One&Only Cape Town

The grand entrance's polished floors and limestone walls are but a teaser for what's inside. From here, broad hallways branch out into the many spaces that this enormous, modern construction holds. Two restaurants and a bar offer unique, high-quality experiences in distinctly different settings. The garden boasts the largest infinity pool in South Africa, and innumerable shady seating areas amid lush botanicals. There's an indulgent spa, and a fitness centre, well-equipped with anything you might need to get motivated (including wonderful city views as the ultimate inspiration!)

Cape Town's myriad offerings and gorgeous surrounds could keep you busy for a year. You might have to settle for the abridged version, nevertheless, so here are some good places to start: the burgeoning food scene (coffee shops, boutique bars, gourmet weekend markets, hole-in-the-wall ethnic joints and top-notch restaurants); beaches that trace the Cape Peninsula - from fashionable Camps Bay to vibey Muizenberg and quaint Boulders Beach; Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens where you will encounter the fynbos floral kingdom and forever be changed; the stunning hamlets of Kalk Bay and Simonstown for antiquing and seafood sampling; the historic city centre or the important Robben Island; and, of course, a trip up the (one and only) Table Mountain.