V&A Waterfront (Silo District)

Radisson RED Hotel V&A Waterfront

★★★★★

Radisson RED opened in the Silo District of the V&A Waterfront in 2017, as the brand's first hotel in Africa, and it remains one of the smartest-value choices in the most convenient part of Cape Town. The building stands on Silo Square next to Zeitz MOCAA and The Silo Hotel, and it shares their address without their price. It is a large hotel of around 250 rooms, designed for travellers who want style and energy rather than formality: the public spaces are colourful and informal, with art, music and a social, open-plan lobby where check-in, the bar and the restaurant blend together. Rooms are compact, at about 25 square metres for the standard categories, but cleverly designed, with good beds, smart technology and large windows; mountain-view rooms face Table Mountain across the harbour, and junior suites with balconies look over the Waterfront. Family rooms of about 34 square metres sleep two adults and two children under twelve, which is rare at this price in the area, and there are multiple-room options for friends and families travelling together. The highlight is the roof, where a rooftop pool and the RED rooftop bar and terrace look straight across to Table Mountain and the Silo District, a lively place for sundowners in summer. The all-day restaurant, OUIBAR + KTCHN, serves street-food-inspired dishes, and a 24-hour gym is available for guests. There is on-site parking, with the Silo and Clock Tower garages nearby. Everything at the Waterfront is within walking distance, including the Robben Island ferry, the Watershed and the Two Oceans Aquarium, and the city centre and the Atlantic seaboard are a short taxi ride away.

Choosing a room: pay the small premium for a mountain-view room if you can, since waking up to Table Mountain is a big part of the appeal, and choose a junior suite with a balcony for more space and an outlook over the Waterfront. Families should book the family rooms early, as there are not many of them. Standard rooms are compact for long stays with lots of luggage.

What the stay is like: the atmosphere is young and relaxed, with friendly staff, a buzzing rooftop at weekends and a casual approach to service; it is a hotel for people who will be out exploring all day. Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the lift lobbies and the rooftop. Breakfast is served in the restaurant, and the Waterfront's markets and cafes give endless alternatives.

Who it suits: couples and solo travellers who want a stylish, well-located base without paying luxury prices; families with young children, who benefit from the family rooms, the pool and the safety of the Waterfront; and anyone visiting Robben Island and Zeitz MOCAA. It is less suited to those who want a quiet, traditional hotel or a large room. As a sensible-priced address with a rooftop pool facing the mountain, it is hard to beat.