pool and your own staff. Free to every guest is parking, breakfast and a shuttle, as well as a pantry and cocktails in the evening. The restaurant offers food that comes straight from farm to table. You can also take advantage of the spa, art gallery and outdoor pool.

Set on 30 acres of private land, this five-star hotel is flanked by majestic mountains, with a backdrop of Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz vineyards, olive groves and plum orchards. The main building houses 11 suites designed for couples, while five further suites for families and groups are accommodated on the grounds. Each has been individually styled by Liz Biden, incorporating grand mirrors, chandeliers hung from beamed ceilings, exotic antiques and velvet and silk textiles. Meals are also lavish at La Residence, and are either formally served in the Great Hall or alfresco at the Persian Alley. The hotel has an award-winning spa too.

The Silo is an option for those looking for something a little quirky and different, but equally luxurious: converted from an early 20th-century grain elevator, this hotel sits by the harbour with a panoramic mountain view. Each room offers its own unique decor and antique furniture, as well as a balcony, chandelier and free WiFi. Breakfast is free. Guests can enjoy the in house spa and gym, plus the rooftop restaurant and outdoor pool.

As the name would suggest, this boutique establishment has strong French connections, as seen in the classic, fresh approach to the rooms’ decor. Its restaurant, Protégé, offers an on-trend dining experience, with small plates calling on Asian, French and Italian influences. Diners can watch the chefs at work via the interior’s central show kitchen, or take advantage of the balmy South African evenings with a meal on the terrace. Guests can also enjoy a meal at the intimate Épice. Leeu Spa by Healing Earth provides wellness treatments using local natural resources, such as the Pinotage grape, which contains many therapeutic properties.

Offering panoramic views of the ocean, 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa is on the edge of Table Mountain National Park, and just next to Oudekraal Beach. Every room has a unique style, and offers a flat screen TV and free WiFi, as well as a balcony and patio. The more premium rooms have an ocean view and a private living room. Parking and breakfast come free for all guests, as does a shuttle to the waterfront, which is 12 km away. Diners can enjoy food at two luxury restaurants, one of which is open 24 hours a day, as well as heading down to the spa, gym, bar, garden, screening room, and outdoor pool.

Labotessa, opened in Cape Town in 2019 and has firmly positioned itself as one of the region’s leading boutique hotels. The hotel comprises just eight suites, and perfectly encapsulates European charm. Guests are presented with an elegant blend of its 17th Century heritage along with sleek modern design showcased in large open plan living spaces whilst impeccable service and exceptional attention to detail form part of the hotel’s many finest attributes. Labotessa is also home to the largest Presidential Suite in the city, which spans 310 square metres and delivers unrivalled views of the historic setting and mountain backdrop. Located in Church Square, adjacent to the historic Groote Kerk, the oldest Christian church in South Africa, the hotel offers easy access to Cape Town’s endless attractions and hotspots; including the city’s creative bars and restaurants, the vibrant V&A Waterfront, the extraordinary cultural attractions including Iziko South African Museum and Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa), and the famous African sunsets at the city’s beaches.

Leeu House is a sister hotel to Le Quartier Francais, benefiting from access to the same holistic wellness sanctuary and gym. It’s set in the village centre and has its own relaxed restaurant, The Conservatory – a light-filled, glass-ceilinged construction, with an additional alfresco terrace for mealtimes and drinks. The building looks and feels much like a contemporary country retreat, with a quaint white frontage, a roaring fire in the bar lounge, a convivial pool area and individually styled carpeted bedrooms in natural hues. It has just 12 bedrooms, ensuring a boutique, five-star experience.