3 Best Hotels in City Centre, Cape Town

A fabulous historic building from 1677 has been painstakingly transformed into a hotel with just a handful of suites—all of which are extremely spacious, luxurious, and tranquil—that overlook the hustle and bustle of Church Square below. Although it is inimitably fancy, it's also hard to beat the personalized attention, luxurious linens, and beautiful artwork. Another fancy touch—in lieu of a lobby, the ground floor is a Diptych perfumerie (the only one in the country), so guests must climb the stairs to reach reception before being whisked up to the guest rooms. And, although tucked off to the side, there is a café-style dining room for breakfast and all-day light meals.

With an amazing location in the heart of historic Cape Town, the Taj sits in the grand former headquarters of the South African Reserve Bank and provides the professional and luxurious hospitality that one would expect from this Indian brand. From the eighth floor and higher, you'll enjoy fabulous views of Table Mountain and the city. The general style is a subtle mix of Indian accents and classic European aesthetics, though there's not much to evoke when you currently are apart from the heritage of the building itself.  Rooms are divided into colonial (heritage section) or modern ("the tower") decor, so be sure to state your preference if you have one.

Conveniently linked to the Cape Town International Convention Centre, this huge-yet-sophisticated business hotel still caters to vacationers with features like an excellent spa with killer views, indoor and outdoor pools, and a stop for the water taxi that plies the canals to the V&A Waterfront. The decor is modern minimalist, with a number of features that zoom in on the Westin's signature "6 pillars of well-being" including the legendary Heavenly mattresses, but the best feature is perhaps the views you get, especially from the higher floors. Workstations are cleverly partitioned away from the sleeping area, so even if you have to burn the midnight oil, you can do it in comfort and style. Everything glides and whirls at the touch of a button, and service is seamless. It's a great idea to fork out a bit extra for a room on the dedicated executive floor, which gives you access to a 19th-floor lounge where there's respite, free beverages and snacks, a separate breakfast service, and the most incredible city, mountain, and harbor views (there are few other hotels where you will catch grown-up men making videos of their breakfast room).