About this hotel
General information
The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa is a boutique hotel of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, set above the Atlantic on the scenic coastal road that runs from Cape Town past Camps Bay towards Hout Bay — and the only hotel along it. The peaks of the Twelve Apostles range and the slopes of Table Mountain National Park rise behind; in front lies open ocean.
Its 70 rooms and suites are each decorated differently, and almost all look out to sea or to the mountains. A collection of South African art runs through the interiors, while gardens of indigenous plants surround the buildings, with paths leading straight into the national park. There is a spa with treatment gazebos on the mountainside, two pools, a private cinema and a helipad, while the terrace of The Leopard Bar looks straight out at the sun setting into the Atlantic.
Location
The hotel lies on Victoria Road on Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard, between Camps Bay and Hout Bay, with Table Mountain National Park and Lion’s Head behind it. Camps Bay is about 8 minutes away by car, Hout Bay 10 minutes and the V&A Waterfront around 15 minutes. Cape Town International Airport is a little over half an hour’s drive; the concierge arranges private transfers. A complimentary shuttle runs daily from 8am to 9.30pm to the V&A Waterfront via Camps Bay, hourly from the hotel and every half hour from the Waterfront.
Spa
The spa has seven treatment rooms with heated beds, two of them interleading for couples, plus two Mountainside Spa Gazebos on the slope above the hotel, used for massages with views over the ocean and the national park. The hydrotherapy area holds warm and cold plunge pools and a saltwater flotation pool; there is also a Rasul chamber with steam, mineral mud and chromotherapy, a rain shower, a tranquillity lounge with herbal teas and the Perfect Finish Tourmaline Salon for manicures and pedicures. Treatments use Environ, Elemis and Esse Skincare, and a complimentary Health Bar offers fresh juices and homemade snacks.
Sports & leisure
The hotel has two pools and a gym with Technogym cardio equipment, a generous free-weights area and a stretching corner. Garden paths join the trails of Table Mountain National Park, including the Fynbos Trail and the hike up Lion’s Head, and the Sports Buddies programme pairs guests with knowledgeable staff guides for a range of sports. Other options include:
- helicopter flights over the Atlantic Seaboard from the hotel’s own helipad
- chef-prepared picnics in the gardens and on a rocky outcrop in the national park overlooking the ocean
- a private cinema with plush seating and surround sound
- The Gin Lab, where guests blend their own gin from local botanicals, with a guided tasting
- whale watching from the bar terrace — southern right whales are most often seen between July and December
- winelands and Cape Peninsula tours, kayaking to the penguin colony at Boulders Beach and golf on courses within 25–30 km, all arranged by the concierge
For children
Younger guests have a programme of their own: a children’s check-in, welcome bags with a Kids Passport and an activity book, and daily children’s film screenings with popcorn. Children can decorate pizzas, sushi and cupcakes, make milkshakes, smoothies and mocktails, play giant garden games, join treasure hunts and go on guided walks. Experienced babysitters can be arranged on request.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchens build on local produce and seafood from the Cape coast:
- Azure Restaurant — the main restaurant, with ocean panoramas, contemporary Cape cuisine centred on local fish and seafood and an extensive wine list; breakfast is served on its open-air terrace
- The Café Grill — relaxed all-day dining with mountain views: sushi, salads, burgers and aged steaks, and a milkshake menu for children
- The Leopard Bar — cocktails, South African wines, craft beers, cognac and whisky, live music in the evenings, and a terrace for sunsets over the Atlantic and afternoon high tea
- The Conservatory — a quiet room with ocean and national-park views, serving gins from the bar’s collection with canapés, and available for private dinners
- The Apostles Braai — a private event venue for up to 32 guests in the gardens, with menus built around the South African braai of flame-grilled meat and seafood
A dedicated poolside menu comes from The Café Grill, and picnics are packed for the gardens.
Swimming
Two pools are reserved for hotel guests: the heated Atlantic Terrace infinity pool, lined with sunbeds and facing the ocean, where dolphins and whales are often seen, and a rock pool set into the mountainside among the fynbos. Lounger service is offered at both, with a refreshment station stocked with sun lotion, fruit and water. The nearest sandy beach is at Camps Bay, 8 minutes away by car.
Pets
Dogs smaller than knee height are welcome in designated pet-friendly rooms, by arrangement at the time of booking, with a bed, bowls and their own menu. In public areas dogs must be on a lead; they are welcome in The Leopard Bar but not in Azure Restaurant or The Café Grill (service dogs excepted).
Rooms
Seventy individually decorated rooms and suites in calm, natural tones, from Classic Rooms with balconies to the Presidential and Grand Master suites. Families can choose from 16 interleading rooms.
Rooms have a Savoir king-size or twin beds, soap and pillow menus, natural toiletries, bathrobes and slippers, individually controlled heating and cooling, tea and coffee, mineral water, a safe, a hairdryer, complimentary Wi-Fi, evening turndown and 24-hour room service.
Classic Room
A room in muted natural tones with a private balcony and full-height sliding glass doors. King-size or twin beds, for up to two guests.
Milkwood Room
A room at the heart of the hotel near the Atlantic Terrace pool, with a private balcony or terrace and full-height sliding doors. King-size or twin beds, for up to two guests.
Deluxe Room
A room with a balcony facing the Twelve Apostles range; ground-floor rooms look onto the fynbos gardens instead. King-size or twin beds, for up to two guests.
Luxury Room
A larger room with bespoke furnishings and a private terrace overlooking the surrounding landscape. King-size or twin beds, for up to two guests.
Junior Sea-Facing Suite
An open-plan suite with a sunken lounge and a private balcony looking over the coastal road to the ocean. For two adults and one child under 12.
One Bedroom Suite
A suite with a separate bedroom and lounge and a private balcony or terrace with mountain views; selected suites accept small dogs. For two adults and one child under 12.
Sea-Facing Suite
A one-bedroom suite with a cosy lounge, minibar and a balcony facing the ocean; the bathroom has a bath and a freestanding shower. For two adults and one child under 12.
Two Bedroom Suite
A non-sea-facing suite with a king-size master bedroom, a second bedroom with twin beds, two bathrooms and a private terrace. For up to four guests.
Two Bedroom Sea-Facing Suite
A suite with two bedrooms (king-size and twin), two bathrooms and a balcony with panoramic Atlantic views. For up to four guests.
Presidential Suite
A corner suite with heated marble floors, Italian chandeliers and works by South African masters: a master bedroom with an antique marble bath, a lounge, an eight-seat dining room with bar, a study and a guest bathroom. A wraparound terrace faces sea and mountains, with a private butler on call around the clock.
Grand Master Suite
A private upper floor joining the Presidential Suite with interleading sea- and mountain-facing suites and two mountain-facing rooms. For up to ten guests, with butler service.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.