Discover the Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Cape Town, South Africa

Nov 27, 2025 0

Cape Town, South Africa, is a vibrant and beautiful city known for its stunning natural landscapes, rich culture, and dynamic arts scene. Choosing the right neighborhood to stay in can significantly enhance your travel experience. This guide highlights the best areas in Cape Town, weighing the pros and cons of each to help you make an informed decision.

Quick Picks for Where to Stay in Cape Town

If you're short on time, here are some top recommendations:

De Waterkant: Central, secure, and charming with its pastel-colored cottages and cute cafes.
Gardens: A super central neighborhood with beautiful views of Table Mountain and a bustling atmosphere.
Sea Point: Close to Clifton Beaches, boasting its own rock pool beach and a vibrant promenade.

Overview of the Best Areas to Stay in Cape Town

Cape Town is a compact city, making it relatively easy to explore from various locations. While the city has a reputation for being dangerous, most crime occurs in the outskirts, allowing tourists to safely enjoy the main attractions.

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De Waterkant

De Waterkant is an upmarket bubble of quiet right next to the busy city center. I lived here for a year and I loved it so much. Plus, it’s just so pretty with its pastel-coloured cottages and cute cafes. It’s also a very LGBTQ+ friendly area. With its central but secure location, convenient shops and cafes, and low-key atmosphere, you're unlikely to regret making your base there. De Waterkant is where we told Kim's parents to stay when they came to visit, where we'd look to stay if we leave Cape Town and return for a few days.

Accommodation in De Waterkant:

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Loader B ($$$): Super safe and boasts a rooftop pool and a gorgeous modern interior.
De Waterkant Apartment ($$): A more affordable spot with a modern interior and lots of natural light.
The Grey Hotel ($): A boutique hotel with a cute little rooftop area and swimming pool.

Cape Quarter Mall has a pleasant indoor courtyard for coffee and eats and a convenient Spar grocery store and Tops liquor store.

Gardens

Gardens is a super central neighbourhood with beautiful views of Table Mountain. Gardens is close to pretty much everything, and I love the bustling feel of this area. All the action in Gardens revolves around Kloof Street, so in the Map above we've set its borders as being unofficially anywhere that's within easy walking distance of it.

Plenty of parks and green space, including De Waal Park, the Company's Gardens, and Lion's Head and Table Mountain just up the hill. Kloof Street is famous for its high tea and pink paint, even if you can't afford to stay there it's worth wandering through to appreciate the calm oasis in the heart of Cape Town.It's more than just a cheap, small movie theatre.

The Best Hotels in Gardens:

The Mount Nelson ($$$): The pink Mount Nelson Hotel is probably the most famous hotel in Cape Town. It’s been welcoming guests since 1899 and everyone from Winston Churchill to Jon Bon Jovi has stayed here.
Derwent House ($$): A beautiful boutique hotel just steps away from Kloof Street. It actually reminds me a bit of a Balinese Villa!
Zebra Crossing Backpackers ($): If you’re looking for a budget stay, this clean and comfortable hostel is a great choice.

Sea Point

I lived in Sea Point for a year and I LOVED it. Sea Point is also close to the Clifton Beaches and boasts its own rock pool beach, which is a favourite hangout of mine. Meanwhile, you can’t beat a walk on the promenade! Sea Point also has a growing number of cute bars and restaurants, like Arthur’s Mini Super, Maggy Lou’s, and Only Fools. Sea Point should be called Sea Pencil because it's not a point but a long, narrow neighborhood that runs between the western side of Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean. It's densely-populated (by Cape Town standards), middle-class, and busy, but it's not as trendy and touristy as Gardens so you can easily blend in with the locals.

Cape Town's roughly 3-kilometer seaside path is the go-to for cyclists, joggers, and calisthenics enthusiasts like us (at the workout area by Three Anchor Bay).

The Best Hotels in Sea Point:

Sea View Apartment on the Prom ($$$): It’s in a prime location right on the prom with huge windows so that you can soak in the sea views 24/7.
Home Suites Hotel Station House ($$): This lovely aparthotel has everything you need, including a rooftop pool with amazing views of Lion’s Head.
Cambourne Holiday Apartments ($): Located right near the coolest bars and restaurants, this apartment is a STEAL. It’s bright, airy, and nicely decorated.

Tamboerskloof

Tamboerskloof is a scenic neighbourhood nestled in the slopes of Lion’s Head and Signal Hill. It’s also right near the city’s best nightlife and it’s super easy to access all of the major attractions from here. Accommodation here is relatively affordable for tourists and there are lots of fantastic guest houses in this neck of the woods.

Where to Stay in Tamboerskloof:

Jardin d’ébène Boutique Guesthouse ($$): This boutique guest house is tucked away beneath Table Mountain, with gorgeous views of Lion’s Head.
Radium Hall Guest House ($$): This beautiful, modern guest house offers comfy rooms and fantastic views of Table Mountain.
Bayview Boutique Guest House ($$): Fancy starting your day with a swim in a saltwater infinity pool that looks straight onto Table Mountain?

V&A Waterfront

For one, it means that many of the city’s most prestigious hotels can be found around here! There are also lots of fantastic restaurants right next to the water and plenty of fun bars. The Oranjezicht Farmers Market takes place on Saturday and Sunday mornings, plus Wednesday night during the summer.

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The V&A Waterfront wasn't even a possible place to stay in Cape Town until the 1990s, when some ambitious (and now richer than ever) businessmen converted what was once a port into a tourism destination. Now, it's a mostly-pedestrian wharf-like area full of super-expensive hotels and boats, a couple of museums, a giant mall, a Ferris wheel, some mostly un-exceptional restaurants, and lots and lots of people-people from all over Cape Town, South Africa, and the world. It's actually probably the most diverse of Cape Town's neighborhoods in that regard.

The Best Hotels at the V&A Waterfront:

One & Only ($$$$): If you’re looking to go luxe, and I mean LUXE, the One & Only at the Waterfront is the ultimate choice.
The Silo ($$$$): The Silo is probably Cape Town’s second most iconic hotel, after the Mount Nelson in Gardens.
Radisson Red ($$$): The Radisson Red is a funky hotel and a popular spot for sunset drinks!

Clifton

I wouldn’t choose to live here because there aren’t a ton of amenities like shops and restaurants around. Basically, if you’re all about the beach, Clifton is a dream.

The Best Accommodation in Clifton:

The Nici Clifton Beach ($$$): These stunning beachfront apartments have views to die for, tons of natural light, and giant round bathtubs.
Beachfront Studio ($$): A studio just across the road from Clifton Beach? Need I say more!

Green Point

Green Point is between Sea Point and De Waterkant. It’s a slightly less exciting neighborhood than the other two but it’s safe with plenty of amenities and it’s located close to pretty much everything. One of my closest friends lives in Green Point, and I briefly lived in this area while I was staying with her.

If you can't decide whether to stay right by the water or close to the city center, Green Point is the perfect compromise. We've been living in Green Point for five months (after an arduous apartment search) and find the location to be perfect for our needs: quiet, close enough to the city center's restaurants, bars, and cafes, and also close enough to the Atlantic Seaboard's beaches and waterfront promenade.

Along Main Road and Somerset Road (which merge into one another), there are also a handful of good restaurants such as Bao Down and El Burro, which are two of my all-time favourites. Plus, I do like Green Point Park and the DHL Stadium is in this area.

The Best Accommodation in Green Point:

Dysart Boutique Hotel ($$$): I love the fact that this solar-powered hotel blends luxury and sustainability. Oh, and the infinity pool - I’m a big fan of that, too.
Check Inn Hotel ($): A basic but affordable aparthotel that comes with parking.

Other Areas to Consider

Camps Bay

Okay I know I have to mention Camps Bay, because it’s one of Cape Town’s most famous areas. It’s an expensive area. While I do enjoy coming to Camps Bay to enjoy dinner and drinks on the strip from time to time, it’s a bit too busy and touristy for my liking on the whole.

The Best Accommodation in Camps Bay:

South Beach Camps Bay Boutique Hotel ($$$): A light, airy property with an infinity pool that overlooks the ocean and the beautiful tidal pool.
Azamare Guest House ($$$): I’m pretty sure that if I stayed here, I would just never leave.
Merridew Villa ($$$): If you’re looking to split a villa with friends and enjoy the stay of a lifetime, I reckon Merridew is a pretty good shout.

Vredehoek

Vredehoek is a safe and more residential neighbourhood nestled beneath Table Mountain. The area is pretty peaceful on the whole. One benefit of staying here is that the accommodation tends to be a little more affordable, too. There are lots of friendly guest houses in this area.

Best Hotels in Vredehoek:

Abbey Manor Luxury Guesthouse ($$): A gorgeous, manor-like guesthouse. You can enjoy a free breakfast out on the terrace every morning with Table Mountain towering in the background - sounds pretty good to me!
Tom’s Guesthouse ($$): A cute and welcoming guest house with a swimming pool, a sun terrace, and free parking. It’s a real home from home - you get breakfast every morning and the staff will treat you like family.
Scenic Disa Park Apartments ($$): So, one of the things Vredehoek is most famous for is being home to the “Tampon Towers”. Yes, really - three skyscrapers that bear an unfortunate resemblance to a feminine hygiene product.

Where NOT to Stay in Cape Town

If it’s your first time visiting Cape Town, the chances are you’re concerned about safety. For that reason, I would suggest avoiding the following areas.

The CBD: It’s okay and certainly convenient if you’re short on time, but I got cat-called and harassed quite a bit when I stayed here.

Additional Considerations

Is Cape Town Walkable?

Sometimes. Uber's cheap and everyone who lives here owns a car, so most people drive everywhere in Cape Town, but that doesn't mean you have to too. We walk just about everywhere during the day. Kim walks alone, too. It's safe, compact enough (from the one end of Kloof to far end of downtown is roughly 3 Km and takes about 40 minutes), the weather's great, and walking's good for you and better for getting to know a city. Just don't walk anywhere at night unless it's a street, like Kloof, with lots of other pedestrians.

Can I use public transit to get around Cape Town?

We wouldn't recommend it. Cape Town's only semi-reliable public transit is the MyCiti bus that runs from downtown along the Atlantic Seaboard past Green Point, Sea Point, Clifton, Camps Bay, and on to Hout Bay. We use it from time to time, but it's a bit of a hassle to sign up to and slow to use so we recommend sticking to Uber unless you're staying in Cape Town for an extended period of time.

Should I rent a car for Cape Town?

Yes, but not for the entire time you're in Cape Town.

Without your own car, you'll have a hard time getting to a lot of our favorite things to do in Cape Town like the scenic drives, the wine lands, the townships, and some hikes. But you might be better off without a car for the first couple of days in Cape Town, especially if your accommodation doesn't have private, secure parking. Parking can be a pain here and there's a significant risk of someone breaking into your car, so a combo of walking and Uber is a better bet for the city.

As for who to rent from, based on our handful of experiences here and extensive research for good deals, we recommend Around About Cars for rentals of a week or more and Avis (booked through a third-party like Expedia or Priceline for cheaper rates) for shorter-term rentals.