12 Apostles Hotel & Spa, Cape Town, South Africa

The Twelve Apostles has one of the most enviable locations of any hotel in Cape Town. Just twenty minutes out of the central city, it stands alone on a bend on the Atlantic coast, a few kilometres beyond trendy Camps Bay and resting on the lower slopes of the Twelve Apostles mountain range.

There is not an average view from any part of this sprawling white-washed Med-style property and the Twelve Apostles takes full advantage of its vistas with plentiful balconies, public terraces, lawns arrayed with sun-loungers, two small outdoor pools and panoramic windows in both its ‘Leopard’ lounge bar and ‘Azure’ restaurant.

The welcome at the Twelve Apostles is impressive too. I arrived at the hotel after a long cycle ride on a hot day to be greeted by two beaming members of staff, one clutching a bottle of icy cold mineral water and the other a cooling towelette.

This high standard of service continued throughout my stay. The towering and genial General Manager Clive Bennett has built an unfailingly personable and attentive team around him and each of them – from hotel drivers to reception staff – help make a stay here refreshing and memorable. It is also encouraging to see a hotel genuinely attempting to reflect the new demographic of South Africa by supporting talented black employees to rise to senior positions.

This is particularly good news as controversy surrounded the original construction of this property, with much protest being voiced at its location within a National Park and close to sacred Muslim burial sites. But since its relaunch in 2002 under the Red Carnation group, the Twelve Apostles seems to have emerged as an exciting modern South African hotel, which does more than offer luxury accommodation and exceptional views. Apart from its excellent staff, unusual touches here include the atmospheric underground ‘Sanctuary’ spa, occupying caves dug out of the cliffs, a 16 person cinema with regular movie screenings and the imaginative menu – based on the indigenous Fynbos herbs - presented by Executive Chef Roberto de Carvalho in the ‘Azure’ restaurant.

The rooms
The overall feel of the hotel is part time-warp, recalling the ‘Golden Era’ of travel with old airline posters, corridors designed to evoke an ocean liner, those expansive lawns and terraces and a lounge bar complete with Leopard motif carpet and furnishings. But it is also modern and convenience oriented, with bright décor throughout, full compliment of in-room technological knick-knacks and ‘business-ready’ rooms.

There are 55 ‘deluxe’ guest rooms and 15 suites, set out in four wings of the hotel. The standard rooms do cram in a lot and can seem a mite cramped, though the bathrooms are large enough. What meets the eye here is on the understated side, with simple prints and lightly-coloured fabrics favoured and the odd African artefact on view to remind you where you are. The most desirable suites are split-level and feature uninterrupted views over the Atlantic, that with a sea-shell theme and its own terrace being a favourite.

Whatever room you are in, try not to miss the descent of the fierce yellow African sun into the Atlantic ocean horizon.