V&A Waterfront

Victoria and Alfred Hotel

★★★★★

The Victoria and Alfred Hotel is the most central place to stay at the V&A Waterfront, and its history is part of the appeal. The building was originally the North Quay Warehouse, built in 1904 to store goods coming through the harbour, and when the Waterfront was redeveloped in the early 1990s it became the very first hotel to open there. The conversion kept the warehouse's character: rooms were built within the original storage compartments, and the old steel framework is still visible. The hotel stands right on the quay, between the Alfred Basin and the piazza by the Alfred Mall, and its lobby opens straight into the mall, so the Waterfront's shops, restaurants, boat trips and the Two Oceans Aquarium are all a few minutes' walk away, with the Robben Island ferry terminal and Zeitz MOCAA nearby. There are 94 rooms in four types. Loft Rooms, averaging 36 square metres, have bold colours, quirky art and automated windows; Mountain Facing Rooms look across the Alfred Basin to Table Mountain; Mountain Facing Luxury Rooms add a lounge area; and Piazza Facing Rooms overlook the square, where buskers and traditional musicians perform. All rooms have air conditioning, king or twin beds and the usual comforts, and the Mountain and Piazza rooms were renovated and reopened in a fresh, minimalist style in 2024, with upgraded Wi-Fi, smart TVs and plenty of charging points. The hotel's restaurant, GINJA, has a terrace at the water's edge and serves seafood and South African grills, plus a popular Sunday brunch. The hotel is run by Newmark Hotels.

Choosing a room: book a Mountain Facing room for the classic view of Table Mountain over the harbour, which is the reason to stay here. Piazza Facing rooms are lively, with music and performers below during the day, which some guests love and light sleepers may not; ask for a higher floor. Loft Rooms are the most characterful and good value for couples.

What to know: the Waterfront is busy, safe and well policed, with security staff around the clock, and it is easy to walk everywhere within it. Getting to the rest of the city means a short drive or a ride-hailing car, and the MyCiTi bus stops nearby. Parking at the Waterfront is paid. The hotel is a twenty-five to thirty-minute drive from the airport, depending on traffic.

Who it suits: first-time visitors and families who want everything within walking distance, and anyone who wants harbour atmosphere and Table Mountain views at a more accessible price than the Silo or the Waterfront's top luxury hotels. If you want beach or neighbourhood life, Sea Point and Camps Bay are better bases.