4 Best Hotels in Simon's Town, South Africa

The French-born owner of this gem just past Boulders Beach takes his vocation seriously, providing a level of engagement and service that creates a gorgeous retreat where edgy, rustic, and super-elegant design features and fantastic views of False Bay combine to great effect. With only five rooms—each styled differently, but all mixing polished concrete surfaces in neutral tones with a few carefully selected ornate pieces of furniture—it's all extremely intimate, and made for quiet relaxation. Enjoy a drink on the patio by the pool, hang out in the stylish lounge, or enjoy the aromas coming from the open kitchen as you await your generous breakfast; be sure to book dinner here as these are surely the best meals in town.

This clean and contemporary African-themed guesthouse in a residential area about 3 km (2 miles) outside Simon's Town offers spacious rooms with magnificent views over False Bay. All five spacious rooms have sitting areas with unobstructed views of the ocean and the surrounding mountains. The stunning views are courtesy of a residential location perched on a steep hill, however, you'll need a car to do any exploring or get meals beyond breakfast.

On Jubilee Square, part of the Simon's Town Waterfront, this centrally located hotel has wonderful views over the bay, the harbor, and the yacht club. Rooms are light and airy, combining lime-washed wood with white walls, touches of silver and gray, and a beachy-clean atmosphere (some rooms are carpeted), though the bathrooms are small; there are a few guest rooms that have mountain views instead of water views.

This superb boutique guesthouse—a pair of conjoined seaside villas—puts you right in the heart of the penguin action, and you're just a short walk from Seaforth Beach and Boulders Beach. No ordinary beachside bed-and-breakfast, it comes with every imaginable luxury, including scrumptious beds in individually styled, comfortably laid out, and generously proportioned sleeping quarters. There’s an intimate rooftop terrace with a heated plunge pool and endless views. Downstairs, a variety of lounges, terraces, nooks, huge picture windows facing the sea, and quiet garden spaces provide opportunities for quiet reflection, and there's an in-house chef who whips up lunches and dinners on request and prepares a mean breakfast; at mealtimes, tables are set up in different parts of the villa, perhaps with a full-on sea view one morning, and in a quiet nook the next. You might see whales breaching and hundreds of dolphins swimming by at any moment. When you're done for the day (or maybe done listening to the braying sound of penguins), soundproof and light-blocking shutters come down completely to cut out the outside world so you get the most amazing night's sleep.