After I booked our original flights to Cape Town I went to work finding a hotel for us to stay for the week. I knew we wanted a hotel by the water, but I had no idea where exactly to stay. Luckily, I remember reading a review of a Cape Town hotel on GodSaveThePoints blog a few years back. I then immediately went to work trying to find the review. After a few minutes of searching various blog posts I finally located the review I remember reading years ago. The review was for The POD Boutique Hotel in Camps Bay and after reading it again I was certain that was the hotel that we should stay.
Camps Bay Cape Town seemed like the ideal place for my girlfriend and I to stay during our week in Cape Town. Camps Bay appeared to be a small beach town located not too far from the city center. I basically figured the area would be a bit more quiet, safe, and relaxing than if we stayed along the V&A Waterfront or in the City Bowl.
When I started searching for hotel rooms though I ran into an issue. The POD Boutique Hotel was charging in excess of $600 a night for the dates of our stay. That was far too much money for us to spend on our trip which meant I needed to continue to search.
I’m not sure how exactly I discovered it, but at some point during my search I stumbled across The Marly Hotel which appeared perfect. Even better, the room rates were about half of the POD’s rates and I could book using my Citi Prestige 4th Night Free benefit. So, without hesitation I booked the nonrefundable room that turned out to be the anchor for us taking this trip in the first place.
Arriving At The Marly Hotel Camps Bay Cape Town
Since we arrived to Cape Town a day earlier than originally planned we spent the first night in the city bowl. I had a free night certificate with Marriott so I booked the 15 On Orange hotel. The hotel was nice, but the area surrounding the hotel was a bit rough. We never necessarily felt unsafe, but it wasn’t the warm and welcoming Cape Town that we had read about.
Admittedly, after the first 24 hours in Cape Town we had our doubts as to whether or not we picked the right place to visit. After that first night we packed up and requested an Uber to take us to The Marly Hotel in Camps Bay. I still remember sitting in the back of the car talking about how we probably wouldn’t need to visit Cape Town again in the near future…
That all changed the moment we crossed over the mountain and began descending into Camps Bay. The views from the car were absolutely breathtaking and our entire mood change in a matter of moments. Our Uber ride from 15 On Orange to The Marly took all but 20 minutes and before we knew it we were at the front entrance of the hotel.
Our Uber dropped us off on the street directly in front of The Marly Hotel which wasn’t exactly the right place to be dropped off. Instead, when arriving for the first time, we should have directed the car into the parking garage and up to the upper levels. On the upper level of the parking garage is the drive-up entrance of the hotel.
Instead, we pushed our bags up the various parking garage ramps until we located the front entrance. As we entered the revolving glass door we were immediately inside the intimate lobby of the hotel.
From there the very friendly hotel staff greeted us, offered us cold waters, and collected our travel documents. We were then ask to be seated while we waited to be checked in.
The Marly Hotel Cape Town
Checking in took just a few minutes for the reception staff to scan our travel documents and initiate a deposit on our credit card. Shortly thereafter we were handed room keys and directed to our room. The hotel occupies two floors with the majority of guest rooms and the lobby located on the 3rd floor while additional rooms, the library, and the gym are located on the 2nd floor.
As we walked to our room located on the third floor of the hotel we were impressed by the interior design. The entire hotel is absolutely beautiful.
We especially appreciated the unique room numbers which were a small numbered plaque held by a painted ceramic hand. It was a subtle reminder that the hotel didn’t take itself too seriously despite the sophisticated finishes.
As we opened the door to the room we immediately knew we picked the right hotel. I am completely serious when I say that the view from the hotel room entrance is breathtaking.
The Marly Hotel Sea Facing Room
Before I get to the incredible views, I’ll start with the bathroom which is located just inside the room. The bathroom is completely finished in marble and features a shower, sink and a toilet.
The bathroom alone is quite attractive, but is by no means the best part of the room.
That honor of course goes to the living area and the view. WOW! This has to be one of the most beautiful hotel rooms I’ve ever stayed in.
Our standard sea facing room featured a king bed, a couch, a wall mounted tv (on the smaller side [not turned on once]) and a large sliding glass door.
That sliding glass door of course lead to our private balcony which overlooked the Atlantic ocean!
The two glass panes slide out of the way making the entire room feel like you’re outside when opened. Better yet, there were hardly any bugs as far as we could tell so you can leave the door open day and night if you wish.
Without a doubt, if we ever consider returning to Cape Town again we would absolutely return to The Marly based on this view alone. After taking in the view for a few minutes we decided to venture upstairs to the rooftop pool to take in the incredible views that surround the hotel from all sides.
The Marly Hotel Baptiste Rooftop Pool and Lounge
One of the things that I loved most about The Marly when booking was the rooftop pool area. The Marly Hotel is home to Baptiste Rooftop Pool, Bar, and Lounge which is affiliated with the hotel. Guests have complimentary access to the pool and lounge area and can charge all food and beverage items to their hotel room.
The rooftop pool features a glass wall that overlooks Victoria Road and the beaches below.
Better yet, the pool has a few in-pool lounge chairs that offer unobstructed views of nearby Lion’s Head.
Baptiste Rooftop also offers incredible views of Camps Bay beach which long and beautiful beachfront perfect for early morning or sunset walks.
The rooftop also has several sitting areas where guests can order food or drink and escape the intense South African sun.
Otherwise, you can of course find a lounge bed and work on your tan. I’d recommend bringing plenty of sunscreen!
As the sun began to set and the sunburn began to set in… we decided to head down to the street level and explore the hotel grounds.
The Promenade Camps Bay
The Marly Hotel is located within the Camps Bay Promenade which is essentially a small shopping mall.
What makes the Promenade special is that it’s home to several excellent restaurants, several of which are affiliated with the hotel.
Within the Promenade are 6 different restaurants that are all owned by The Kove Collection. Those restaurants include Baptiste, Surfshack, La Bella, Bilboa, Chinchilla, Paranga, and Zenzero. Each is unique and offers different fare, but you can charge food and drink at each to the room. Our rate included complimentary breakfast each morning at Bilboa (which was delicious) and we ended up eating at Paranga and La Bella for dinner. Panraga was delicious and La Bella was just okay. Overall, we loved the convenience of having so many reputable restaurants located just downstairs from our room.
Beyond the Promenade there were several restaurants ranging from pub food to high end cuisine. We stayed at the property during the week and ended up having a tough time with dinner reservations. So, if you plan on staying at the hotel, I’d recommend emailing the concierge before hand to request dinner reservations to nearby establishments.
Camps Bay
The thing we loved most about the hotel was the location. As I’ve mentioned, Camps Bay is a small beach town located along the west side of Cape Town. Unlike the City Bowl, Camps Bay proved extremely safe, even at night. We never ran into issues walking around during the day or at night.
Because Camps Bay sits at the very base of Table Mountain it’s very easy to begin a hike from the hotel. After breakfast each morning we could walk through the surrounding neighborhoods and up to the various trail heads. Keep in mind, it’s about a 30 minute walk (uphill) to a trail head.
If hiking isn’t your thing and you instead like to relax and have a few cold drinks, there are plenty of bars and pubs located along Victoria St. This whole street is quite lively in the evening so it’s a great place to go out at night as well.
Finally, Camps Bay is a beach town after all, so it goes without saying that the area is home to a fantastic beach.
From the entrance of the hotel you can easily walk along the beach all the way up to Clifton which is the nearest town to the north. Likewise, you can walk along the main road up to Clifton as well, which is a bit quicker.
The beach also is home to some natural tidepools that form each day. The Ocean was far too cold to enjoy during our stay, but these tidepools proved a bit warmer.
From the beach the views of Table Mountain and the famed Tablecloth are breathtaking.
As you walk along the beach you can’t miss The Marly hotel thanks to the bright blue rooftop pool.
The Promenade Entrance
There are actually two entrances to The Marly Hotel. The first, featured above, is the main entrance for arriving guests. The parking garage entrance is where you’ll want to go when you have all of your luggage, etc. However, after checking in and receiving your keycard, you can more easily access the hotel via the Promenade entrance. This entrance is located on the second floor of the Promenade between La Bella and Chinchilla.
You’ll need to scan your key to access the enclosed lobby and scan again to access the elevator. However, this elevator takes you directly to the middle of the hotel guest floors for easier access to your room.
This is also the elevator you’ll use to head downstairs each morning for breakfast at Bilboa.
Final Thoughts
I must admit, prior to staying at The Marly I was a bit sad we weren’t able to book the POD hotel. I had read such great things about the hotel that I really wanted to give it a try. However, when we got to Camps Bay and saw the POD we were thrilled with our decision. The POD hotel looked fantastic, but it’s actually not on the waterfront. Instead, the waterfront view is partially obstructed by an unattractive apartment complex (you don’t see that in photos).
We spent 4 nights at The Marly Hotel Camps Bay and can honestly say that it wasn’t enough. This hotel is excellent in every measure. The guest rooms are stunning (especially sea facing rooms), the rooftop and pool are perfect, and the location is unbeatable. Better yet, I’ve followed up and found this hotel listed for much less than what we paid for our stay. I’ve seen room rates as low as $150/night in recent weeks.
So, if you are considering a visit to Cape Town, I’d highly recommend staying at The Marly Hotel Camps Bay. It’s a stunning hotel in a quiet little beach town that’s still just a 20 minute car ride to Cape Town proper. Likewise, you’re only 30-40 minutes from Hout Bay which is another worthwhile place to visit during your stay.
