Review of The Bay, by Liat Joshi

With central Cape Town just 10 minutes away, fabulous Camps Bay beach on the doorstep, and the imposing Twelve Apostles mountains as a backdrop, The Bay must be one of the world's best located city hotels. If you can't decide whether you want a city break or a beach holiday you don't need to; you can have both at the same time here.

The Bay's modern, whitewashed building has prime position on the palm-tree lined Camps Bay beachfront. This area is a favoured hang out for Cape Town's coolest residents, with plenty of suitably chic cafes, bars and restaurants. The Bay's own outlets are perfectly pleasant, but for a more buzzing atmosphere try sunset cocktails at nearby Caprice, followed by dinner at Blues or The Codfather. All three are haunts of the thriving South African model community and therefore fantastic for people watching.

Across the coastal road from the bars and cafes and a few steps from the hotel is the beach, regularly voted one of the World's finest. Hefty Atlantic waves break against unusual rock formations and wide expanses of white sand, but the sea is surprisingly icy all year round.

A warmer and calmer option for swimming is The Bay's pool, overlooking the promenade and surrounded by plenty of well-padded sun-beds. The hotel also has a beauty salon and a small exercise room. Guests wanting more extensive leisure facilities have access to a nearby Virgin Active health club and use of the courts at Camps Bay Tennis Club.

For a hotel with only 76 rooms, there are a confusing eight room types, including 'mountain', 'classic', 'club classic' and 'luxury'. Guests pay a sizeable premium for sea facing rooms; some of which are quite compact but the views (especially at sunset) make the additional cost worthwhile. Mountain View rooms may well have a spectacular vista of the Twelve Apostles, but some also have the hotel's car park and service area in the foreground. If money is no object, the Penthouse suite has a particularly spectacular outlook from its huge balconies and is a generous 160 square metres.

Regardless of room type, décor is almost entirely taupe and cream; Kelly Hoppen would be proud and while it's inoffensive, frankly it's also a tad monotonous. On the plus side, most rooms have a sitting area, bathrooms with separate power showers, and a private entrance lobby (useful for dumping sand-filled beach shoes and limiting corridor noise). Extras include pillow menus and complimentary mineral water.

Staff are young, stylish and efficient, and the concierge desk can book excursions, ranging from overnight safaris to visits to the Penguin sanctuary on Boulders Beach.

There are cheaper and equally chic options in the area, but if you want the best location in Cape Town and full hotel services, The Bay is hard to beat.