Seven stand-out South African boutique hotels

Its glamorous safari lodges are well known, but South Africa also boasts stylishly conceived hotels and guesthouses in and around its urban centres. Writer and Cape Town resident Keith Bain selects his favourites

Tintswalo Atlantic, Cape Town

Quite literally at the ocean’s edge, directly below the fynbos-covered slopes of Chapman’s Peak, this retreat offers the permanent refrain of sloshing waves, salty sea air and gloriously golden sunsets. If you’re brave enough, you can even take dips in the icy water alongside the little pebble beach. The free-standing suites hover romantically above the rocks, metres from the water’s edge, with balconies on which to sprawl, hypnotised by the lulling effects of the ocean. Doubles from £400.

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Babylonstoren, Cape Winelands

Close to South Africa’s three main wine-producing towns – Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl – this 200-hectare working wine estate is tucked into the verdant Drakenstein Valley between bewitching craggy mountains. It has one of the country’s finest restaurants, Babel (plan at least one meal here), a chic spa and a handful of white-stucco guest cottages. Besides these farm-style accommodations, which meld old world architecture with contemporary design, there’s plenty of space for youngsters to run around, swim, cycle and even paddle on the dam in a row-boat. Doubles from £315.

The Peech Hotel, Johannesburg

Just down the road from the oldest cricket club in the city, James Peech’s hip little eco-friendly hotel in upmarket Melrose is urbane, luxurious and totally tranquil. Its 16 suites are large and sleek, with polished-concrete floors and a contemporary aesthetic that’s seamlessly blended with distinctive African elements such as tribal masks, cowhide rugs and local artworks. Accommodations are set around a lovingly tended garden with a pool, and bathrooms have incredible rain showers. Doubles from £160.

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No. 5 by Mantis, Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth – or simply P.E. – is a warm, friendly city that’s close to Addo Elephant National Park, one of the country’s most important malaria-free reserves, plus it’s where travellers driving the Garden Route often end their road trip. In the popular seaside suburb of Summerstrand, this is a smart Art Deco mansion transformed into an intimate hotel. Each suite has a private balcony or small garden, and there’s a sensuous spa, as well as an in-house cinema. It’s close to warm-swimming beaches and there are plenty of places nearby to dine, drink or stroll along the coast. Doubles from R2,200 (£125).

Oyster Box Hotel, Durban

Situated right on the beach in Umhlanga Rocks (pronounced Oom-shlan-ga, it’s Zulu for ‘Place of the Reeds’ and is a residential suburb 15 minutes north of the city centre), this ranks among Africa’s ritziest seaside hotels. It’s blessed with indigenous gardens, a huge collection of South African art, colonial-era decor and even themed uniforms for staff. It also boasts Durban’s prettiest spa, an in-house cinema, an elegant cocktail bar overlooking Umhlanga’s lighthouse, and immaculate bedrooms – the best of which are close enough to the water to make you feel as if you’re floating on the ocean. Doubles from £385.

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The Silo, Cape Town

With magical views of Table Mountain, this super-swanky, 28-bedroom hotel occupies the same building that houses the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, which was created from a disused grain silo by London-based Thomas Heatherwick. Its concrete superstructure has been jazzed up beyond recognition. Unusual proportions mean every room is uniquely shaped – and each is individually designed, with dramatic colour schemes and carefully curated artworks. The rooftop Sky Terrace has a bar and pool affording exhilarating views. Doubles from £770.

Ilali House, Johannesburg

Slick bohemian touches, quality South African art and a fine eye for detail pervade the design of this low-key guesthouse that’s hidden behind an unmarked wall in a residential area. Here, in a pair of renovated houses, owner Hannia Weber has created neat, stylish and highly individual, sanctuary-like spaces, unfussy and utterly comfortable. It’s just down the road from Rosebank, where there’s an expansive shopping mall, at least a dozen art galleries, numerous restaurants and plenty of social haunts. Doubles from £65.

Fly to South Africa

British Airways is launching a non-stop service from London Heathrow to Durban, South Africa, as of 29 October 2018. To learn more about the new route, click here

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This article has been tagged Destination, Hotels