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Unique Places to Stay in Cape Town

Discover unique places to stay in Cape Town, South Africa, from boutique hotels and luxury stays to a beautifully renovated barn surrounded by nature.

When we visited a friend in Cape Town, we decided to stay for a longer period of time so we could really explore the city and its surroundings. We also visited the coolest game lodges in Western Cape.

During those weeks, we stayed in several hotels and also visited a few others that had been on my list for ages.

This post includes some of my favorite boutique hotels and the most unique places to stay in Cape Town, beautiful luxury stays, and even a renovated barn that’s honestly one of the coolest places I’ve seen.

Each of them has something special, great design, a relaxed atmosphere, or incredible views, and together they show just how many unique places there are to stay in Cape Town. Keep reading!

swimming pool at mount nelson belmond luxury hotel, one of the most unique places to stay in cape town, south africa

UNIQUE Places to Stay in Cape Town: My Favorite Boutique Hotels

1. Casa Del Sonder

Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town
From 80€/night, 1-4 pax

  • A white two-story building with green shutters and a small porch, surrounded by potted plants and trees, stands out among unique places to stay in Cape Town. A red scooter is parked in front, under a blue sky, on a street that slopes downward.
  • A wooden dining table with dark chairs sits beside a wall decorated with various framed artworks. A large green monstera plant in a light pot is placed on the table, creating an inviting setting reminiscent of unique places to stay in Cape Town.
  • A cozy bedroom with a rattan headboard, white bedding, two purple pillows, and a lavender knitted throw—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town. A plant and gold lamp sit on the bedside table beneath framed art on a mustard yellow wall.
  • A rooftop pool with colorful towels on a lounge chair overlooks city buildings and a gold-domed tower, with a large mountain in the background—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town under a partly cloudy sky.

Every stranger has a story. Not only is this our company slogan, but it’s also a profound truth. We chose the word Sonder as the inspiration behind both our cafe and now, our beautiful guesthouse, because of how perfectly it captures a sensation that so many of us have felt before.

Perhaps when staring down at a foreign city from an airplane window or at fellow strangers in a coffee shop, or at all of the illuminated lights of an apartment building.

The realization that the strangers all around us, those we do not know and may never see again, are living lives as deeply elaborate and complex as our own. @CasadelSonder

Book Casa Del Sonder

2. Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town

Gardens, City Center, Cape Town
From 1000€/night, 1-3 pax

  • A historic four-story pink hotel with white trim stands behind a courtyard garden featuring a circular flower bed, stone fountain, trees, and patio seating—one of the most unique places to stay in Cape Town under a clear blue sky.
  • swimming pool at mount nelson belmond luxury hotel, one of the most unique places to stay in cape town, south africa
  • A balcony with black wicker chairs and a white table set for breakfast, overlooking a lush garden with palm trees. Sunlight filters through the trees—one of the truly unique places to stay in Cape Town, with pink walls and ornate white trim.
  • Elegant bedroom with a large bed, gray upholstered headboard, checkered pillows, and framed art on light blue walls—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town, complete with a writing desk, armchair, bedside lamps, and window with gray curtains.

Belmond’s iconic pink lady, which has been captivating visitors since 1899, is the beating heart of Cape Town. Nestled between the slopes of Table Mountain and the vibrant city, when you step through our gates, you enter a world of relaxation and glamour.

Take a timeless tea on the terrace and stroll through storied gardens, or starbathe beneath clear skies with a cocktail in hand. With pioneering gastronomy with local roots and close collaboration with South Africa’s creative community, the Nellie has a vintage heart and innovative spirit.

Try their High Tea Experience, Cape Town’s most iconic afternoon tea! Very special and highly recommended if you like tea.

Book Mount Nelson

3. Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel

Gardens, City Center, Cape Town
From 400€/night, 1-6 pax

  • A stylish bedroom reminiscent of unique places to stay in Cape Town, featuring a green tufted headboard, patterned wallpaper, a black nightstand with gold accents, a tall mirror, white lamp, layered bedding, and a textured gray throw blanket.
  • A white colonial-style building with black shutters and a sign reading Cape Cadogan stands on a sunny street, framed by green trees. Mountains rise in the background—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town under a clear blue sky.
  • A modern bathroom with white subway tile walls, a black freestanding bathtub, a round side table with a soap dispenser, a robe hanging on the wall, and a tiled floor with black accents—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town.
  • A stylish courtyard—a highlight among unique places to stay in Cape Town—boasts a small rectangular pool with green mosaic tiles, striped lounge chairs under white umbrellas, bistro tables, and lush greenery beside a white building with black-trimmed windows.

The Cape Cadogan is a historic boutique hotel dating from the 19th century and nestled in the heart of Cape Town’s City Bowl, on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. The house itself holds an important place in the history and evolution of the city and was declared a national monument in 1984.

Book Cape Cadogan

4. Labotessa Luxury Boutique Hotel

City Center, Cape Town
From 600€/night, 1-6 pax

  • A modern bedroom with a large window offers a scenic view of a distinctive, cone-shaped mountain and cityscape—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town. The room features a bed with a dark blanket, a chair, and sheer curtains.
  • View through open double doors to a sunny courtyard with a stone fountain, leafy plants, striped umbrellas, and outdoor seating—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town, surrounded by trees and greenery.
  • A modern bathroom with a white freestanding tub, a white towel draped over the side, marble flooring, blue abstract wall art, and two round pendant lights—perfect inspiration for unique places to stay in Cape Town.
  • A neatly made bed with white linens sits by a large window framed with gray curtains. Blue walls and wooden floors complete this serene space—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town, offering mountain and city views under a clear sky.

Book Labotessa Luxury Hotel

5. Hotel Lola

Green Point, Cape Town
From 125€/night, 1-9 pax

  • A wooden desk with plants and a lamp sits beneath a photo of a chest with tattooed lips, viewed through a dark doorway. Perfect for those seeking unique places to stay in Cape Town, with a patterned rug and ceiling light above.
  • A cozy bedroom with a dark green bed frame, light bedding, a striped cushion, and a pink throw blanket welcomes you through a partially open pink door—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town.
  • A pink-tiled bathroom with a matching pink bathtub, gold fixtures, a potted green plant, a colorful geometric rug, and framed artwork—a vibrant retreat among unique places to stay in Cape Town.
  • A cozy balcony with green floors, walls, and shutters features a wicker chair with a patterned pillow, a knitted pouf, potted plants, and hanging planters—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town, all bathed in natural light.

Book hotel lola

UNIQUE Places to Stay NEAR Cape Town

6. The Barn

Yzerfontein, South Africa
From 300€/night, 1-4 pax
Absolutely stunning location and design accommodation.

  • A rustic dining room with mismatched wooden chairs around a wooden table, a white brick fireplace, high ceilings with exposed beams, and sunlight streaming in—perfect for those seeking unique places to stay in Cape Town.
  • A set table with black chairs sits on a wooden deck outside open glass doors, overlooking green dunes and a calm ocean—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town under a clear blue sky.
  • A modern white house with a metal roof, central wooden double doors, and a narrow reflecting pool in front—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town. Outdoor seating, pottery, and plants decorate the gravel courtyard under a clear blue sky.
  • Minimalist bedroom in neutral tones, featuring a wooden chair with a draped throw and dried plants on the wall—one of the unique places to stay in Cape Town, where natural light streams through an open door.

Book the barn

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