Accommodation in Cape Town 12 Apostles Hotel

von Alan Maguire April 21, 2021

12 Apostles Hotel

The hotel is part of the family-owned and run Red Carnation Hotel Collection and a member of The Leading Hotels of The World. Set on the slopes of the Table Mountain National Park, just metres from the Atlantic Ocean, the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa offers all the serenity and privacy of a country hotel, just minutes from the vibrant heart of Cape Town.

A complimentary shuttle service connects the hotel to the city centre and popular V&A Waterfront precinct, ensuring guests can easily enjoy all that South Africa’s colourful ‘Mother City’ has to offer. And at the end of a memorable day in the city, return to the hotel to toast the best sunset views imaginable.

Named after the 12 peaks of the Table Mountain chain immediately above the hotel, it is an ideal place for an early morning, or late afternoon hike. For the energetic, one can hire a Guide for a more than spectacular hike above Camps Bay onto the Back-Table and on to the top of Table Mountain (this will take anywhere between 4 and 6 hours depending on your fitness).

The hotel is the only building on the Cape Town/Camps Bay coastal road to Hout Bay roadway so the ambience of the hotel is unspoiled by other buildings and it is a 2 minute walk to the historic "Oudekraal" picnic and swimming spot (a traditional grazing area for the KhoiSan cattle in the early days of the Dutch occupation of the Cape.) At the turn of the 18th Century, it was a refuge for slaves who had escaped from the colonial authorities and their masters. Among them were Muslim spiritual leaders who had been captured and brought to the Cape after leading uprisings against slavery in the Dutch East Indies. The Oudekraal ravines provided seclusion and safety for them and allowed them to teach their disciples and keep Islam going in the Cape. The spiritual, historical and natural importance of this area has left this piece of paradise relatively untouched. The small sandy cove is sheltered by boulders, creating a tempting swimming area with gentle swells that are easy to swim through. Lie on the beach, play some bat and ball, go for a dip or climb onto one of the boulders and soak up some sun.
This is one of those Cape Town spots that leaves you in awe of the natural beauty that we’re surrounded by. The turquoise water, white sand and gorgeous granite boulders, combined with the natural vegetation and "fynbos" (fine bush) flowers that has been re-established around the hotel, provide a beautiful foreground to the dramatic mountain peaks above the hotel.