Cape Town demands the best of you. The city is too beautiful, too alive, and too layered to approach half-heartedly.
One&Only Cape Town understands this entirely; positioned at the heart of the V&A Waterfront on its own island of manicured calm, it is a hotel that matches its surroundings in ambition, and more often than not, exceeds them
For first timers, families and regulars, One&Only Cape Town does not disappoint. Settled on two lushly landscaped private islands within the V&A Waterfront marina, with Table Mountain as its permanent, immovable backdrop, this is a hotel that earns its position within one of the most celebrated luxury portfolios in the world. The city comes to the water's edge here, and the water — calm, glittering, perpetually photogenic — comes to you.
In Short:
While the breathtaking backdrop of One&Only Cape Town does half the work, the property and its dedicated team deliver the rest with undeniable flair and real conviction. Home to the continent's only Nobu outpost, the resort keeps the majestic Table Mountain in perpetual view. For those who know the city well, this remains the ultimate urban sanctuary — and for newcomers, it is the grand introduction Cape Town has always deserved.
The Location
One&Only Cape Town sits within the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, known best as the V&A — Cape Town's cosmopolitan marina precinct — at Dock Road. The hotel's location simultaneously is central and, by virtue of its island setting, entirely apart from it. The Waterfront itself is one of the most visited destinations in South Africa, and the hotel's address puts guests within steps of its galleries, restaurants, and even the Cape Town Stadium, for rugby fans like my husband. Yet once inside, the city's energy recedes into something gentler: the sound of water, the sight of mountains, the particular stillness of a well-designed sanctuary.
Cape Town International Airport is located approximately 20 kilometres from the hotel, making the transfer a straightforward 20 to 25-minute drive outside of peak hours. Although Ubers safe and plentiful, with collection from Parkade 1 in the arrivals area, the hotel can also luxury private transfers through the concierge.
The Background
One&Only Cape Town opened in April 2009, and from the moment its doors parted, it set a new benchmark for urban luxury. The resort then underwent an extensive, multi-million dollar redesign and upgrade that was unveiled in June 2022. The redesign was completed by Muza Lab, who's core philosophy pivots on storytelling through design and interiors, aiming to weave the history and soul of a destination into the space through the creations of local artists and craftspeople, ensuring the heart and soul of One&Only Cape Town remains firmly South African.
During this time, all 131 rooms and suites comprehensively redesigned. The reimagined interiors draw from the shapes, textures, and colours of Cape Town and its surrounding landscape — the carpet of the Vista Bar & Lounge details the topography of Table Mountain, the wallpaper and art in the rooms incorporates Cape Floral Kingdom's indigenous fynbos and protea, and other elements of the interior design explore the mythology of the city, and the ocean waters. Every element carries a story.
The Guests & Ambiance
One&Only Cape Town draws a guest profile as layered as the city itself. On any given afternoon by the pool, the resort accommodates international travellers stopping en route to Kruger National Park safaris, Middle Eastern families making full use of the Kids Only Club, European couples celebrating significant milestones, and a quietly conspicuous contingent of guests who simply know where to stay. The hotel is family-friendly without being family-forward, children are genuinely welcomed and well catered to, yet the overall atmosphere remains poised, unhurried, and adult in its sensibility.
And the mood, relaxed, confident, cosmopolitan without being cold, is among the most naturally pleasant of any hotel in the city.
The Rooms & Suites
The 131 rooms and suites are split across two distinct architectures: the seven-storey crescent-shaped main building, which houses the majority of rooms and commands the incredible panoramic views, and the hotel's private landscaped island, where the Island Suites offer a garden-enveloped, waterway-facing experience of a different and more secluded kind.
We stayed in a Premier Marina Table Mountain Room in the main building. Light floods the room through the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which open onto private balcony, the surrounding waterways and the private island. But it is the views of Table Mountain and the rugged, jagged mountainous landscape that truly makes the room jaw-dropping.
While the room is filled with a gorgeous selection of treats and the bathroom is a masterclass in luxury — complete with double sinks and a walk-in rainforest shower — the true highlight of this room is the view. To wake to Table Mountain from a private balcony, to watch the tablecloth cloud form and drift across the plateau over morning coffee, is an experience that the room rate simply cannot fully price.
The Dining
The dining experiences at One&Only Cape Town are anchored by Nobu, and it is an anchor worth noting. This is the only Nobu in Africa; the only outpost of Michelin-starred chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's internationally celebrated Japanese-Peruvian concept on the continent, a fact that gives an evening here a significance extending beyond the food itself, as delicious as the food is.
The restaurant's entrance is just off the main lobby area, and is rather subdued. But once you enter, a striking fanned staircase wraps around a sculpted, salvaged piece of milkwood driftwood. The staircase invites diners to overlook the entire dining room, straight into the open concept kitchen. And guests are welcomed by a rather cohesive and enthusiastic Japanese greeting, 'irasshaimase'.
The menu remains true to the global Nobu canon whilst drawing on South African produce and sensibility where it can. The black cod den miso, marinated for three days and the single most requested dish across every Nobu globally, is as good here as anywhere in the world. This is a complete a menu that rewards both the regular Nobu diner and the first-timer. The omakase option, in which the evening is placed entirely in the kitchen's hands, would be my personal recommended approach for those with the appetite for it.
Beyond Nobu, the resort's dining landscape includes Isola, a casual Mediterranean-style dining options with poolside access; the Vista Bar & Lounge, whose soaring windows frame Table Mountain across what is arguably the finest bar backdrop in the city; and Rooi, which offers a South African menu driven by fire, recently renovated and very much worth an evening. The complimentary breakfast is also served in Rooi, a room whose safari-print carpets and wooden antler chairs manage to be both playful and entirely in keeping, is a generous and well-considered spread that sets the day up well.
Wellness & Spa
One&Only Spa is, in both conception and execution, is one of the most sought-after wellness spaces in the city. It sits on its own private island within the marina — a state-of-the-art wellness centre surrounded by waterways, palm trees, and landscaped gardens, separated from the main hotel and reached by a bridge that functions, quietly, as the first stage of decompression.
The spa recently went through a significant redesign and upgrade, with its new interiors drawing inspiration from the Southern Cross Constellation and the symbolism of the southern night sky. There are 13 private treatment suites, including two dedicated couples suites, with a menu that moves between African-inspired therapies, advanced facials, ESPA protocols, and immersive body rituals incorporating botanicals and aromatherapy. For those seeking a structured wellness escape, the spa offers both full-day and half-day packages, alongside premium facilities including a sauna, steam rooms, two vitality pools, three-setting experience showers, and a full-service salon.
I tried the 90-minute ‘African Journey’ treatment, a bespoke full-body experience that begins with a Rooibos and rock salt scrub before transitioning into a massage using an African Rungu stick. While it was an enjoyable spa experience overall, this particular massage — though undeniably unique — doesn't quite make my recommendation list, especially having experienced far more indulgent and memorable treatments at other One&Only properties.
If you are looking for a serious workout, the main hotel building houses a fully equipped Technogym fitness centre where machines sync directly to your personal profile to track your progress. Far exceeding standard hotel gyms, the space features a dedicated personal trainer on hand at almost all times, while the fridges are continuously stocked with chilled water, fresh juices, and a selection of protein snacks. Best of all, they have solved the ultimate travel frustration of forgotten headphones by providing complimentary pairs that guests are welcome to use and take home.
The Staff & Service
Service at One&Only Cape Town is, consistently and repeatedly, the detail that guests mention first. Ubuntu is the South African philosophy — the belief that an individual's well-being is deeply tied to the well-being and community of everyone around them — means the service is present, unhurried, genuinely human. It is the character of the people who work here, and it is felt in a way that no amount of service training alone can manufacture.
Something Standout: Sunrise Hike Up Table Mountain
The hotel's expert concierge team can arrange a variety of exceptional experiences, but this particular excursion was truly special.
It began with a 5am alarm (stick with me here) and a slow roll out of bed into fitness gear to meet our guide, Gabi, in the lobby. As one of the property's trained hiking specialists, Gabi guided us up the challenging yet beautiful Platteklip Gorge. Patient, knowledgeable, and incredibly kind, she gracefully accommodated our slower, breathless pace — the natural consequence of a week of indulgent dining. I have visited Cape Town several times and experienced Table Mountain with varying levels of visibility, but this trek was unforgettable.
Timed to absolute perfection, we watched the sunrise over the city from the summit, more than a thousand metres above sea level. It was breathtaking in every sense of the word.
One&Only Cape Town,
Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa
Book your stay here
@oocapetown
