An Island Retreat at the Heart of the Waterfront

Cape Town is a city of dramatic contrasts: Table Mountain rises above a working harbour, vineyard landscapes lie within reach of the centre, and Atlantic beaches frame neighborhoods shaped by art, food and layered histories. One&Only Cape Town places those experiences within easy reach while offering something less expected at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront – the quiet rhythm of a resort. From its marina-facing terraces, the city feels close enough to explore on impulse yet distant enough to leave behind at the end of the day.

The property combines a main waterfront building, Marina Rise, with a private island setting for additional accommodation, a swimming pool and wellness facilities. This arrangement suits travelers who want Cape Town's museums, restaurants and coastal excursions without sacrificing generous rooms, landscaped outdoor space or a proper spa. The scale and outlook are distinctive: many guestrooms face Table Mountain, while the Island accommodations look toward sheltered waterways and lush gardens.

A stay here can be as active or as unhurried as the itinerary requires. Morning coffee might precede a private Table Mountain excursion, a visit to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa or a journey through the Cape Winelands. Returning for a poolside afternoon and dinner at Nobu creates a natural balance between destination travel and resort time.

A Waterfront Landmark Reimagined for Modern Cape Town

One&Only Cape Town opened in 2009, introducing a resort-centered approach to the city's urban hotel scene. Its position within the V&A Waterfront was central to that idea: a historic harbour and commercial precinct had become one of Cape Town's most compelling areas for visitors, with shops, contemporary galleries, ferry services and views toward Table Mountain clustered along the water.

The resort's original design associated international hospitality with South African craftsmanship and art, while leaving space for greenery and a private-island setting in the marina. In 2022, a substantial redesign brought a new visual identity to the guestrooms and suites, arrival spaces, Vista Bar & Lounge and landscaping. The refurbishment, undertaken with London-based Muza Lab, drew on the surrounding mountain terrain, ocean, local flora and Cape Town's creative communities.

The result is not a historic hotel in the conventional sense. Its story is about how a waterfront resort has evolved with the city around it, making the location a practical gateway to Cape Town while retaining a clear sense of retreat. Subsequent changes to restaurants and exhibition spaces have continued that connection with the city's cultural life.

Mountain Forms, African Art and the Marina Landscape

The resort's most memorable architectural feature is its relationship with the landscape. Marina Rise looks across the waterfront toward the unmistakable flat summit of Table Mountain, while the lower island buildings organize guestrooms and leisure facilities around waterways, gardens and a large infinity-edge pool. Balconies and terraces are important parts of the design, offering space to experience the changing light and the bustle of the marina from a comfortable distance.

The refreshed interiors draw on natural textures, organic lines and colors associated with fynbos, sea and stone. South African artwork and decorative references provide personality without competing with the outlook. In shared spaces, the renovation sought a residential quality rather than imposing a uniform corporate hotel aesthetic. Vista Bar & Lounge remains a natural place to appreciate the mountain view, particularly when the evening light moves across the slopes.

Art continues beyond the rooms. The resort's collaboration with Cape Town gallery Art@Africa brings work by contemporary artists into the hotel, adding a connection to the city's cultural conversation. The focus on local making also appears in dining interiors, notably Isola's colorful textiles developed with designer Eli 'Nyambo' Gold of Masa Mara.

Rooms and Suites from the Marina to the Penthouse

The collection begins with some of the city's most generously proportioned hotel rooms and extends to multi-bedroom suites overlooking Table Mountain or the resort's quieter island waterways. Each category below is listed in ascending published size, with measurements shown in David's preferred format: square feet followed by square meters. Balcony, terrace and room-specific features should be selected according to the booked configuration rather than assumed across an entire category.

Marina Room: 678 sq. ft. (63 sq. m.), offering marina, harbour or Table Mountain outlooks depending on the booked view category, with a furnished balcony and a spacious marble bathroom.
Island Superior Room: 785 sq. ft. (73 sq. m.), featuring a waterfront balcony or terrace, generous sleeping and sitting space, and a quieter position within the resort's island setting.
One-Bedroom Island Suite: 1,237 sq. ft. (115 sq. m.), with a separate lounge and dining area, covered terrace, fireplace and views toward the island waterways.
One-Bedroom Marina Suite: 1,323 sq. ft. (123 sq. m.), featuring a separate living and dining space, an outdoor terrace and sweeping Table Mountain views.
One-Bedroom Marina Grand Suite: 1,668 sq. ft. (155 sq. m.), offering an expanded one-bedroom layout with generous areas for entertaining and a Table Mountain outlook.
One-Bedroom Island Grand Suite: 1,948 sq. ft. (181 sq. m.), with a waterfront deck, separate living and dining spaces, a chef's kitchen and a private service entrance.
Two-Bedroom Family Suite: 2,346 sq. ft. (218 sq. m.), combining two bedrooms, a central lounge, dining facilities and three balconies with mountain-facing views.
Two-Bedroom Premier Family Suite: 2,346 sq. ft. (218 sq. m.), with two bedrooms and an expansive shared living area in an upper Marina Rise position overlooking Table Mountain.
Two-Bedroom Island Family Suite: 2,734 sq. ft. (254 sq. m.), featuring two bedrooms, a chef's kitchen, substantial lounge and dining spaces and a long waterfront terrace.
Table Mountain Suite: 3,401 sq. ft. (316 sq. m.), an expansive signature suite with open-plan entertaining spaces and exceptional mountain panoramas.
Presidential Suite: 4,122 sq. ft. (383 sq. m.), offering two king bedrooms, a media room, dining space, private fitness facilities and a generous mountain-facing terrace.
Lion's Head Penthouse: 8,590 sq. ft. (798 sq. m.), a four-bedroom retreat with a private pool terrace, separate service entrance, kitchenette and host service for gatherings in exceptional privacy.

There is no single best category for every traveler. Couples making the most of the city may be comfortable in a Marina Room, particularly when Table Mountain views are a priority. The Island Suites offer a calmer relationship with the water and gardens, while the family categories distinguish themselves through proper shared living space and bedroom separation. For a milestone journey or a multigenerational gathering, the Presidential Suite or Lion's Head Penthouse provides a considerably more private setting.

Four Distinctive Places to Dine and Gather

Dining balances internationally recognized cooking with South African ingredients and the pleasure of being close to the waterfront. The resort's current venues cover formal dinners, a contemporary grill, relaxed poolside meals and a bar that serves as a meeting point throughout the day.

Nobu Cape Town: Japanese-Peruvian cuisine associated with chef Nobu Matsuhisa, offering signature preparations in the brand's only restaurant in Southern Africa.
ROOI: A contemporary South African grillroom where regional ingredients, seafood and meats meet fire-based cooking techniques.
Isola: Relaxed poolside dining with Mediterranean and Cape Town influences, accompanied by colorful locally inspired design details.
Vista Bar & Lounge: Afternoon tea, lighter meals and cocktails served against panoramic views toward Table Mountain.

Nobu is worth planning in advance, particularly for guests with only one or two evenings at the resort. ROOI offers a complementary expression of place through a South African grill concept, while Isola suits a day spent near the pool. Guests keen to explore Cape Town's food scene can also build evenings around the city's independent restaurants, waterfront dining and nearby neighborhoods.

The culinary program extends beyond restaurant bookings. A Nobu sushi masterclass offers an introduction to technique, while selected food experiences involve visiting the Oranjezicht farmers market with a chef or exploring the stories behind South African pastries. These are meaningful additions for travelers who want more than conventional hotel dining.

Island Spa Rituals and Movement with a View

One&Only Spa occupies its own island retreat within the resort, giving a wellness appointment a sense of separation from the livelier Waterfront. The atmosphere draws inspiration from the southern skies, with calming interiors and a garden setting for quiet time before or after treatment. The spa offers massage, body rituals and facial programs, including treatments that reference local ingredients and landscapes.

Signature experiences include the Essence of One&Only Cape Town, incorporating sea salt, kelp and massage, and Table Mountain Tonic, designed around body exfoliation and warming massage. An African Journey ritual draws on rooibos and rock salt. More focused facial and grooming treatments complement the broader wellness menu, while the PEDI:MANI:CURE studio by Bastien Gonzalez brings specialist hand and foot care to the property.

The fitness offering extends from equipped indoor training spaces to personalized sessions and guided outdoor activity. Hiking Table Mountain or Lion's Head can become part of a wellness-oriented itinerary, subject to weather, trail conditions and a participant's fitness level. Yoga and Pilates are also part of the resort's movement program. The outdoor infinity-edge swimming pool on the island provides a contrasting way to spend time between city excursions.

The Cape Peninsula, Contemporary Art and the Winelands

The hotel's most practical advantage is its role as a comfortable base for a geographically varied destination. The V&A Waterfront is within walking distance for restaurants, galleries, harbor views and the ferry departure point for Robben Island. The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa at the Silo District offers an important introduction to contemporary African art, while the city center provides further museums, architecture and historical context.

Table Mountain is the obvious landmark, but its accessibility depends on weather and visibility. A guided walk or cableway visit should be arranged with suitable flexibility. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden adds a different appreciation of the Cape Floral Kingdom, and the Cape Peninsula provides dramatic coastal routes toward Cape Point. At Boulders Beach, a managed penguin colony offers an opportunity to learn about African penguins while respecting conservation restrictions.

Travelers interested in the ocean can consider seasonal whale-watching excursions, while guided diving or snorkeling in the kelp forests requires appropriate operators and conditions. The hotel also offers selected water activities around its sheltered waterways. The nearby Two Oceans Aquarium provides an engaging introduction to marine life and the conservation issues affecting the region.

Food and wine itineraries can reach beyond Cape Town to Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Constantia. A private day can combine estate visits, tastings and a considered lunch without turning the experience into a race between vineyards. For longer South African journeys, Cape Town pairs naturally with a carefully chosen safari lodge, but the travel times and flight connections should be planned as part of the wider itinerary.

A Waterfront Base for Families

For families, One&Only Cape Town combines a central location with resort facilities that are not always available at a city hotel. Its generous rooms, connecting options and multi-bedroom suites accommodate different ages and travel styles, while the private island provides a swimming pool and space to relax after an outing.

The KidsOnly clubhouse has historically welcomed resort children ages four to eleven, with creative activities, games and organized entertainment. Younger children may require an accompanying adult, and babysitting can be arranged separately subject to the hotel's current arrangements. Families should confirm the club's latest age policies, supervision schedule and activity calendar when booking rather than assuming every service is offered daily.

Cape Town itself offers rewarding family experiences: the Two Oceans Aquarium, mountain and garden visits, guided food activities and carefully paced peninsula drives can all work with children. Selecting the right suite matters as much as choosing excursions. Two-Bedroom Family Suites and Island Family Suites provide separate sleeping areas and useful shared living space, while large signature accommodations suit groups traveling together.

Conservation Through Local Partnerships

Sustainability claims are most useful when they can be traced to specific actions. At One&Only Cape Town, the resort publicly highlights its relationship with the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and a program supporting the rehabilitation of young sea turtles. The partnership connects a waterfront hotel to local marine conservation rather than presenting environmental responsibility as a purely decorative aspect of its identity.

The hotel has also offered conservation-focused encounters at the aquarium, allowing visitors to learn about turtle rescue and rehabilitation through a structured experience. Guests who select these activities should follow the foundation's guidance and remember that outcomes and animal encounters are governed by welfare and conservation priorities.

A stay in Cape Town can also incorporate experiences that strengthen appreciation of the region's ecological richness, from the Cape Floral Kingdom to the marine environment of the Atlantic and False Bay. For more detailed performance data on water, energy or waste, travelers should request current documentation rather than assume island landscaping or a conservation partnership alone establishes a particular certification.

Accessibility Across the Resort and the City

One&Only Cape Town has elevators and managed arrival options, but a suitable stay depends on more than reaching the main lobby. Marina Rise, the island accommodation, spa, pool areas and outdoor terraces have different routes and surfaces. Guests who require step-free movement, adapted bathroom fixtures or specific bed configurations should have these confirmed against an individual room rather than a general accommodation category.

Similarly, a wheelchair-accessible transfer must be arranged according to the traveler's vehicle and equipment requirements. Some attractions around Cape Town may involve steep terrain, uneven historical surfaces, steps or variable marine boarding facilities. The resort team can help assess dining access, spa appointments and excursions in advance so that the practical itinerary fits the traveler rather than relying on assumptions about the destination.

The Best Seasons for a Cape Town Stay

Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate, with warm, generally drier summers and cooler, wetter winters. November through March often appeals to travelers prioritizing outdoor meals, beaches and long daylight hours, while December and January bring busy holiday periods and high demand for desirable rooms and restaurants. Wind can affect beach days and mountain excursions even when the sky is clear.

Autumn, particularly March through May, can be rewarding for travelers interested in city exploration, vineyards and milder temperatures. Winter, roughly June through August, brings more frequent rain and shorter days, but also a different pace at museums, restaurants and wine estates. Spring from September through November introduces wildflowers in suitable areas and greater opportunities for outdoor activity as conditions improve.

There is no universally perfect month for a trip that includes the whole Cape. Travelers planning the cableway, ocean outings or whale-focused experiences should treat weather and seasonality as essential parts of the itinerary rather than assuming availability year-round. The resort remains an attractive base in all seasons because dining, wellness and cultural experiences provide alternatives when the mountain or coastline is temporarily less accessible.

Plan Your Stay With Destinations by David

Choosing the right accommodation at One&Only Cape Town shapes the stay. Our team can help distinguish between the mountain-facing Marina Rooms, quieter Island Suites and spacious family configurations, with advice on the most suitable setting for a short city break, a longer South African journey or a multigenerational celebration.

One&Only Cape Town participates in Virtuoso. Through our Virtuoso affiliation, Destinations by David can help clients access applicable benefits on eligible reservations while coordinating room selection, restaurant reservations, private transfers and tailored Cape Town experiences. Our team will explain the inclusions and conditions relevant to the selected stay during the booking process.

Contact our team to plan and book One&Only Cape Town, with the city, coastline and Winelands explored at a pace that suits your interests and the people traveling with you.

Arriving at the V&A Waterfront

One&Only Cape Town is located on Dock Road at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Journey times are estimates and vary with traffic, airport procedures and weather-dependent excursions.

Cape Town International Airport (CPT): Allow approximately 25–40 minutes by private vehicle in typical conditions, with more time during congested periods.
V&A Waterfront and Silo District: Many restaurants, galleries and visitor attractions are within walking distance of the resort; exact walking times depend on the chosen destination.
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway: Allow approximately 15–25 minutes by car to the lower cableway station, with additional time for queues and weather-related operating changes.
Cape Winelands: Stellenbosch is commonly around 45–70 minutes by road, while Franschhoek usually requires longer; private itineraries should build in time between estates.
Private Transfers: The hotel can coordinate airport pickup and touring vehicles, including specialist requirements when arranged in advance.

A Resort Perspective on the Mother City

One&Only Cape Town brings together two appealing aspects of travel that are not always easy to combine: a genuinely useful central location and the restorative space of a resort. The V&A Waterfront gives travelers access to Cape Town's art, dining, history and excursions, while the private island, spa, generous accommodation and wide mountain views invite time that is deliberately unplanned.

For first-time visitors, it provides an approachable base for discovering the city and peninsula. Returning travelers may find equal pleasure in a more selective itinerary shaped by food, galleries, conservation experiences and the Cape Winelands. Its strongest quality is the freedom to move between those different versions of Cape Town without giving up the comfort of coming home to the waterfront each evening.