Cape Grace, A Fairmont Managed Hotel

Everyone wants a water view unless, as is the case at Cape Grace, the alternative is a view of the iconic Table Mountain. This landmark luxury hotel has a supreme location on a private quay on Cape Town's V&A Waterfront, with sandstone cliffs rising up imposingly on one side and the international yacht basin and Table Bay stretching out before it on the other. The interiors are reminiscent of an elegant seafaring vessel — leather sofas, polished parquet floors, gilded chandeliers, lavish floral arrangements on marble side tables, antique maps framed on the wall, and shipwreck-salvaged curiosities displayed like museum artifacts.

The rooms and suites are similarly refined, quiet and light-filled with linen sofas, dark wood flooring, original landscape paintings, marble bathrooms, and French doors that open to natural scenery or the colorful working harbor. Should one experience the urge to sip a warm drink on the balcony, all rooms come with Nespresso machines and fluffy bathrobes to complement the pleasant views. Rooftop rooms and suites, some with furnished walk-out terraces, are particularly appealing.

Downstairs, a stylish library doubles as an all-day café and bar. Enjoy South African cuisine and wine pairings at Cape Grace’s restaurant, or walk out the front door to find a range of dining options just minutes away on foot. Either way, the hotel’s wood-paneled, maritime-inspired whiskey bar — recently renovated, along with the in-house spa — is the place to be for a cozy nightcap.