The Table Bay Hotel

Housed in a set of pale yellow buildings crowned with sky-blue roofs and surrounded by palms, the enormous Table Bay looks a bit like a modern beach resort from the outside. The interiors are more elegant and include a heavily furnished, two-story lobby with cream walls, comfortable chairs, and a piano in the center of it all. Glass-enclosed corridors with benches and potted plants provide extra spots for guests to lounge. Although the resort attracts both tourists and company travelers, it has more of a business feel, and its multiple conference rooms and business center with private offices cater to corporate guests. 

The Table Bay is located right on Cape Town's waterfront, within walking distance of plenty of shops and restaurants and a 10-minute stroll north from Two Oceans Aquarium. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is a 15- to 20-minute drive south, as is Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. And it takes around 25 minutes by car to reach Cape Town International Airport, to the east. The hotel also runs a free shuttle to Table Mountain, Two Oceans Aquarium, the South African Museum, Saint George's Cathedral, and the convention center.

Spacious guest units at the Table Bay range from Luxury Rooms, some with views of the sea or Table Mountain, all the way up to suites. Decor is consistent and on the simple side, featuring cream-colored walls with simple scenic art prints, soft lighting, tan carpets with vine patterns, and wood furniture. All rooms have minibars, flat-screen satellite TVs (some of which are quite large), free Wi-Fi, and safes. Junior Suites also have sleeper sofas. Bathrooms are luxurious and feature gray-and-white marble tubs and counter tops, separate walk-in showers, huge gilded mirrors, and Molton Brown toiletries. 

Camissa Brasserie is the hotel's main restaurant, open for both lunch and dinner. The menu relies heavily on seafood and meats, although they do offer a few pasta dishes and salads. The space resembles a colonial library or gentleman's lounge, featuring vintage advertising posters, brass railings, exposed brick walls, and leather bench-style booths. An enormous, free breakfast buffet with around 150 hot and cold items is served daily at the Atlantic, a bright room with soft yellow walls, patterned carpets, and patio seating with gorgeous views. The Table Bay Hotel also has a couple of bars, including a poolside bar for summer libations and the more formal union bar, a dark lounge dominated by wooden walls and brown color schemes. 

The Table Bay has five function venues -- including a ballroom that can seat up to 300 people if arranged cinema style -- as well as a business center with three private offices. The Atlantic can be booked out for events as well. The hotel's fitness center has treadmills, weight machines, and a small set of free weights. The space looks out over a heated outdoor swimming pool and hot tub (closed in winter) on a wooden patio surrounded by lounge chairs. Relaxation and beauty treatments are available at the Camelot Spa, which is open to outside guests and offers massages, facials, and hydrotherapy treatments. The concierge is open 24/7 and can book travel and activities. Parking is free, although many guests instead opt to take advantage of the shuttle that stops around town.