In Cape Town, the light is something to marvel at before anything else — it courses down from the heights of Table Mountain, glints off the stirrings of the Atlantic, and filters through the blossoms of jacarandas that spill lilac-lavender across spring skies. Wedged into one of the city’s gentler folds lies a little gem of hospitality — the Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel by MORE Collection — ensconced in the leafy suburb of Gardens. Just off the bustle of Kloof Street, it feels like a world apart.

At first sight, the Cape Cadogan wears the gracious, unpretentious air of a Georgian-Victorian townhouse: walls painted crisp white, shuttered windows framed in black, and an understated columned portico. But this unassuming exterior hides a world of textures, stories and slow indulgences — inside, the palette deepens to bottle green, velvet chairs, soft black accents and gleaming white, a scheme that whispers of old-world composure with a twist of modern design flair.

Cross the threshold, and you find yourself in a hush — the soft scrape of footsteps on polished floors, the faint scent of class, the distant hum of Cape Town beyond the windows. At Guest Relations, a grinning staff member hands you a chilled drink. You don’t just feel welcomed — you feel eased.

A Sense of Place

The hotel’s location is quietly triumphant. Gardens is a neighbourhood of roughly balanced contradictions — part serene residential calm, part creative ferment — and gives easy access to the city centre without sacrificing peace. Wild fynbos weaves across the ridgeline of Table Mountain, while below, boutiques, cafés and galleries beckon along Kloof Street.

From the upstairs veranda, you glimpse the sharp silhouette of Devil’s Peak to the east, and a sweeping bend of Table Mountain rising above. Birds — bulbuls, weavers, sunbirds — flit through verdant trees in the garden; their dawn-time songs are the only overture before the city stirs. In those soft hours, the Cape Cadogan feels like a secret known only to the curious and unhurried.

Interiors: Where Elegance and Quirk Converse

Inside, the Cape Cadogan’s interiors do not subscribe to minimal modernism — instead, they revel in carefully curated layering: bottle-green drapery, velvety chairs, gilt-framed mirrors and crisp whites, all accented by splashes of black. Contemporary art sits comfortably alongside older curios: a travel-worn tome might rest by a sculptural lamp; a framed photo might lean casually against a wall — the whole place feels inhabited rather than staged.

Lounges are cosy and intimate: one chamber might hold a fireplace flanked by plush sofas; another could be lined with dusty books and journals tucked into alcoves. The house invites habitation, encouraging guests to settle in as though it were your great eccentric aunt’s delightfully lived-in home.

Rooms: Small Wonders

The Cape Cadogan remains modest in scale: it offers 29 guest rooms — each a small chamber of unexpected delight. Some rooms open onto little terraces overlooking leafy gardens and tiled rooftops; others frame partial views of Table Mountain’s slopes. Within each, the accents stick to the signature scheme of bottle green, black and white; marble-tiled bathrooms, rainfall showers, fine local artworks and crisp linens complete the picture. Beds are soft cocoons, turned down in the evening with care, on cooler
nights, warm hot-water bottles are tucked in for that extra touch of homely comfort.

Luxury and Superior Luxury rooms offer extra breathing space, often accompanied by private terraces or garden access — ideal for long morning coffees or contemplative late-night veranda vistas.

Staff: Colourful Character

The secret charm beyond the Cape Cadogan’s décor lies in its staff. Greeting you at reception might be an exuberant woman with a vivid scarf and an easy laugh, who winks as she hands you a map marked with her “secret” favourite spots — from little art galleries to the best seafood stall near the waterfront. Upstairs, you might meet a quietly witty housekeeper who greets guests by name and offers a knowing grin: “Back from dinner already? The night is young, but our beds are too comfortable to resist.” Over breakfast, a cheery waiter decked out in a crisp black and white uniform might deliver pastries with a dramatic flourish — “Voilà! The morning’s weapon of choice against jetlag.” Their humour never feels forced, but friendly: the kind of hospitality that makes you feel less like a visitor and more like you’ve walked in on a house full of old friends.

Upper Union Restaurant

Morning at the Cape Cadogan arrives with an easy warmth. Sunlight slips across a calm, elegant room in the Upper Union restaurant, which opens onto a leafy courtyard garden. Linen-draped tables wait in soft morning stillness; bowls brim with fruit arranged in bright, map-like clusters, pastries shine with buttery promise, and eggs are prepared precisely as requested. The coffee sends out an aromatic nudge, while jars of locally made jam gleam like small, edible artifacts. It feels less like breakfast than a quietly observed morning ritual.

Intimate lunches and dinners unfold in the Upper Union restaurant, where the culinary direction is guided by the More Collection’s Group Executive Chef, Amori Burger, who treats local ingredients with both curiosity and respect. Produce from nearby farms, herbs clipped from small urban gardens, and sustainably sourced seafood become dishes that balance imagination with a sense of place. Each plate arrives with the calm assurance of someone who knows the stories behind every ingredient and enjoys telling them through flavour.

“We partner with people who understand our philosophy,” says Chef Amori. “Ingredient-led, sustainable, and proudly local. For food, I look for reliability and seasonality, and for suppliers who are willing to collaborate on specs and standards. With wine, it’s about authenticity and storytelling. I personally work directly with South African-only winemakers whose wines reflect our terroir and climate and complement our seasonally inspired menus. In short, we build relationships with suppliers who care as much about the product as we do about the guest experience.”

Still, the pull of Kloof Street is strong. Many guests wander down to its lively corridor of cafés and restaurants, where Cape Town’s youthful pulse and inventive food scene create a kind of open-air conversation between cultures, kitchens, and hungry wanderers.

Evenings at the Cape Cadogan are hushed and unhurried. The shared spaces take on the character of a gentle salon — a place for quiet exchange, pages turning, or simply settling into a deep chair with no further ambition than to stay there. Time loosens its grip, allowing the day’s edges to soften into calm.

Quiet Corners and Poolside Moments

One of the hotel’s loveliest surprises lies in its shaded outdoor courtyard. A small pool — more a serene plunge than a lap-length body of water — lies under leafy overhangs and is surrounded by stone walls. Light dances lazily across the water while secluded nooks wait under fig trees, perfect for books or whispered conversations. Time seems to pause here: the distant hum of the city softens, replaced by birdsong and gentle breeze.

From the Doorstep, Cape Town Unfolds

From the Cape Cadogan, Cape Town is yours to explore. Walk to Lion’s Head, wander the rainbow-coloured alleys of the Bo-Kaap, stroll the leafy paths of the Company’s Garden or drift through galleries and cafés just moments from the hotel. A short drive or Uber away lie the shimmering beaches of Camps Bay, the lively shops and quays of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, and the cable-car ride up Table Mountain.

A Layered Refuge

In a city where mountains and ocean conspire to steal the eye, a hotel must work quietly to earn its place in memory. The Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel does exactly that by offering a layered refuge: part comfortable home, part art piece, part living fragment of the city’s unfolding story. You can feel Cape Town’s energy in the air — the rush of wind off the mountain, the soft hum of distant street life — yet inside the Cape Cadogan’s walls, the world bends gently. Dusk paints shutters in honeyed light. The atmosphere hums with understated warmth. Here, luxury isn’t about grandiosity — it’s about subtlety, style, humility.

It may be a small place, yet it lingers — like a quietly told story that keeps unfolding long after you’ve closed the book.

W: Cape Cadogan
W: Cape Tourism

Written by Cindy-Lou Dale for Luxuria Lifestyle International