Where to stay in South Africa?

Places to stay at every stop and at every budget, chosen for where they are. Sleeping in the right place each night means not spending the trip in transport. Change the budget or the trip length and the hotels follow.

6 nights · accommodation about €1,025

Cape Town

Days 1-2 · 2 nights
Mid-rangeGorgeous George
🏊Pool

A design hotel conceived for a city stay in Cape Town, closer in spirit to a gallery than a resort. It suits couples who want a contemporary address and to explore the city from the centre.

€180 a nightSee on Booking →
Mid-range♥ Our favouriteThe Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel
🚶Walk everywhere

On Long Street, 500 m from the centre, among the bars and Victorian façades: Bo-Kaap and Signal Hill can be done on foot. For those who want to sleep in the thick of the action rather than watch it.

On the roof, seven vintage Airstream trailers serve as rooms; ask for one when booking.

€95 a nightSee on Booking →
Mid-rangeProtea Hotel Fire & Ice Cape Town
🏛️Historic centre🌿Quiet🚶Walk everywhere

In Gardens, on New Church Street, 1.2 km from the centre and a stone's throw from Kloof Street. A no-frills city hotel for heading out to Table Mountain and the city centre on foot.

€85 a nightSee on Booking →
BudgetLong Street Backpackers
🌊By the sea🚶Walk everywhere

On Long Street, the street of bars and shops, 700 m from the centre of Cape Town. A hostel in the thick of the action, with Bo-Kaap on foot and the MyCiTi bus to the Waterfront and Camps Bay.

€25 a nightSee on Booking →
LuxuryThe Silo Hotel

A top-luxury address for those who want to end or start the trip up high, above the harbour. It is aimed at travellers who make Cape Town the showpiece stop of the itinerary.

The hotel occupies the upper floors of the Waterfront's former grain silo, above the Zeitz MOCAA museum, which opened in 2017.

€600 a nightSee on Booking →
LuxuryOne&Only Cape Town
🌊By the sea🏊Pool🚶Walk everywhere

On Dock Road, in the heart of the V&A Waterfront, 1.9 km from the centre: the harbour, the shops and the Robben Island ferry are within walking distance. An urban resort for those who want everything on site.

Nobu, Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurant, is inside the hotel: somewhere to dine without going back out.

€550 a nightSee on Booking →
LuxuryMount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel
🌊By the sea🌿Quiet🚶Walk everywhere

In Gardens, on Wilkinson Street, 1.4 km from the centre, with the Company's Garden and the neighbourhood's botanical garden within walking distance. A grand hotel set in gardens, for those who prefer quiet paths to the seafront.

Nicknamed the "Nellie", opened in 1899 and painted pink, it serves a renowned afternoon tea, also open to non-residents.

€480 a nightSee on Booking →
More hotels in Cape Town on Booking

The Winelands: Stellenbosch

Day 3 · 1 night
Mid-rangeLanzerac Hotel

A wine estate 3.2 km from the centre, on the Lanzerac road: you sleep among the vines while staying ten minutes from town. For those who want to taste wine in the evening without getting back behind the wheel.

The estate dates back to 1692 and claims the first commercial bottling of Pinotage, in 1959: tastings are held on site.

€200 a nightSee on Booking →
Mid-range♥ Our favouriteOude Werf Hotel
🚶Walk everywhere🌅Great view

On Church Street, 700 m from the centre, in the oldest streets of Stellenbosch. A historic hotel for those who want to do everything on foot, from the village museum to the evening terraces.

Opened in 1802, it bills itself as the oldest hotel still operating in South Africa.

€120 a nightSee on Booking →
Mid-rangeSpier Hotel
🏊Pool👨‍👩‍👧Family-friendly

A wine estate on Baden Powell Drive, on the Cape Town road rather than in town. It suits families who want a pool and an estate to explore without going anywhere.

€110 a nightSee on Booking →
BudgetStumble Inn
🏛️Historic centre🚶Walk everywhere🚉Transport nearby

On Market Street, right in the centre of Stellenbosch: the Cape Dutch streets and student bars are within walking distance. A hostel for visiting the estates by tram or bike, without a car.

€26 a nightSee on Booking →
BudgetEendracht Hotel
🚉Transport nearby

On Dorp Street, the historic oak-lined street. A simple hotel for those who want to sleep in old Stellenbosch and take the tram to the cellars the next day.

€70 a nightSee on Booking →
LuxuryClouds Estate
🌅Great view

On Helshoogte Road, the pass linking Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. An estate with vineyard views, for those who drive between the two villages.

€300 a nightSee on Booking →
LuxuryBabylonstoren
🌿Quiet🍽️Restaurant

A farm hotel in Simondium, between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. People come for the gardens and the estate's restaurants more than for the town, and a car is essential.

The 3.5-hectare garden, inspired by Cape Town's Company's Garden, can also be visited without staying overnight, by reservation.

€450 a nightSee on Booking →
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The Garden Route

Days 4-7 · 3 nights
Mid-rangeTurbine Hotel Knysna
🌊By the sea🌿Quiet

A boutique hotel in Knysna, for those who want an address with character on the lagoon and a starting point for the Tsitsikamma forests. It suits couples more than groups.

It occupies a former power station on Thesen Island: the turbines and machinery have been kept as part of the décor.

€155 a nightSee on Booking →
Mid-range♥ Our favouriteKnysna Log-Inn Hotel
🌊By the sea🚶Walk everywhere🍽️Restaurant

On Gray Street, in the lower part of Knysna's centre: the lagoon front and the restaurants are within walking distance. A timber hotel for sleeping in town and setting off early along the coast.

€90 a nightSee on Booking →
Mid-rangeKnysna Hollow Country Estate
🌊By the sea🌿Quiet

On Welbedacht Lane, in the hills above Knysna. A country estate with gardens for those who prefer the quiet of the hills and drive back down to the lagoon.

€100 a nightSee on Booking →
BudgetIsland Vibe Knysna
🌊By the sea🏖️Beaches nearby

On Main Road, in Westhill, on the Knysna lagoon side. A hostel for those who want a lively base between the beaches of Wilderness and the Bloukrans bungee jump.

€28 a nightSee on Booking →
More hotels in The Garden Route on Booking

Indicative prices for two people, checked when written: the price on the day depends on the season and your dates, so check it on the booking link. A deliberately short selection: a few checked places per budget and per stop, not a directory. The "more hotels" link opens the full Booking search for the same town, on the same dates. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

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