Almost everyone who takes the Blue Train spends a few days in Cape Town, and it is easy to see why. Few cities anywhere have a setting like it, with Table Mountain behind, the ocean in front and the winelands an hour away.
Cape Town Before or After the Train
If you are travelling north to Pretoria, Cape Town is where the holiday starts, and a few nights here help you get over the flight before you board. Travelling south, the train is scheduled to arrive at Cape Town Station at about 18:00, and a hotel booked for that night, and a few more, turns the end of the journey into the start of the next part of the trip.
Three or four nights is a good amount of time. It lets you take the cable car up Table Mountain, visit Robben Island, drive the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point and the penguins at Boulders Beach, walk in Kirstenbosch botanical gardens and spend a day in the winelands around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. The Blue Train leaves from Cape Town Station in the city centre, which is a short drive from all the hotels below, and we can arrange transfers, tours and a private guide.
Where to Stay
The V&A Waterfront is the most popular base, with restaurants, shops and harbour views, and it is close to the station. The city centre and Gardens area on the slopes below Table Mountain has smaller, characterful hotels and good restaurants within walking distance. For something more relaxed, the Atlantic coast around Camps Bay and Bakoven has beaches, sunsets and the mountains of the Twelve Apostles behind.
Our Favourite Hotels
The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa
A five-star hotel in the Red Carnation collection on the coast road between Camps Bay and Llandudno, with the Atlantic in front and the Twelve Apostles mountains behind. It has a spa, a restaurant and bar with ocean views, and a quiet, secluded feel, while still being only about fifteen or twenty minutes from the city.
The Table Bay Hotel
A large, elegant hotel right on the V&A Waterfront, with views over the harbour and across to Table Mountain. It is a comfortable and convenient choice, with the Waterfront's restaurants and the Robben Island ferry on the doorstep.
The Victoria & Alfred Hotel
A characterful four-star hotel in a converted 1904 harbour warehouse, right at the Pierhead in the heart of the V&A Waterfront. It opened as a hotel in 1990 and takes its name from Queen Victoria and her son Prince Alfred, after whom the Waterfront itself is named. Many rooms look out over the Alfred Basin or up to Table Mountain, and the hotel's restaurant, Ginja, sits on the water's edge. There is no pool on site, but guests can use the pool and spa at the Dock House, its sister hotel a short walk away.
It is a great choice if you want to be in the middle of things. Restaurants, shops and the Nelson Mandela Gateway, where the Robben Island ferries leave, are all within a few minutes' walk, and the Waterfront is pleasant to stroll around in the evening.
One&Only Cape Town
A contemporary resort hotel at the V&A Waterfront, set around its own marina and gardens, with large rooms, several restaurants and a spa on a private island within the grounds. It works well for couples and families alike.
Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel
A small, stylish boutique hotel in a restored Georgian and Victorian house in the Gardens area, just below Table Mountain and a short walk from the restaurants of Kloof Street. Each room is individually decorated, and the staff are full of local tips.
These are just a few of the hotels we use. If you have a favourite of your own, or you would prefer a wine estate or a guest house, we are usually able to book it.
Planning Your Trip
For the train itself, see Cape Town to Pretoria and Pretoria to Cape Town, and for the other end of the line our Pretoria hotels. Practical details on check-in and luggage are on General Information. Back to the Blue Train overview.