Discovering Cape Town, South Africa with andBeyond

After thirty hours of travel, I landed in Cape Town, South Africa, where a representative from andBeyond was waiting for me at the gate with a sign with my name on it. I felt like a movie star, as the gentleman carried my bags and propped me into the appropriate line at customs and immigration. He seamlessly helped me gather my checked luggage, and escorted me to my nearby andBeyond driver, who was waiting in a Mercedes van with cold water and a cool towel.

My driver delivered me safely to the Cape Grace Hotel. I stayed in a beautiful and large room with a view of the Fairmont Harbour, Table Mountain and the beautiful Marina for two nights.

The Cape Grace Hotel, a Fora Preferred Partner, Fairmont managed and Accor-STEP member, sits in the perfect location on the V and A Waterfront. The hotel is only a half an hour from the airport, and within walking distance of the Robben Island Museum, Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre, the Alfred Mall, Two Oceans Aquarium, Clock Tower Centre and the Watershed local artisans mall, where I spent most of my time exploring.

Cape Grace is also home to the Bascule Whisky Wine and Cocktail Bar, carrying over 500 whiskies from around the world. They bring one of the more popular spots in Cape Town to life. It was unfortunately under renovation during my stay.

We toured the architectural masterpiece of the nearby Silo Hotel, a Fora Preferred Partner and part of the Royal Portfolio. It's nestled in an old grain silo, resting above the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), which houses Africa’s largest collection of contemporary African art. The African art inside the hotel and rooms also makes you feel like you're inside a museum on par with any European museum.

The penthouse suite deserves its place in a design magazine with floor-to-ceiling glass and colorful touches to make any art lover’s jaw drop. We had a marvelous and flavor-packed dinner with Verner, the North American Sales Manager at the Granary Cafe restaurant. It overlooks the city through the pillowed glass windows, and is a romantic, dimly lit space with a view. It's just perfect for couples, families or group celebrations.

Image 1: Inside one of the bedrooms in the Royal Suite at The Silo Hotel, with floor-ceiling glass walls and a view of Cape Town below. Image 2: Travel advisor posing and smiling behind the sign at the Cape of Good Hope on a windy, yet sunny day.

The following day, we departed Cape Grace with our lovely andBeyond driver and guide, Naz for the day. We toured Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope and the penguin colony near Simon’s Town. We were unfortunately shut out of visiting Table Mountain due to the dangers of fog and wind. We made our way along the winding road to the most southwestern point of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope. With its small café, souvenir shop, restrooms and lighthouse, it attracts many visitors each year. It's commonly mistaken for the southernmost point of Africa (actually 90 miles to the southeast). It’s famous for the point where ships turned more eastward than southward. It's not the dividing point, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet.

Nonetheless, it was a worthwhile journey to this windswept spot with ostriches crossing the roads in front of us, while exploring the Cape peninsula with its beautiful landscape and colorful water along its coastline.

On the way to lunch, we stopped by the Boulders Penguin Colony, home to 3000 or so African penguins, near Simon’s Town in Table Mountain National Park. It's protected from visitors and requires a ticket to enter. It is surrounded by boardwalks, which provide nice viewing and photo opportunities, while the penguins go about their business on the sandy shores and large boulders of Foxy Beach. It was the most crowded place we’d stopped so far. Sneaking to the edge for a close-up photo proved somewhat challenging. It's an obvious hot spot to visit, but is worthwhile and does not require much time.

We were then dropped off at the lovely and bustling Harbour House Kalk Bay restaurant for some fresh seafood. We had perfect viewing of the Atlantic Ocean's boiling waves spraying the window in front of us. Afterwards, we took a short drive back to Cape Town where we checked into the One & Only Cape Town for our two-night stay.

The gorgeous One&Only Cape Town hotel, a Fora Preferred Partner and UJV property, provided us with more views of Table Mountain and the Marina. The lobby was open and had ample space for small groups to gather for an unobstructed view of Table Mountain through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The sprawling property itself felt worlds away from its urban location, with private waterways encompassing the hotel, a tucked-away lagoon-style pool, a secluded spa and a world-renowned restaurant, Nobu. We dined there with their sales manager, Chloe.

Naz returned the next morning to guide us on our full-day private tour of the area and the Winelands. After a night of fierce winds and rain, we were happy to be in our van to escape the unfavorable weather the day provided. A trip through Cape Town took us past the House of Parliament, the Slave Lodge and Museum, the colorful Malay Quarter and a Nelson Mendela statue.

We then headed out of town toward wine country. Our first stop - Babylonstoren - one of the oldest Cape Dutch Farms, in the Franschhoek Wine Valley. It hosts a hotel, spa, restaurant, shop, wine tasting, coffee roasting café, bakery and garden. Unfortunately, we were shut out of our wine tasting and lunch stop in the Franschhoek or Stellenbosch wine valley due to the previous night's wind and rain storm, which uprooted many trees in the area. Our alternate plan took us to a lovely area of Stellenbosch Central, where we dined on wood-fired pizza at Sophia’s and shopped along the charming tree-lined Church Street.

Back in Cape Town, we enjoyed our last night at the popular GOLD Restaurant. It's perfect for groups, birthdays and other celebrations. GOLD’s provides an authentic African Experience. Think luau for African entertainment and an immersive experience including personal drumming by each guest. The lively singing, dancing, and drumming were entertaining and thoughtfully nestled in between the multiple courses on our set menu. Our meal including favorites such as Namibian ostrich filet, Zanzibar linefish, South African venison, Moroccan chicken almond pies and flavorful vegetable dishes. This feast highlighted the African palate. I wouldn’t necessarily shy away from this somewhat touristic opportunity, as most guests were all in on the immersive African experience!

We were greeted the next morning by our andBeyond driver Naz, who escorted us to the clean and modern Cape Town airport. Having once only thought of andBeyond as a safari outfit, I was pleasantly surprised that they provided a seamless guest experience, incorporating city tours, wine tastings and cultural experiences. The details of arranged transfers, the ability to quickly adapt to itinerary changes, accommodation and dining recommendations made booking with andBeyond an easy and worthwhile choice for clients and advisors alike.

Leave some space to reschedule Table Mountain in case it’s closed due to weather. Try a spa service as the prices are well below U.S. standards, including at well-known properties like the One&Only!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Cape Town. In need of further inspiration? Check out my trip reports, Exploring Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe with andBeyond and Discovering Botswana's Okavango Delta with andBeyond.