4Sleeping

Adheena and Yoann are the very welcoming South African–French couple running this charming B&B, which has been so successful it's expanded into nearby properties. It’s beautifully decorated and has a rooftop garden with the best views of the area. Yoann’s speciality is making authentic crêpes for the guests.

Inside a grey-painted corner house is this cute B&B. The Canadian owner likes to play the grand piano and has two adorable dogs. There are just three cosy rooms (with private bathrooms), all decorated in contemporary style. They manage several more similar properties in the Bo-Kaap.

This spotless B&B in a very handy location is a quiet alternative to the noise-plagued Long St backpackers. The simply furnished and spacious rooms have high ceilings, and there’s a vine-shaded courtyard where you can relax or eat breakfast.

The Italian monastic order Scalabrini Fathers have provided welfare service to Cape Town’s poor and to refugees since 1994. Housed in a former textile factory, they run several social programs, and a pleasant guesthouse with 11 immaculately clean en suite rooms – plus a great kitchen for self-catering where you can watch satellite TV.

Little has changed at this backpackers since it opened in 1993 (making it the longest-running of the many that dot Long St). In a block of 14 small flats, with four to eight beds and a bathroom in each, accommodation is arranged around a leafy, courtyard decorated with funky mosaics, in which the resident cat, Bubbles, pads around.

Four-poster beds, giant armoires and creaking floorboards lend terrific atmosphere to this six-room property crafted from a 1812 building. Although it overlooks busy Buitengracht, the noise is largely kept at bay thanks to modern renovations. Dinners can be prepared on request by the staff, who can also arrange Bo-Kaap walking tours for R70 (nonguests R100) with a local guide.

Each room at this elegant boutique hotel, part of the Heritage Sq redevelopment of 18th-century buildings, has its own character. Some have four-poster beds and all have modern conveniences such as satellite TV and clothes presses. There’s a roof terrace and a Jacuzzi pool.

The Grand Daddy’s star attraction is its rooftop 'trailer park' of penthouse suites, made from seven vintage, artistically renovated Airstream trailers. The hotel's regular rooms are also stylish and incorporate playful references to South African culture. Its Daddy Cool bar has been blinged to the max with gold paint and trinkets.

A stay at this boutique hotel-cum-art installation is anything but boring. Thirteen artists were given free rein to design the boudoirs of their dreams; the results range from a bohemian garret to a hospital ward! Our favourites include the karaoke room (with a mic in the shower) and the room decorated with cartoons of the South African pop group Freshlyground. Breakfast is extra.

They also offer super-stylish apartments ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-422 3074; www.daddylonglegs.co.za; 263 Long St, City Bowl; 1BR/2BR apt from R1275/1775; a; gUpper Long/Upper Loop) – an ideal choice if you crave hotel-suite luxury but want to self-cater.

This great Bo-Kaap option offers nine rustic-chic suites with kitchenettes, lounges and lots of workspace. The fun wall paintings are by a resident artist and all rooms have luxurious, open bath spaces with stand-alone tubs.

Apart from their stylish and cosy B&B, set in the eponymous purple-painted house, the personable Dutch owners Hank and Guido also offer a self-catering cottage on the same street and a two-bed apartment on Loader St.

This pleasant B&B, in a renovated Cape Georgian house, comes with tiny plunge pool for hot summers and a lounge fireplace for chilly winters. The management Village & Life also run another appealing guesthouse, The Charles ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-409 2500; www.thecharles.co.za; 137 Waterkant St, De Waterkant; s/d from R1000/1250; aiW; gAlfred), and rent a wide range of serviced apartments in the area.

Vintage suitcases hang on the lobby walls like artwork at this Protea hotel offering something edgier than usual, with industrial-loft-style rooms and self-catering apartments with exposed brick walls. There’s a reasonably sized lap pool. Breakfast is extra.

Rooms are smart but far from spacious. The rooftop plunge pool and bar is a prime spot for guests to check out the view – as well as each other. Breakfast is extra.

This appealing guesthouse with friendly management offers good-value, fan-cooled rooms decorated with antiques, plus a self-catering unit sleeping up to six.

Overlooking the Company’s Gardens and Table Mountain, this hotel has online rates and special deals that make it a great-value midrange option. A recent renovation has given public areas and rooms a pleasant, contemporary look. The pool is minuscule, but there's a restaurant with leafy aspect.

Sharing the good service and high standards of its big sister the Vineyard Hotel & Spa, this is a justly popular inner-city choice. Rooms have been given a contemporary makeover, with wooden floors and chic black-and-white decor.

Offers 12 stylish rooms, beds piled with pillows. The all have decent bathrooms and soundproofing, we're assured, to deal with its location on one of Long St’s noisiest corners.

India’s luxury hotel group has breathed new life into the old Board of Executors building, set at the corner of Wale and Adderley. There’s plenty of heritage here but a new tower also houses the chic contemporary-styled rooms, many offering spectacular views of Table Mountain. Service and facilities, including the excellent restaurant Bombay Brasserie, are top-grade.

The designers clearly had a lot of fun with this place just a short stroll from the Old Biscuit Mill. One dorm is Barbie-doll pink; a romantic double has a bed made from a suspended fishing boat; another is styled after an intensive care unit! The building's wraparound balcony overlooks the Salt River roundabout (which is noisy in daytime).

There's a funky African theme to this very appealing backpackers, just a short walk away from the heart of the Obs action further down Lower Main Rd. The spacious, shady backyard and lounges are a plus. Breakfast is excluded but Dolce Bakery is right next door.

This long-running backpackers, split between three houses, remains a popular alternative to the city-centre hostels. Camping is possible and they also can arrange climbs up Table Mountain with a qualified guide (R300 per person). Rates don’t include breakfast.

Not exactly boutique but certainly imaginative, this cosy backpackers in a Victorian cottage has sought inspiration from different Cape Town suburbs as themes for its rooms. There’s a delightful shared kitchen and a pretty courtyard. Staff conduct free tours of Observatory. Rates don’t include breakfast.

Occupying three cottages once attached to the historic Zonnebloem Farm House, this spacious guesthouse – surrounded by a broad stoop and with unimpeded views over the harbour – provides a taste of simple Cape Malay hospitality. Although it’s far from luxurious, the whole place is spotless and efficiently run. The four-bed room is ideal for a family.

This snazzily designed property is tucked away in the revamped buildings of the old Bonwitt clothing factory. Rooms are large and pleasant, offering either mountain or city views. Loft suites (ask for 507, the largest) have kitchenettes. There’s an indoor pool and a gym. Rates exclude breakfast.

This Fair Trade in Tourism–accredited operation offers affordable style, a buzzy vibe and fantastic staff. Its dorms may not be Cape Town’s cheapest but they’re among its nicest, while the private rooms and self-catering apartments are charmingly decorated. There’s a lovely mosaic-decorated pool and relaxing gardens with Table Mountain views to chill out in. Rates exclude breakfast.

Great vibe and location for this new backpackers, where every room has its own bathroom and breakfast is included in the rates (it's served in the hip cafe that fronts the building). There's a courtyard to chill in and a big kitchen for self-catering.

This is one of Cape Town’s slickest backpackers, with much of the action focused on the lively bar and deck that overlook Table Mountain. The beautiful old house, decorated with a tasteful collection of contemporary art, holds the dorms; there's also a lawn where you can camp (R110 per person).

Excellent, self-catering en suite rooms are in two separate heritage-listed houses around the corner. There's also another branch in Green Point.

You’re well on the way up Lion’s Head at this delightful family home, which offers a range of attractive rooms, mostly frequented by long-stay guests. It’s the ideal spot for those looking to escape the city and the more commercialised backpacker options. Rates are negotiable for longer stays.

Expat couple Maxime and Mélodie ladle on the Gallic charm at this imaginatively renovated former stables, where the ancient stone walls are a feature of the rooms. The garden planted with fruit trees is a magical oasis, the lounge is stacked with books and vinyl LPs, and breakfast is served on actress Mélodie's prize collection of china.

A brilliantly located and appealing boutique property that offers spacious, stylish rooms, each with a small kitchen for self-catering. Larger, arty suites, with mezzanine-level bedrooms and themes such as Red Bull and Mini Cooper, are worth the extra spend.

A heritage-listed building dating from 1903 has been remodelled into this luxury guesthouse. Special touches include a saltwater swimming pool and a fragrant Mediterranean herb garden. The pool-house suite with lofty ceiling is great if you want extra privacy.

Silks and velvets in metallic colours add a sophisticated touch to the contemporary-style rooms here, which are good value for this area. Friendly service and sweeping views of Table Mountain from the luxurious suites and swimming pool area are other pluses.

Occupying a grand Arts and Crafts–style home, built in 1905 for a shipping magnate, the interiors of this luxury guesthouse marry fine linen and antique furnishings with whimsical art-nouveau flourishes. A decent-sized pool and courteous staff enhance the experience.

There’s a sophisticated, colourful ‘African modern’ design theme at this appealing guesthouse, sheltering behind the facade of three 19th-century terrace houses. Relax in the evening in one of two comfy lounges while sipping the complimentary sherry or port.

This heritage building, with high-ceiling rooms, parquet floors and a faint art-deco style, has been transformed into a relaxed guesthouse that is smart but not too posh. A big plus is its lovely courtyard garden, partly shaded by an giant oak, with a pool big enough to swim in.

This is a stylish place, with neutral-toned rooms featuring a mix of retro and modern furnishings, CD players, fresh fruit and flowers and a bamboo grove. There’s a plunge pool in the courtyard, while the honeymoon suite has a private pool and separate Jacuzzi.

The old wash houses on the park’s edge have been converted into some very stylish accommodation. The decoration in the living room includes pieces by top Capetonian craftspeople, while outside are a sunken campfire circle and hammocks to settle into.

Nothing seems too much bother for the staff at this knockout property decorated with stunning pieces of contemporary art by local artists. The seven guest rooms are decorated in different themes: Versailles, world explorer, Japan etc. Its high hillside location on the edge of the national park provides amazing views. Rates include high tea, which is served in the library lounge.

The sugar-pink-painted ‘Nellie’ is a colonial charmer with its chintz decor and doormen in pith helmets. Rooms sport elegant silver and moss-green decorations. It’s great for families since it pushes the boat out for the little ones, with kid-sized robes and bedtime cookies and milk – not to mention the large pool and three hectares of gardens, including tennis courts.

High up the mountain, this exclusive, chic property offers eight spacious and tastefully decorated rooms, all with balconies and beautifully tiled bathrooms. Fresh fruit and flowers in the rooms are a nice touch.

This Gone with the Wind–style, heritage-listed villa presents a very classy boutique operation, with some rooms opening on to the secluded courtyard. They also run the More Quarters (www.morequarters.co.za) self-catering apartments around the corner on Nicols St.

The lipstick-red marble walkway to the lobby gives an indication of the luxe nature of this hotel, which is built around a soaring atrium onto which some rooms face (perfect for exhibitionists). It’s all very plush and design-savvy. Rates exclude breakfast.

This playfully designed and well-run place is steps away from Green Point’s main drag. Features include a big balcony and bar, loft lounge covered in AstroTurf, a tiny pool to cool off in and bicycle rental (R70 per day).

Tucked away on the slopes of Green Point, this new backpackers has a fun, laid-back atmosphere with decently decorated rooms, chill areas and a big kitchen (with an honesty bar). They also bake their own bread for breakfast and have a guitar and bicycles handy should you require either.

More chill than the branch in Gardens, this Ashanti has a breezy hillside position with sea views and is nicely decorated with old Cape Town photos. Pancakes are served for breakfast.

This Bauhaus-style villa has been converted into a quirkily decorated boutique hotel. The lobby is lined with an impressive collection of '60s and '70s groovy electronic goods, including radios, phones, Polaroid cameras and eight-track cassette players. The seven guest rooms have bold, retro-design furniture and papered walls accented with furry pillows and shag rugs.

A homage to the 1950s, with retro furnishings and collection of Tretchikoff prints hung en masse in the bar. Its big rooms, decorated in cool white and grey, are hung with equally striking modern art by Philip Briel.

You'll pay slightly extra for rooms with sea views at this hotel located on the Mouille Point promenade, but the ones looking towards Signal Hill are just as nice. There's a retro pop-art feel to the decor. Breakfast is served in the buzzy cafe-bar on the ground floor, Sotano.

A chic property offering whitewashed beach-house rooms downstairs or contemporary rooms upstairs. The mosaic-tiled bathrooms have showers big enough to dance in.

One of the Waterfront’s most appealing hotels, the Cape Grace sports an arty combination of antiques and crafts decoration – including hand-painted bed covers and curtains – providing a unique sense of place and Cape Town’s history.

Little expense seems to have been spared creating this luxury resort. Choose between enormous, plush rooms in the main building (with panoramic views of Table Mountain) or the even more exclusive island, beside the pool and spa. Their bar turns out inventive cocktails and is a nice place to plonk yourself before a meal at celeb-chef restaurants Nobu or Reuben’s.

Butlers dressed in white kurta-style pyjamas greet you at this super-elegant, six-bedroom property crafted out of the former harbour master’s house. The luxurious bedrooms are decorated in dove-grey and olive and have spacious bathrooms. It’s at the heart of the Waterfront but feels almost a world away.

The same company run the appealing (and slightly cheaper) Queen Victoria Hotel ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021-427 5900; www.queenvictoriahotel.co.za; Portswood Close, Portswood Ridge, V&A Waterfront; d/ste R5820/8260; paiWs; gNobel Square) nearby.

This gorgeous 'straight-friendly' boutique hotel occupies an elegant old house and a newer block behind. Spacious rooms are decorated in natural tones of stone and wood. In the middle is a fabulous pool and spa and outdoor dining for their restaurant.

Thulani is Zulu for ‘peace and tranquillity’ – the perfect description for this treasure, an African-thatched mansion tucked away in a lush valley through which the Disa River flows towards Hout Bay. Lie in the four-poster bed in the honeymoon suite and you’ll be treated to a sweeping panorama of the back of Table Mountain.

Offering a seaside location (you’ll pay extra for rooms with views), old-fashioned style and even some corridors lined with putting greens for a spot of golf practice. The pool is a decent size and there’s a lovely courtyard with a central fountain – a romantic place to dine.

It's not technically on the promenade, but close enough that the rooms with balconies at this trendily monochrome designer hotel have sea views. All the rooms also come furnished with USB ports and Apple computers. The cafe on the verandah at the front is a lovely spot for breakfast or brunch/lunch.

Get a workout walking up one of Sea Point’s steeper slopes to reach this excellent, gay-friendly (but not exclusively gay) guesthouse. It comprises two houses decorated with antiques and joined by delightful gardens, in which you’ll find a decent-sized pool.

Take your pick between chic, contemporary-designed rooms with balconies and to-die-for views across Hout Bay (in a new addition), or the much cheaper and smaller rooms in the original building, which also houses a very popular bar and restaurant.

June and Trevor are the genial hosts of this convivial upmarket B&B, which has a range of rooms decorated with period furniture. You can cool off in the small pool on the deck with a view over the beautiful sweep of Hout Bay.

Destroyed in a disastrous fire in March 2015, this heralded hotel should be back to its best before 2016 is rung in. The only luxury lodge within Table Mountain National Park, Tintswalo hugs the edge of a beautiful rocky bay, a favourite resting ground for whales. Expect sublime views and rooms rich with natural materials. Rack rates include dinner and breakfast.

The complex will again be built on raised platforms to keep environmental impact to a minimum.

Offering clean, contemporary design, POD is perfectly angled to catch the Camps Bay action from its bar and spacious pool and deck area. The cheapest rooms have mountain rather than sea views; luxury rooms have their own private plunge pools.

Imagine you’ve been invited to stay with an immensely rich, art-collecting Capetonian friend. This elegant mansion overlooking the Atlantic, and its more contemporary-styled pair of private villas, houses an incredible contemporary art gallery. Beautiful gardens and oodles of luxe services and conveniences are all on hand.

Silky wallpaper, piles of pillows and lovely art works enhance the atmosphere in the rooms and public areas of this seaside option that sits in splendid isolation above the rocks at Ouderkraal. Other pluses include a 16-seat cinema and walking trails behind the hotel that lead to secluded picnic spots.

Based in the grand Earl’s Dyke Manor (dating from 1929), this splendid option is set in a secluded nature reserve. Choose between rooms in either the main house or the contemporary Deck House, reached by a rope bridge over a ravine. There are also four pools, including some fed by a stream from Table Mountain.

Your eyes will pop at the fab Afro-chic makeover that the 1871 Hout Bay Manor has been treated to. Tribal artefacts are mixed with brightly coloured contemporary furnishings and handicrafts in rooms that all contain the expected electronic conveniences.

So exclusive it's tricky to find the entrance, the exquisite Marly sits high above the Camps Bay throng, but is close enough for you to hear the crash of waves (not to mention the Victoria Rd traffic). If a good night's sleep is needed, we recommend the quieter mountain-view rooms.

In the thick of Claremont's shopping strip, this is a handy and appealing hostel should you wish to be based close to this area's sights. It's colourfully painted inside and out and has a great communal kitchen. Breakfast is excluded from the rates.

This elegantly decorated former forester’s cottage with three bedrooms, sleeping up to six, is surrounded by trees. The open-plan kitchen and living room has a fireplace and there’s a separate TV room. It’s ideal for a family.

Built around the 1799 home of Lady Anne Barnard, the rooms at this delightful hotel have a contemporary look and are decorated in soothing natural tones. It’s surrounded by lush gardens with views onto Table Mountain. Friendly staff, the fabulous Angsana Spa, a great gym and pool, and top gourmet restaurant Myoga complete the picture.

A glitzy makeover has transformed this historic estate into a bling-tastic property with 19 suites variously dubbed ‘cool’, ‘amazing’ and ‘stunning’. This translates into a fearless mix of antiques and bold, contemporary styling. The property’s convivial La Belle cafe and bakery and chic Rose Bar, overlooking the manicured gardens and pool, are both worth a trip on their own.

To get here by car, take the Constantia exit from M3 and follow the signs to Alphen.

Fresh flowers in plush rooms decorated in soft tones – that's what you get at this small but elegant luxury hotel that's part of the wine estate. Guests receive complimentary wine tastings and there's a daily shuttle back and forth from the Waterfront.

Set in a heritage-listed building with splendid sea views, this backpackers is ideal for those who don’t want to be more than 30 seconds from the sand. As well as nicely designed rooms, there’s a huge kitchen, comfy lounge and ping-pong table. Rates exclude breakfast.

Best-value place to stay in Simon's Town, with spacious, ship-shape rooms – several overlooking the harbour. Friendly staff can help you arrange a host of activities in the area, and there's bike hire for R200 per day. Rates exclude breakfast.

It took two years for English- and French-speaking tour guide Simric Yarrow to build his unique organic home out of mud, wood and straw; one room above the garage is for guests. Hot water is provided via a solar-powered heater and rates include an organic breakfast.

Some dorms here are far nicer than others, so check out the options before deciding. Otherwise, you can't fault the location – next to the train station and with beach views. Breakfast is excluded from the rates but you can grab a bite in their pleasant cafe.

Simply but appealingly furnished rooms, four with sea views. The rates for the dorm (with just four bunks) exclude breakfast. It’s convenient for Glencairn beach and the station, and it’s not far from Simon’s Town. A convivial pub and cafe are also on the premises.

Less than 100m from the beach – perfect for surfers – this is a spacious, slightly scruffy house with a giant dining room (replete with chandelier) and big sun deck. Surf lessons and gear can be arranged. Turn onto Somerset Way off Kommetjie Rd (M65); this leads into Gladioli Way.

This charming guesthouse, with a delightful courtyard garden, could be the setting for an Agatha Christie mystery, one in which the home’s owner has a penchant for all things Turkish – hence the Ottoman slippers for guests’ use.

This rambling, wooden-floored 1920s guesthouse is decorated with choice pieces of contemporary local arts and crafts. There’s a variety of rooms, each with crisp linen, and bathrooms with a rain-style shower. There's also a lovely terrace and garden overlooking the harbour, where you can eat breakfast. Wi-fi access is R35 per day.

Choose between sea-facing rooms or spacious self-catering cottages – all with thatched, open-rafter roofs – at this imaginatively designed, rustic resort shaded by a milkwood forest; the wide beach is moments away. It’s a great place to stay if you have kids. Follow signs from Noordhoek end of Chapman’s Peak Rd (M6) to the resort.

Penguins waddle right up to the doors of this smart guesthouse, with rooms decorated in wicker and wood and a range of self-catering units, where the rates also include breakfast. Its excellent restaurant has an outdoor deck. Note: penguins are not the quietest of creatures so you may want to bring earplugs.

So well has this hotel been constructed that it seems as if it has always been part of Noordhoek Village. The rooms, including some specially adapted for use by guests with disabilities, are spacious and comfortable and surround a pretty inner courtyard planted with fynbos (literally ‘fine bush’) and lemon trees. Follow signs to Noordhoek Farm Village from Chapman’s Peak Rd (M6).

Escape from it all at this pretty whitewashed cottage, with an isolated position just steps from the beach and the pounding waves of the Atlantic. Together with its annexe, it sleeps a maximum of 12 people.

Liziwe has made her mansion into a palace, with four delightful en suite rooms all sporting TVs and African-themed decor. She was featured on a BBC cooking show, so you can be sure her food is delicious; breakfast is R70 extra, dinner R80. Plus her place is walking distance to Mzoli’s.

There are just two cosy rooms decorated in pop-art-bright colours at this ace art and education centre crafted from shipping containers. There's a cafe and gift shop here, as well as a small garden growing vegetables on the roof.

Various entrepreneurship and education projects run out here, including heArt of a Woman (www.heartofawomanproject.com/heart-south-africa), which teaches women the art of smart-phone photography; the best images are turned into postcards.

The lovely Colette runs this women-friendly B&B in her spacious and pretty Pinelands home, which she shares with pet ducks in the garden. All rooms, including a couple in the loft, have private bathrooms.

Thope Lekau, called ‘Mama Africa’ for obvious reasons, runs this excellent B&B with her equally ebullient daughter, Mpho. Her substantial brick home offers two stylishly decorated guest rooms, each with their own bathroom. Dinner (R120) is delicious. If they're already booked, Thope can assist with finding homestays in the area.

It's easy to see why the self-proclaimed 'greenest hotel' in Africa has won awards. Rooms are comfy, with creative design, and local arts and crafts abound throughout. Solar panels and wind generators cut down their power-grid use; there's a beautiful garden made from the preserved wetlands behind the hotel and an eco-friendy pool.

There's also a complimentary shuttle to the airport, although it's almost so close you could walk.

Friendly Maria Maile runs this B&B in her small brick bungalow in an upmarket part of Khayelitsha. She can put up four people in her two homely rooms. Dinner is available for R120 and there’s safe parking should you drive here.

Lydia Masoleng has been opening up her spacious, modern home to guests since 1998. Three of her comfy rooms have en suite bathrooms. Dinner (R120) is available and includes her self-brewed umqombothi (beer).