V&A Waterfront Cape Town, South Africa
Opened
2017
Price
$$$$
Outside the door
The brand
The Royal PortfolioFaceted harbor showcase
Harbor lanterns glow against the night sky as intimate twilight drinks and sweeping ocean panoramas unfold high above Table Bay's docks.
“Inside, owner Liz Biden has created eccentric interiors to soften the industrial inheritances.”
Where it shines
Exceptional
Eighty-two convex pillowed glass bays bulge outward from the historic concrete frame.
Remarkable
A crossed-keys concierge and dedicated top-floor penthouse butler service set the standard.
Remarkable
A converted 1924 grain elevator rising above forty-two historic concrete harbor silos.
What they say
One Michelin Key
Michelin
Forbes Four-Star
Forbes Travel Guide
2026
UK Readers' Choice Awards – Eastern and Southern Africa
Condé Nast Traveler
2025
Also in The 50 Discovery, Wallpaper*, AFAR and Tatler.
This eye-catching concrete structure, with its bulging, faceted windows, stands atop the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, right on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.
“A cubic grey frame, with lantern-like domed windows, is arresting. Interiors, meanwhile, are unexpected: the matriarch of the diminutive but decadent Royal Portfolio hotel group, Liz Biden, has furnished 28 rooms in her typically exuberant fashion”
“Inside the hotel, owner Liz Biden seamlessly blends her penchant for bold colors and animal prints with some of the best in contemporary African art.”
“The hotel has 28 rooms—including a spectacular, light-flooded penthouse— each decorated with colourful and eclectic pieces that soften the modern industrial architecture.”
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Perched directly above Zeitz MOCAA, the hotel puts the historic working docks, quayside dining, and Robben Island ferries at your doorstep.
The rooms
Deep freestanding bathtubs sit directly against faceted glass bays, framing panoramic views of Table Mountain and the working docks.
The rooftop pool
Bring a swimsuit.
A glass-fronted cantilevered pool runs along the eleventh-floor rooftop, looking out across Table Bay and the harbor.
The spa
The fourth-floor spa holds five treatment suites using Ling New York skincare, alongside a sauna and steam room.
The gym
Treadmills and cardio machines line mirrored walls in the fourth-floor fitness centre for daily workouts.
Restaurant
The Granary Café
Tables sit beside double-height geometric windows for regional bistro dishes and the signature Royal Tea afternoon service.
Industrial minimalism is juxtaposed by floor-to-ceiling, prism-shaped windows, hinting at the opulence that lies within.
The Willaston Bar
Guests sip South African wines and craft cocktails from teal banquettes beneath towering steel ring chandeliers.
How it began
Completed in 1924 as a grain export facility, the elevator tower stood as sub-Saharan Africa's tallest building before its hotel conversion.
“The hotel fills six floors atop a former grain silo overlooking the V&A Waterfront, which also houses Zeitz MOCAA.”
Good to know
Stay here
The Silo Hotel
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.