Leaving the bustle of glitzy Camps Bay behind, head out on the gently winding coastal road that has the majesty of the Twelve Apostles mountain range to your left and the sparkling Atlantic Ocean to your right. Before reaching the seaside enclaves of Llandudno and Hout Bay, turn off the road near Oudekraal to the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa, which is surrounded by hectares of indigenous fynbos and soaring mountain peaks.

Originally a private home built in 1929 with the classic white Cape Dutch gables that mark the traditional architecture of the Western Cape, The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa has been extended to offer guests a variety of rooms with sea or mountain rooms, a spa, plenty of dining options – the Leopard Lounge & Bar is a favourite with locals – and even a private 16-seater cinema. It offers the best of both worlds: a short drive to the Blue Flag beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton as well as Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront and the cosmopolitan Cape Town city centre but also the joy of being surrounded by nothing but nature.

One of the highlights for guests is no doubt the nature trails and picnic spots that lie behind the hotel and the exclusive-use gazebos that are perfect for sunset massages. Ideal for honeymooners and discerning couples, The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa is also a popular venue for weddings and celebrations because of its incredible views and stately décor.

Highlights

• Spa with flotation tank & hydrotherapy pools
• 16-seater private cinema
• Fine dining at Azure restaurant
• Select a wine from the special ‘Vinoteque’
• Ocean & mountain views
• Hiking trails & picnic spots
• Heated infinity pool & rock pool
• 10 hammocks in the fynbos garden
• Helipad & complimentary Wi-Fi
• Pet-friendly garden suites
• ‘Business-ready’ rooms available

Activities

• BEACH ACTIVITIES
• GUIDED WALKS
• HELICOPTER FLIGHTS
• HIKING
• PICNICS

Rooms

Classic Room

Rooms at the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa are decorated and furnished in a beautiful combination of plush country cosiness and chic designer style with muted tones and glamorous highlights. All have LED TVs, Wi-Fi access and spacious bathrooms. Honeymooners and couples will be delighted by the romantic turndown service while those who are combining work and play can request ‘business-ready’ rooms that will supplied with reading lighting, desks, stationery and appliances such as printers and fax machines. Classic Rooms have balconies that allow you to step out and take in nature while enjoying a morning cuppa.

Mountain Facing Room

Mountain-facing Rooms have awe-inspiring views of the Twelve Apostles’ craggy peaks and deep kloofs from their floor-to-ceiling windows while ground-floor Mountain-facing Rooms look out onto the surrounding fynbos garden from their stately 4-poster beds.

Presidential Suite

The 151m² Presidential Suite is opulent, with pale silk wall coverings, an 8-seater dining room, a wrap-around terrace and beautiful mosaics and hand-carved panels. From the ceiling hang Italian chandeliers while the walls are strung with South African Masters.

The two bathrooms are marble and have underfloor heating while a tub calls out for a glass of bubbly to enjoy the view of the twinkling Lion’s Head in the distance. The Presidential Suite also has a wood-panelled dressing room or study, depending on your needs.

For parties of four, an extra bedroom can be connected to the Presidential Suite. Up to 10 guests can be accommodated by extending the Presidential Suite into the Grand Master Suite, which has five inter-leading double bedrooms.

Luxury Room

Luxury Rooms have views of either the sea or the mountain, with elegant sofas and deeply-buttoned easy chairs providing a great spot from which to enjoy them.

Garden Suites are ideal for guests travelling with pets or children under 12. Children are also best accommodated in the One-bedroom Mountain and Sea-facing Suites.

Facilities

The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa is well equipped for guests who like the option of dining and relaxing on a hotel’s premises. The all-white spa has seven treatment rooms (including dual therapy rooms), a flotation tank, rain showers, hydrotherapy pools and a health bar to complete the physical cleanse. To truly unwind, head to one of two private glass gazebos located on the slopes of the Twelve Apostles mountain range for a massage amid the tranquillity of nature, with views of the ocean and sunset.

The Rasul Chamber offers guests a traditional Arabic cleansing ritual that is a combination of mud and warm steam. The 16-seater cinema has Dolby sound and on-tap movie goodies like popcorn and milkshakes. Take in one of the scheduled shows along with a meal or select one of your favourites from the film library – perfect for a rainy day or when you need to simply sit back and relax. One of the most unique aspects of the hotel is that, because it lies on former farmland and was once the site of a 19th-century hunting lodge, it is surrounded by hectares of pristine fynbos, the indigenous heather that forms part of the magnificent Cape floral kingdom. Within the fynbos garden are 10 hammocks that beg for you to lie down and catch up on your holiday reading or cat-napping.

There is also a rock pool with mountain views as well as a heated infinity pool along the front façade of the hotel (keep an eye out for passing pods of whales during August and September). The fynbos also has several natural hikes, with durations that run from an easy 10 minutes to a more taxing 45 minutes. The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa runs a shuttle service to the popular V&A Waterfront, near the Cape Town city centre and harbour, which has attractions such as the Two Oceans Aquarium, boats to Robben Island, excellent shopping and views of Table Mountain from the many bars and restaurants.

Dining

For fine dining, Azure restaurant serves up plump oysters (even for breakfast), tender scallops, succulent abalone and perfectly cooked springbok on its menu that intertwines seasonal ingredients, local flavours and international favourites, with an extensive South African wine list to match (the wine is stored in the specially commissioned ‘Vinoteque’ to be at the best-possible temperature). The expansive balcony has sea views while the interior is a stately combination of dark wood and light linen warmed by a log-burning fireplace. Enjoy ‘Tea by the Sea’, a classic high afternoon tea where you can nibble clotted cream on warm scones and dainty cucumber sandwiches. The Café Grill is more casual: open round the clock, enjoy light meals on its alfresco deck before sampling exotic flavours from the ice cream menu. For cocktails or celebratory drinks, head to the cosy Leopard Bar. A favourite with locals, this is the spot to order a nightcap and catch up on the city’s news and gossip. If you are out on the terrace for a cotton-candy sunset, try The Twelve Apostle’s delicious signature cocktail, aptly named ‘Atlantic Sunset’.