Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Twelve Apostles Hotel




Victoria Road, Oudekraal
Camps Bay
Cape Town, South Africa
27-21-437-9000

COST: $$$$

Set along a secluded stretch of Atlantic coast, this 70-room mini-resort is a sanctuary where mountain views, sea breezes, and heady indigenous plant life converge. The property’s original 1929 gabled farmhouse has been added on to over the years, but the extensions are understatedly modern and include a Buddhist-style spa, a 16-seat cinema (showing classics, blockbusters, and kids’ flicks), and two swimming pools (one a sea-facing infinity pool, the other mountainside and ringed with boulders). Although there’s no direct beach access, the hotel has a free shuttle service that makes the two-minute drive to Camps Bay Beach—and the trade-off is a lush landscape fragrant with fynbos (wild shrubbery), hammock-swagged picnic spots, and private mountain trails bordered with pelargonium blossoms.

Insider Tip: For the ultimate mind and body tonic, book a massage in one of the two private mountain gazebos—thatched treatment rooms with uninterrupted views of waves, mountain flora, and winter waterfalls.

Room to Book: All rooms here are clean-lined and face mountains and/or sea—but Superior sea-facing rooms have a roomy split-level layout, with lounge areas a few steps down from the bedrooms.

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