The President Hotel, Bantry Bay, Cape Town

The President Hotel’s historic position along South Africa’s Atlantic Seaboard delivers affordable comfort

With 349 rooms, suites and apartments, The President Hotel in Bantry Bay on Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard, is one of the largest hotels in the area. It is also one of the oldest locations that has been a beacon of service for over 250 years. Although the initial footprint which included all the land up the mountain and down to the sea has been reduced and sold for high-end residential developments, lodging at The President continues to provide wonderful sea and mountain views of the Lion’s Head peak behind, part of the Table Mountain National Park.

During recent months they have introduced a special offer for locals who’d like to use the fabulous rim-flow pool and loungers selling day passes which also include credits against food and beverage. They have also recently become a pet-friendly hotel. This ability to be able to spin on a dime or penny means that there is always something new to look forward to. Sunset salsa nights? Coffee and cake promotions? Two-for-one gin cocktails and so on. The benefits of all of their ample marketing efforts is that The President is a popular hotel with residential guests and locals alike. If you are looking for solitude this is probably not the best place. But, if you want a comfortable hotel at competitive prices where you will have the opportunity to interact with other guests and locals in the restaurants, bars and in-demand swimming pool, this property is hard to beat.

Downstairs, the ground-floor buffet restaurant provides a lavish breakfast with various hot and self-service and items cooked to order. As the Atlantic seaboard is a very cosmopolitan area with large Jewish and LGBTI++ communities you will find buffet areas where no pork-based ingredients are used and this filters too to The President Hotel’s everyone’s-always-welcome approach. Even for the deeply religious observant, the hotel is well versed in helping guests meet all their religious obligations which may include escorting guests on foot to nearby local synagogues.

While the food and beverage offering is an excellent one, you may wish to self-cater for some of your meals. And, although there are excellent restaurants within easy and safe walking distance, there are gourmet-orientated Spar and an upscale Checkers supermarket within a few blocks.

Accessing the famous and well-used Sea Point Promenade, within 50 meters of the hotel’s entrance, will provide a 6km paved walking route so close to the sea you might have seas spray on your spectacles by its end.

Table Mountain too is easily accessed and the pristine beaches from the family-friendly Queen’s beach immediately in front of the hotel to the famous Clifton beaches, a few kilometres away. While the distance to reach Camps Bay and Clifton is short, the route that hugs the Atlantic on one side with some of the costliest real estate in South Africa on both sides, traffic can be very congested especially on a good weather day.

Although the Western Cape is a winter rainfall region, in recent years climate seems to have shifted bringing a day or two of showers during the summer months. The President Hotel offers fast and free wi-fi and many board games for days when going out seems an effort. The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, one of Cape Town’s most popular attractions, is also very close by.

Hotel rooms at The President are clean-lined and minimally decorated but they get the important things right like black-out curtains and supremely comfortable beds.

The hotel has embraced technology in a big way. The aforementioned 1gig fibre internet is one, being able to use your smartphone as a room key is another and the check-in process and Covid-health questionnaires are also all completed on your own device.

For guests staying on the sixth floor, an additional offering is available called HotelFlix which gives guests access to their favourite streaming platforms such as Netflix where you can, using your login details, continue watching where you left off before leaving home.

As a popular property, there is always a buzz of activity especially in the lobby and at reception desks. Cleverly, hotel staff will come to help people in the queue and not only those in front of the queue. From the excellent concierge service to staff always being available to seat you at the restaurant and pool, waiting time is thankfully limited. In years gone by this property was one of the first to welcome guests of all races even during South Africa’s apartheid regime. And, when it came to relaunching after a major refurbishment, President Nelson Mandela honoured the hotel by opening it again. People of a certain age, that’s about 55 and up will also remember Raffles, at the time the preeminent nightclub in Cape Town. Then, like now, The President Hotel offers a multitude of good reasons to visit.

Tell Me More About The President Hotel, Cape Town

The President Hotel, 4 Alexander Road, Bantry Bay Cape Town, South Africa, 8001

T: +27 (0) 21 434 8111 E: info@presidenthotel.co.za

Rates, at the time of writing, from R1632 per room for two people or about £78.

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