One&Only Cape Town

Rooms and decor

Picture a luxury resort planted in the heart of V&A Waterfront — the loudest, most-visited part of Cape Town — that is built around its own private lagoon so the moment you step inside it goes quiet. That is the One&Only Cape Town, the One&Only group's first urban resort, open since 2009. The roughly 131 rooms and suites split between a main building with Marina Rooms that face Table Mountain directly, and the Island Suites on the lagoon island for guests who want maximum privacy. The first thing reviews flag is size — rooms run clearly larger than the city-hotel average, and every one of them has a private balcony for standing out and watching the marina move. The interiors lean warm and contemporary: timber in honeyed tones, woven Cape textiles, and African artworks placed thoughtfully through the rooms rather than as wall filler. Beds are deep and soft, bathrooms run wide with separate tub and shower, and many rooms greet you in the morning with Table Mountain framed perfectly through the window. That single view is the thing most guests remember years later.

Food and amenities

The centrepiece is the infinity pool stretched along the marina edge, with the water spilling visually into the harbour and Table Mountain rising behind it — the best afternoon-drink seat in the building. A short bridge over the lagoon takes you to a small private island and the resort's ESPA spa, which reviewers call out for how genuinely quiet it feels: treatment rooms, steam rooms, and lounge space arranged so you can pretend the city outside does not exist. Several reviews say the spa alone justifies the booking. Food is taken seriously here. Three signature restaurants share the property, headlined by Nobu — the only branch in Africa, serving the Japanese-Peruvian fusion that built the brand — alongside Reuben's from South African chef Reuben Riffel, who cooks contemporary plates around Cape produce. A casual pool-side bar and breakfast room round out the eating options. Beyond food and spa, there is a 24-hour gym with fitness classes, plus a Kids Studio that quietly makes this resort work for families as well as couples on a quiet break.

Location and getting there

One&Only sits in the middle of V&A Waterfront, the redeveloped harbour that is the centre of gravity for visitor Cape Town. A 5-10 minute waterside stroll along the marina takes you to the V&A shopping centre, dozens of waterfront restaurants, boat-tour piers, and Two Oceans Aquarium, which kids love. The district is one of the safer corners of central Cape Town and stays comfortably walkable into the evening, which matters in a city where transport planning is part of every day. For everywhere else, Cape Town has no metro system, so taxi or Uber is the default — both pull up at the resort entrance without delay. The Table Mountain cableway is a 15-minute taxi ride, the Atlantic beaches at Camps Bay and Clifton are 15-20 minutes, and the colourful old quarter of Bo-Kaap is roughly the same. Use the resort as a calm in-city base, then peel off on day trips to the mountain, beaches and winelands.

Things to know before booking

Honest cautions to weigh. First, price: this sits at the top tier of Cape Town hotels, and the rooms facing Table Mountain command a clear premium over marina-view or city-view rooms. If the budget is tight and the mountain view is not a deal-breaker, the marina-view rooms get you the same generous space for noticeably less. Second, this is not a beach resort. The waterside setting is a marina and lagoon, not a sand beach — guests who picture stepping straight from their door onto sand will be disappointed. Reaching Camps Bay or Clifton means a 15-20 minute drive. Third, the resort sits inside the busiest tourist district in the city, so the surrounding waterfront can get crowded at peak hours, and marina-view rooms can occasionally pick up sound from waterfront activity or scheduled events. Light sleepers should ask for a quieter room at booking. Most of these are about expectation-setting rather than real flaws.

Our take

Reading across honest guest reviews, One&Only Cape Town sells four things confidently: real privacy, oversized rooms, a Table Mountain view almost no other in-town hotel can match, and signature-chef food on property. If your trip in your head looks like waking to a mountain in the window, swimming laps in the marina infinity pool, walking the bridge to a spa island, and finishing the day with dinner at Nobu, this is the most complete option in Cape Town. The large rooms and Kids Studio also make it one of the rare luxury resorts that genuinely works for families without sacrificing the romantic-getaway feel. The flip side: if your priority is a beach, or your budget is tight, the marina setting and price tier may not be the right fit. Overall 9.2/10, best for couples and families who value space, privacy and a serious mountain view from a city base.