Travel and Tourism

A look inside Cape Town’s most exquisite hotel #Twelveapostles

If you’ve ever set foot in Cape Town, chances are you’ll know all about the magnificent Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa. The five-star luxury venue is a triumph of opulence and breathtaking views.

Sitting above the ocean – on the scenic drive from Camps Bay to Llandudno – the resort is simply stunning from the outside. We can assure you, that majestic presence intensifies once you set foot inside the hotel. Much to our pleasure, we were invited to spend the night there and get a real feel for what has made this tourist favourite so consistently popular over the years.
Awards won by Twelve Apostles
We’re imploring you all to believe the hype regarding Twelve Apostles. If you aren’t too familiar with its history, we’ve picked out the best of the countless awards it’s racked up over the past few years…
Their pedigree speaks for itself. But we’re here to talk you through a typical 24 hours at Twelve Apostles, based on the experience we had earlier this month. Oh, word to the wise: Bring your swimming gear.

exquisite hotel
You get the star treatment as soon as you’re parked up. The superbly-organised staff are on hand to take your luggage and get you checked in with a champagne reception. We got there at noon, but hey, it’s 17:00 somewhere in the world, right?
Needing to line our stomachs after such a bubbly welcome, we headed upstairs to the Leopard Bar, which was awarded its Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor in 2016. What we loved most about the food on offer at Twelve Apostles is how it reaches a level of supreme quality, without ever becoming a pretentious affair.

Any place that serves you hearty chicken sliders and fresh oysters on the same menu is a winner in our book. Plus, the views from the balcony provide a stunning backdrop which you can’t help but raise a glass to!
We then headed to the room, which had a world-beating sea view. The size of our room wasn’t overwhelming and could be called “quaint” in some circles. But considering you have your own private balcony, a bathroom fit for royalty, and a bed that you’ll want to live the rest of your life on, size really does not matter in this case
While the hazy sunshine was beating down upon the hotel, we made the most of the two pools on offer. You’ve got the Atlantic-facing pool – which is heated all-year round and sits idly on a beautiful wooden terrace – and the rockpool, which revels in its own secret location. For nature lovers, we recommend the latter for a unique swimming experience

exquisite hotel

Drinking, unpacking, and swimming. We reckon that’s enough to wear anyone out. We needed some R and R, so how fortunate is it that South Africa’s “leading spa” was on our doorstep? We made our descent into the cave-like interior of the 12A spa, and came out feeling 10 years younger.
You name it, you can have it: Massages, hot-tubs, flotation tanks, tranquillity rooms and restorative treatments are all on offer. Just make sure you stay well hydrated because things get pretty toasty down here.
Once our heart-rate had increased a little, we summoned the energy to go for dinner at the Azure Restaurant. Executive Chefs Bea Tollman and Christo Pretorius are responsible for some of the most divine culinary creations the Cape has to offer.

You can’t come to this place without getting stuck in to the seafood. The signature dishes come fresh from the ocean, and they’re cooked to perfection. The baby calamari and the seabass go down as the two jewels in this menu’s crown, but if you are in a more carnivorous mood, we’ve taste-tested the steak and it was an out-of-body experience.
Things really wind down once the sun has set. But we recommend finishing your evening with a night-cap up at the Leopard Bar – it transforms from casual eatery to a sophisticated bar in the evening, which is the perfect location to take in the dazzling sights of Lion’s Head and Camps Bay while under the moonlight and stars.

exquisite hotel
Perhaps the greatest novelty we were treated to was the hotel’s private cinema room. You can settle down for a rom-com or a laid-back flick at either 19:30 or 22:00, and it’s a fantastic way to end your day. The room provides free sweets and you can even get yourself a milkshake while you’re there. So you know, save a bit of room after dinner.

The worst part of any hotel stay is accepting it’s over. Well, we were determined to go out with a bang. We were up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for our breakfast on Sunday morning – complimentary for all guests – which boasted a continental and fried selection as well as healthier options, such as fruit and cereal.

Again, the champagne bottles were just too hard to ignore. If you’re not having mimosas and a fry-up during your stay, you’re doing it wrong. After filling our faces with another divine serving of food, we needed to get rid of the guilt and fast: There’s a stunning trail you can walk, which leads from the back of Twelve Apostles and into the mountain range of the same name; a picnic area and Stanley’s Rock awaits all hikers at the top.

exquisite hotel
Begrudgingly, check-out time came. It was a chance to thank the staff for their endearing service and desire to make our stay as welcoming as possible. We had great expectations of 12A, and they were comfortably exceeded. If you’d like to find out more about staying at this resort.

Source: thesouthafrican