One&Only Cape Town

The hotel's understated sandstone entryway opens into a cavernous lounge that blends South African-inspired sculptures and artwork with contemporary design. Slender white columns rise to the ceiling of the open-plan space with colorful furniture arranged around dark wood tables and comically sized floor lamps. The most impressive part of the area is the outdoor terrace in back, which leads to exclusive suites surrounded by a waterway that connects to the marina.

Built along a canal that’s part of Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, One&Only Cape Town also has its own private real estate extending out into the waterway. It's less than a five-minute walk to the center of the waterfront, bustling with shops, restaurants, and other tourist attractions like Two Oceans Aquarium. The city center itself is just a few minutes' drive south while Table Mountain Aerial Cableway and the entrance to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden are each about a 15-minute drive south as well. It's a 20-minute drive southeast to Cape Town International Airport, barring traffic.

The One&Only’s 131 rooms are split between those in the main marina building and the 40 suites out on the island, connected by a bridge walkway to the rest of the property. They’re all enormous, and with the smallest unit being 678 square feet, there's plenty of living space amid the earth-toned decor. Each room has a sitting area with a couch and table as well as a work desk. Modern amenities include iPod docks, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, stocked mini-fridges, and Nespresso machines. Private balconies or terraces come with views of Table Mountain or the marina. Bathrooms are partially exposed to the rooms, with double sink vanities and soaking tubs concealed behind wooden screens. Toilets and walk-in rainfall showers have their own private stalls.

Though expensive, it's hard to beat the dining here, with two restaurants attached to acclaimed chefs Nobuyuki Matsuhisa and Reuben Riffel. Nobu adds South African flavors to its more familiar Japanese standards with use of local seafood and chilies. Reuben's does regional cuisine with international influences, culminating in dishes like grilled Karoo lamb loin with gremolata mash and peri-peri tiger prawns with butternut and spinach wontons. There's also a glass and steel wine loft, rising to three stories of bottled heaven for all to peruse with 5,000 vintages on hand.

The pool and spa are housed on the hotel's island, surrounded by a fantastic palm-lined sun deck. Sun loungers and covered seating surround the pool bar that serves drinks and snacks, including wood-fired pizza. The full-service spa has a scenic relaxation room, sauna, and steam room, along with 12 treatment rooms, including couples' villas. An attached salon has a sought after mani-pedi studio. Back in the main building, the fitness center has numerous treadmills, cross trainers, and weight-training machines. A connected yoga studio has regular Pilates classes and light-filled space for less strenuous workouts. The KidsOnly club provides numerous experiences to keep little ones occupied with its arts and crafts lounge and video game room. Themed activities change daily and include puppet shows, folktale storytelling, Cape Town music shows, and culinary experiences with hotel chefs.