Camps Bay (Oudekraal coast)

The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa

★★★★★

The Twelve Apostles Hotel stands alone on Victoria Road, the cliff-hugging coast road that runs south from Camps Bay towards Llandudno and Hout Bay, with the Atlantic on one side and the sheer buttresses of the Twelve Apostles, the western face of the Table Mountain range, on the other. It is the only hotel in this stretch of the national park, and its position gives it something no city hotel can offer: the feeling of being on a wild coast, with fynbos on the slopes behind and sunsets over the ocean in front, while Camps Bay's beach and restaurants are a five-minute drive away and the city about twenty minutes. The hotel is part of Red Carnation Hotels, a family-owned collection known for warm, personal service, and it has 70 rooms and suites, decorated in a fresh coastal style with a different scheme in each category. Rooms face either the ocean or the mountain, and the best suites have private terraces looking out to sea. The heart of the hotel is Azure, the restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling views of the coast and a menu that leans on Cape produce and seafood; the Leopard Bar, with its terrace, is a classic place for a sunset drink, and afternoon tea is served in the lounge. The spa has a calm, holistic approach, and its outdoor gazebos on the mountainside let you have a massage with the sound of the sea. There is also a private cinema for guests, an attraction on windy evenings, and walking trails lead into the national park behind the hotel. For a beach holiday combined with the city, it is the most romantic base on the Atlantic seaboard.

Choosing a room: book an ocean-facing room or suite, which is what you come here for; mountain-facing rooms look onto the slopes of the national park and are quieter and cheaper, but miss the sunsets. Suites with terraces and the upper-floor rooms give the widest views. Ask about the hotel's shuttle and car arrangements, as the location is not walkable to Camps Bay.

What the stay is like: service is exceptionally warm, a hallmark of Red Carnation, with thoughtful touches and staff who remember preferences. The coast road brings some traffic noise during the day, quieter at night. The hotel is relaxed rather than glamorous, and it suits guests who want to slow down: long breakfasts facing the ocean, a spa afternoon, a walk on the mountain and dinner at Azure. Camps Bay's beach, promenade and restaurants are minutes away by car, and Chapman's Peak Drive and Hout Bay lie further south.

Who it suits: couples and honeymooners above all, and families who want a quieter, nature-focused base with easy access to the beaches. It is less suited to those who want to walk to bars and restaurants or stay in the city. The trade-off is isolation; the reward is one of the most beautiful hotel settings on the Cape coast.