Sea Point

The Winchester Hotel by Newmark

★★★★★

The Winchester is the hotel to choose if you want to stay in Sea Point, the lively, walkable seafront neighbourhood between Green Point and Bantry Bay, and it is one of the most characterful mid-to-upper range hotels in the city. Long known as Winchester Mansions, it is a 1920s building in Cape Dutch style, with white walls and gables, on Beach Road at the edge of the Sea Point Promenade; cross the street and you are on the seafront path, with its lawns, rock pools and sunsets. The hotel is now managed by the South African group Newmark, which has refurbished it with a fresher, more contemporary and art-led look while keeping its old-world bones. Its heart is a courtyard draped in bougainvillea, where meals are served under the sky, and there is a pool with a deck and loungers for guests. The Sanctuary Signature Spa offers treatments, and dining is in Shoreditch Restaurant, the hotel's main restaurant, and Harvey's Bar. Rooms range from compact standard rooms facing the city side to sea-facing rooms and suites with views over the promenade and the Atlantic. The location is the great strength. The Promenade is on the doorstep for morning runs and sunset walks; Sea Point's Main Road and Regent Road, with dozens of restaurants, cafes and the Mojo Market, are a few minutes away; and the V&A Waterfront, Camps Bay and the city centre are each about ten to fifteen minutes by car. Parking is limited, on site and charged extra, so many guests rely on ride-hailing apps, which work well here.

Choosing a room: book a sea-facing room if your budget allows, as the views over the promenade at sunset are the reason to stay on Beach Road. Rooms on the courtyard side are quieter. Beach Road carries traffic, so light sleepers should ask for a higher floor or a courtyard-facing room. If you need parking, request it in advance, as space is limited.

What the stay is like: relaxed and sociable, with the courtyard as the centre of hotel life. The refurbishment has refreshed the rooms and public spaces, and the hotel works well for both couples and solo travellers. Sea Point itself is one of Cape Town's most diverse neighbourhoods, with a busy street life, good value restaurants and an easy, residential feel.

Who it suits: couples and independent travellers who want to walk to the sea and to restaurants, and visitors who prefer a neighbourhood base to a resort. It is better value than the Waterfront hotels and more characterful than most of the modern blocks along Beach Road. If you want a beach rather than a promenade, look at Camps Bay instead.