Cape Town, South Africa
Top Cape Town hotels with a striking rooftop
The best hotels in Cape Town with stunning rooftops
We believe a stay should rise above the ordinary and in Cape Town that often means ascending to a rooftop terrace that frames mountain, sea and city in a single glance. Up here, time bends. Mornings begin with coffee and clouds. Afternoons drift by in warm water and bare feet. Evenings stretch out with drinks, views and the kind of conversations that only happen when there’s nothing between you and the sky. These stays understand that altitude changes everything – not for show, but for feeling. If you’re chasing a rooftop worth remembering, this is where to start.
Top photography courtesy of The Marly
Overview: Cape Town hotels with the best rooftops
01
The Silo Hotel
Set atop the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa at the V&A Waterfront, The Silo Hotel opened in August 2017 after Heatherwick Studio transformed a 1924 grain elevator into a 28‑room, nine‑storey landmark. This guest-exclusive rooftop terrace features a heated infinity pool enclosed by glass walls, offering uninterrupted views of Table Mountain, Robben Island and the V&A Waterfront. The Kitima Bar sits under a retractable pergola, serving poke bowls, Baja-style tacos and a selection of Western Cape wines. Raw concrete columns and polished teak decking recall the building’s industrial past, while minimal sun lounges maintain clear lines of sight. Accessible from noon until sunset (weather dependent), this rooftop corner remains one of Cape Town’s most architecturally distinguished vantage points.
Read the full article on The Silo Hotel.
The Silo Hotel
Silo Square
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of The Silo Hotel
02
Gorgeous George
Gorgeous George lives up to its name. It’s cool without trying too hard – a rare thing. Gorgeous George occupies two joined heritage buildings – a Cape Edwardian corner block from the early 1940s and an adjacent 1938 Art Deco gem by Walgate & Elsworth. The renovation by Urbane Citizen Architecture preserves grand architraves and original oak window surrounds while threading in raw concrete beams and sculptural steel elements. Inside, 32 industrial-chic suites nod to Cape Town’s past with brass detailing, Delft-style tiled kitchenettes and hand-painted murals by David Brits in every room. Gigi, the rooftop bar offers a taste of laid‑back luxury at 32 storeys up. A glass-edged plunge pool occupies the centre, surrounded by six bespoke mid-century loungers and hand-painted floor tiles.
Read the full article on Gorgeous George.
Gorgeous George
118 St Georges Mall
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of Gorgeous George
03
The Trade Boutique Hotel
Once Commerce House – a grand heritage structure on Shortmarket Street – this hotel has been reborn in seven graduated hues, shifting from deep burgundy through corals to warm biscuit tones on its façade. Led by Rawson Developers’ director Morné Möller, the interior design of The Trade Boutique Hotel lives up to its cinematic promise – velvet banquettes, brass accents and graphic wallpaper reference Wes Anderson’s palette with Parisian polish. Inside, three design themes – Ginger, Ruby and Fred – play out in individually curated suites that balance the building’s heritage mouldings with playful pops of art-deco furniture and local artworks. The Trade Boutique Hotel’s rooftop – The Moon Bar – combines nostalgia and novelty in a single glance at the city’s sprawl. Plunge into the crystal‑clear pool, claim a low‑slung lounger, and watch the city fade from bright blue to burnt orange with a cocktail in hand.
The Trade Boutique Hotel
55 Shortmarket St
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of The Trade Boutique Hotel
04
The Marly
The Marly, named after the 17th-century Château de Marly, mirrors its namesake’s reputation for leisure and elegance. Elevated above the iconic Camps Bay beachfront, The Marly offers 11 sea-facing and mountain-facing suites, each offering a unique perspective of the Mother City. The hotel’s design focuses on natural textures – driftwood accents, whitewashed stone and linen cushions that echo the shoreline below. Make your way up to the rooftop and you’ll find Baptise. Here the heated plunge pool is the star of the show, offering sweeping views of the Twelve Apostles, Table Mountain and the Atlantic. Linen-draped daybeds and shaded cabanas provide secluded spots for cocktails infused with local botanicals, alongside fresh seafood mezze.
The Marly
The Promenade
201 Victoria Rd
Camps Bay
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of The Marly
05
O’Two Hotel
Set along Mouille Point’s breezy promenade, O’Two Hotel offers a front-row seat to Cape Town’s Atlantic edge – with panoramic views of the ocean, Signal Hill and the stadium skyline. This independent 34-room boutique stay features spacious suites with kitchenettes, private balconies and playful art details throughout. It’s a modern, sea-facing escape that doesn’t try too hard – stylish, but with a relaxed pulse. Up top, the pool terrace makes the most of its sea-facing position – with loungers, mountain views and an easygoing bar setup that comes alive around sunset.
O’Two Hotel
3 Surrey Pl
Mouille Point
Cape Town
South Africa
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Photography courtesy of O’Two Hotel
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