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!)

There are tons of accommodation options in this 131-room hotel - king rooms, supreme kings, island superior queens, marina suites, grand marina suites and presidential suites. All are fit for royalty, but rooms facing Table Mountain command the best views, with huge windows that encapsulate her best angle. All rooms are comfortable with modern décor and varying levels of style and luxury, price-depending. Each has an iPod dock, flatscreen TV, minibar, tea/coffee making facilities and comes with a complimentary daily newspaper and a breakfast buffet for two.

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.