With the striking Table Mountain as a backdrop, beautiful beaches and a relaxed and cosmopolitan atmosphere, it is no wonder Cape Town is attracting more visitors than ever. Fortunately, there are enough stylish and affordable places for every visitor to stay in, ranging from chic boutique hotels in the city centre to out-of-town mansion houses. The city also boasts historical buildings, interesting museums, shopping malls, restaurants, jazz cafés, theatres and nightclubs. On top of this, there are excellent surfing beaches and charming vineyards along the pristine coastline, and the spectacular Cape of Good Hope 70km south of the city.

CAPE GRACE
West Quay Road, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (00 27 21 410 7100; fax: 419 7622; www.capegrace.com; email: info@capegrace.com). Cape Grace is positioned on a private quay on Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with the colourful activity of the city's working harbour on one side and the gentle tranquillity of the international yacht marina on the other. The hotel strikes the perfect balance between friendly, personalised service and professionalism. There are African-inspired treatments in The Spa, innovative menus at onewaterfront and a buzzing nightlife at Bascule Bar. £££

ELLERMAN HOUSE
180 Kloof Road, Bantry Bay (00 27 21 430 3200; fax: 430 3215; www.ellerman.co.za; email: info@ellerman.co.za). This 11-room hotel offers guests a quiet retreat with great views and seamless service - the perfect honeymoon hotel. It also has a very interesting collection of South African art. £££

EZARD HOUSE
20 Theresa Avenue, Camps Bay (00 27 21 438 6687; fax: 438 1378; www.ezardhouse.com; email: info@ezardhouse.com). Backed by the dramatic Twelve Apostles mountain range, Ezard House is a private mansion with 10 bedrooms, all with terraces. The hotel also has a roof terrace, small pool, gym and spa. Airport transfers and shopping trips can be arranged in the hotel's Daimler. Not suitable for young children. £££

HEAD SOUTH LODGE
215 Main Road, Green Point (00 27 21 434 8777; fax: 434 8778; www.headsouth.co.za; email: info@headsouth.co.za). Established in a well-renovated Art Deco house, this is the kind of place favoured by international film crews. The hotel is slick, sharp and very professionally run with 15 en-suite bedrooms. No children under 17. £

HEMINGWAY HOUSE
1-2 Lodge Street, Oranjezicht (00 27 21 461 1857; 461 1857; www.hemingwayhouse.co.za; email: info@hemingwayhouse.co.za). With just four sensational bedrooms and its eclectic Afro-colonial decor, Hemingway House isn't exactly a hotel. En-suite bedrooms are stationed at the four corners of the house around a courtyard containing a swimming pool, sitting area and informal bar. Continental breakfasts are served outside with views of Table Mountain. For dinner, Hemingway will book you a table at one of Cape Town's finest restaurants. The House featured in The Hot List 2002. £

HEMINGWAY LODGE
1-2 Lodge Street, Oranjezicht (00 27 21 461 1857; fax: 461 1857; www.hemingwayhouse.co.za; email: info@hemingwayhouse.co.za). The baby sister of Hemingway House across the street, this mini-hotel only has three suites. A vibrant palette has created irreverent LA-style glamour - guests are led through the columned hall to a canary-yellow sitting and dining area, with a red-lacquered Chinese cabinet and objects from local antique shops. The Garden Suite has a private courtyard and black-and-white walls covered in fabric; the Royal Suite has a movie-star look - the ornate bedstead is adorned with mini urns and the walls are red and white - with a view of Table Mountain from the bath. The Mountain Suite is demure in comparison, with lacquered bedside tables and lime-green lamps. All the suites can be booked separately or together, and all guests have access to the pool at Hemingway House. ££

IKHAYA GUEST LODGE
Dunkley Square (00 27 21 461 8880; fax: 461 8889; www.ikhayalodge.co.za; email: info@ikhayalodge.co.za). Possibly the funkiest guesthouse and conference centre in Cape Town. With safari-lodge decor and a wide cross-section of guests, the hotel also offers self-catering loft apartments with secure separate entrances. Go for the double height loft rooms, like number 19, for amazing views of the mountain. Breakfast is included, and the hotel offers a lunch buffet. You can also eat at Maria's on the square downstairs. £

KENSINGTON PLACE
38 Kensington Crescent, Higgovale (00 27 21 424 4744; fax 424 1810; www.kensingtonplace.co.za; email: kplace@mweb.co.za). A guesthouse masquerading as an eight room hotel, combining all the elements of a first-class metropolitan hostelry - professional staff, a sense of luxury and a good, central location. No children under 16. Kensington Place was featured in The Tatler Travel Guide 2007. £

LA SPLENDIDA
121 Beach Road, Mouille Point (00 27 21 439 5119; fax 439 5112; www.lasplendida.co.za; email: lasplend@mweb.co.za). The 22-bedroom hotel has a stylish Art Deco feel, a plunge pool and secure parking. It's a short walk to the Victoria & Albert Waterfront shopping area, to Sea Point and the promenade. £

LES CASCADES DE BANTRY BAY
48 de Wet Road, Bantry Bay (00 27 21 434 5209; fax: 439 4206; www.lescascades.co.za). On the Atlantic seaboard and located in the upmarket residential area of Bantry Bay, Les Cascades is a stylish guest house with 10 rooms in two buildings. Six rooms are in the main lodge and four in the villa just down the hill. There are three gorgeous, black-slate swimming pools on different levels between the two houses. The interiors feature colonial influences - teak furniture from Bali and India, deep leather sofas and the owners' collection of good contemporary South African art. Dinner is served in the Villa and light lunches are available around the pool. The hotel is a short drive from Cape Town's city centre. £

METROPLE
38 Long Street (00 27 21 424 7247; fax: 424 7248; www.metropolehotel.co.za; email: info@metropolehotel.co.za). Set in a revamped Victorian building in the city centre, the Metropole has 29 contemporary mauve and taupe bedrooms including two enormous corner suites. With dark-red walls and lethal cocktails, the cosmopolitan M-Bar & Lounge attracts a fashionable young crowd, and the hotel also offers the M Café for breakfast and lunch and the more formal Veranda restaurant. ££

MOUNT NELSON
76 Orange Street (00 27 21 483 1000; fax: 483 1782; www.mountnelson.co.za; email: reservations@mountnelson.co.za). Gracious and elegant, this hotel has an old-fashioned grandeur with a colonial feel and views of Table Mountain. Since its 1899 opening, the Nelson has played host to John Lennon, Winston Churchill and Al Gore among others. The hotel has two restaurants, Cape Colony and Oasis, a bar and a lounge in which Afternoon Tea is served. £££

ROSEDENE LODGE
3 Rosedene Road, Sea Point (00 27 21 439 7037; fax: 433 2046; www.rosedenelodge.com; email: info@rosedenelodge.com). A bright and welcoming guesthouse with six en-suite rooms, ranging from standard to luxury. Breakfast is served in the garden or in the Art Deco dining room. Only 10 minutes away from the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. No children under 16. £

TABLE BAY HOTEL
Quay 6, Victoria & Albert Waterfront (00 27 21 406 5000; fax: 406 5686; www.suninternational.com/resorts/tablebay; email: tbhres@sunint.co.za). Lavish and opulent, with sweeping marble floors, this hotel has 329 rooms and a central location - ideal for shopping, bars, restaurants and cinemas. The hotel also boasts The Camelot Health Club and Spa, which offers first-class beauty treatments by trained therapists and a spectacular view over Robben Island. The hotel offers two restaurants, the Conservatory and the Atlantic Restaurant. £££

THE BISHOPS' COURT
18 Hillwood Avenue, Bishopscourt (00 27 21 797 6710; fax: 797 0309; www.thebishopscourt.com; email: enquiries@thebishopscourt.com). Located in Bishopscourt, a wealthy, leafy suburb on the southern slopes of Table Mountain, this two-storey hotel has five bedrooms, including two suites with fabulous views of Table Mountain. Breakfast and dinner are served on the terrace, with equally stunning views. The hotel also features an eternity pool and a floodlit tennis court. ££

THE TWELVE APOSTLES HOTEL & SPA
Victoria Road, Oudekraal, Camps Bay (00 27 21 437 9000; fax: 437 9055; www.12apostleshotel.com). On the beach road between Camps Bay and Llandudno, this smart landmark hotel offers 46 rooms and 24 suites. The rooms are located in four low-slung wings attached to the main building from 1929, all wrapped in a cheerful Floridian nautical decor. The hotel has two restaurants, a live music bar, a 16-seat cinema showing films five times a day, a theme-park style grotto and a spa with state-of-the-art treatment rooms. Nature trails and picnic spots are accessed from the hotel grounds. £££

THE WALDEN HOUSE
5 Burnside Road, Tamboerskloof (00 27 21 424 4256; fax 424 0547; www.Walden-house.com; email: walden@grm.co.za). A very pretty guesthouse in a Victorian building with wrought-iron balconies. Ask for Room 6, with its huge wraparound veranda, stunning views of Table Mountain, the city and harbour. £

WELGELEGEN GUEST HOUSE
6 Stephen Street Gardens (00 27 21 426 2373/4; fax: 426 2375; www.welgelegen.co.za; email: welgelegen@city-bowl.co.za). Relaxed, informal and comfortable with lots of lived-in bric-a-brac. There is a pool in the courtyard, big breakfasts if you want them and an easy walk to the city centre. There are six en-suite bedrooms in the main house and two in a cottage annexe, which has a living room and a fully equipped kitchen and can be rented as self-catering. £

BELUGA
The Foundry, Prestwich St, Green Point (00 27 21 418 2948/9; fax: 418 2950; www.beluga.co.za). A contemporary and cosmopolitan restaurant housed in a 100-year-old red brick building. There is an inspired seafood and South African-based menu, sure to tickle the taste buds, as well as sushi from Yan and Lin Le, both master sushi chefs. Open for lunch Mon-Fri and dinner all week long.

BLUES RESTAURANT
The Promenade, Victoria Road, Camps Bay (00 27 21 438 2040; fax: 438 3238;www.blues.co.za; email: info@blues.co.za). One of Cape Town's best-known eateries, Blues' menu is focused on seafood of all kinds and varieties. There are also beef, chicken and vegetarian dishes, served with a view over the impressive surroundings. Recently refurbished, Blues now houses a wine cellar.

THE CODFATHER
41 The Drive, Camps Bay Corner, Camps Bay (00 27 21 438 0782). This seafood restaurant was one of the first sushi venues in Cape Town. The Codfather does not have menus, instead the friendly and knowledgeable staff will guide your choices according to appetite and preferences. Open seven days a week.

LA COLOMBE
Constantia Uitsig, Spaanschemat River Road, Constantia (00 27 21 794 2390; fax: 794 7914; www.lacolombe.co.za). Set on a working wine farm in Constantia Valley, La Colombe is a twenty minute drive from Cape Town. Offering French cuisine with local ingredients and an impressive wine list, this multi-award winning restaurant is considered by many to be South Africa's finest. You will need to book ahead.

DEN ANKER
Pierhead, Victoria and Albert Waterfront (00 27 21 419 0249; fax: 419 0251; www.denanker.co.za; email: denanker@mweb.co.za). With a classic Belgian menu given a South African twist, expect classics such as Fruits de Mer and soupe de poisson alongside Chateaubriand of Springbok. With a wide selection of Belgian beers and a good wine list, this glass-walled restaurant also offers great views of Table Mountain and the harbour.

HAIKU
33 Church Street, City Bowl (00 27 21 424 7000; www.bukhara.com/haiku/; email: haiku@Bukhara.com). This much talked-about restaurant offers pan-Asian cuisine served tapas style, from Chinese dim sum to sushi and Japanese robata grills. With its chic decor and impressive wine list, Haiku has won rave reviews and is consequently very popular - you will be slotted into one of only two sittings: 6.30pm or 9pm.

GIOVANNI'S DELI
Main Road, Green Point (00 27 21 434 6893). The best spot for coffee and people watching in Green Point. The deli has a wide selection of Italian wine, ham, salami, pasta and cheese.

LA PERLA
Beach Road, Sea Point (00 27 21 439 9538; fax: 439 0817; www.laperla.co.za; email: laperla@mweb.co.za). One of the best restaurants in Sea Point, La Perla is a local restaurant turned cosmopolitan. The food is Italian-inspired, the waiters are old fashioned, and the wine list is impressive.

MADAME ZINGARA
215 Bree Street, Cape Town (00 27 21 426 2458; www.zingara.co.za). For the adventurous and fun-loving crowd, Madame Zingara serves up her Cape Malay cooking - African food with some prominent European flavours. How about grilled ostrich fillets with olive tapenade jus and fig compote, or springbok shanks, slow baked in red wine and port? The dining room resembles a fortune-teller's tent at a funfair, and the restaurant has a chauffeur who can drive you around Cape Town before dinner.

MANO'S
39 Main Road, Green Point (00 27 21 434 1090; fax: 434 9616). The main watering hole in Green Point, Mano's has served good basic food for decades. The hip crowd can get noisy in the evenings, so come early for dinner if you want to avoid the worst rush. Open Mon-Sat.

NOON GUN TEA ROOM & RESTAURANT
273 Longmarket Street, Bo-Kaap (00 27 21 424 0529). The tearoom and restaurant serves traditional Malay meals, with a view over Table Mountain, the city and the Waterfront. Coffee and tea is served throughout the day, but alcohol is not permitted on the premises. Noon Gun is open on Mon-Fri, but only for lunch during Ramadan.

TOKARA
Helshoogtepas, Stellenbosch (00 27 21 808 5959; fax: 808 5966; www.tokararestaurant.co.za; email: eat@tokara.com). Located on the Tokara Wine Estate on the top of Helshoogte pass, Tokara restaurant has a breathtaking view over the valley below and Table Mountain. The menu is South-African with a hint of Europe - lots of Springbok and ostrich, but also pasta and seafood. The wine list is extensive and carries, of course, only South African wines. Open Tue-Sat.

MARCO'S AFRICAN PLACE
15 Rose Lane, Bo-Kaap (00 27 21 423 5412; fax: 423 9125; www.marcosafricanplace.co.za; email: marko@marcosafricanplace.co.za). An excellent restaurant that transforms into an African-Jazz club during the night. Marco serves African culture, indigenous and international cuisine with a smile, and the restaurant menu contains crocodile carpaccio for the brave. The jazz nights are both a showcase for local talent and for established stars like Hugh Masekela and Sylvia Mdunyelwa.

MARIMBA'S CIGAR BAR
Coen Steytler Avenue, Foreshore (00 27 21 418 3366; fax: 418 3388; www.marimbasa.com; email: info@marimbasa.com). The air in the bar is thick with the scent and smoke of Cuban cigars, and the music is suitably Latin American. Live performances of Blues and African Jazz entertain in the bar and restaurant every night. This is the place to be seen by the cool Capetownian crowd. Open Mon-Sat.

JAZZ BRUNCH AT WINCHESTER MANSIONS
221 Beach Road, Sea Point (00 27 21 434 2351; fax: 434 0215; www.winchester.co.za). Spend your Sunday morning in the luxurious garden of the Winchester Mansions Hotel. As you listen to great live musicians, you get to eat a fabulous brunch buffet and enjoy a complimentary Sunday newspaper. Visit the hotel's website for information about upcoming performances.

ROBBEN ISLAND MUSEUM
Robben Island (00 27 21 409 5100; fax: 411 1059; www.robben-island.org.za). For more than 400 years, Robben Island, a small island located 12km from Cape Town, was a notorious prison. Used in the 20th-century to incarcerate Nelson Mandela and many other anti-apartheid fighters, it has since been converted into a museum. Many of the tour guides are former political prisoners on the island. As a symbol of the human spirit's strength and the perseverance of justice against all odds, the museum is a must on any visit to Cape Town.

TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM
Dock Road, Victoria & Albert Waterfront (00 27 21 418 3823; fax: 418 3952; www.aquarium.co.za; email: aquarium@aquarium.co.za). A unique opportunity to see all that the cold water of the Atlantic and the warmer Indian Ocean have to offer. Located on the Victoria & Albert Waterfront, the Aquarium has several large pools with ocean animals, from starfish and sea cucumbers to endangered African penguins. For already qualified scuba divers, the Aquarium offers shark diving in the I&J Predator Exhibit. Visit on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays for the opportunity to see the fish being fed, or Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays for the feeding of the sharks, stingrays and turtles.

BEACHES

CAMPS BAY
The beach in Camps Bay is magnificent, but when the southeasterly blows on summer afternoons it is utterly useless as a leisure zone. Sunbathers here are a little less glitzy than the crowd at Clifton, but only just. They are all disturbingly gorgeous. Adjacent Glen Beach is popular with gym-built surfers.

CLIFTON
First Beach is for everyone, Second Beach is for couples, Third Beach for muscle boys and girls and Fourth Beach for families. Take your pick and spend the day in and around the icy water. Summer beach house rentals are pricey and sought after.

WALKING
Explore Cape Town's diverse neighbourhoods on foot.

CITY BOWL
Made up of several established neighbourhoods - Gardens, Oranjezicht, Higgovale, Tamboerskloof and Vredehoek - City Bowl is located in the lap of the mountain, between Devil's Peak and Lion's Head. A good place to spot Victorian architecture, with Table Mountain as a brooding backdrop, City Bowl is only a 10-minute drive from Camps Bay and Clifton, and a 15-minute drive from Cape Town city centre.

GREEN POINT
Green Point is an old suburb straddling a flank of Signal Hill in front of a golf course and stadium. Many houses are Victorian and Edwardian, and the streets are fittingly narrow.

SEA POINT
Go for a walk along Sea Point's two-mile promenade along seawater pools and small, rocky beaches. Look out for fine Art Deco flats on Beach Road.

FASHION

BELAFONTE
Shop 41, Constantia Village, Constantia (00 27 21 794 4610). Located in the luxurious Constantia Village shopping mall, Belafonte is one of the best shops in Cape Town for men's clothing. The on-site tailor offers same day alterations, and the shop tries hard to keep a personal touch to their customer services.

BILLIE BOUTIQUE
Cavendish Street, Claremont (00 27 21 674 3484). Billie stocks a large number of South African designers, including Jelli Bean, Yes Clothing and Catherine Moore. The shop also offers made-to-measure service, eveningwear, ball gowns and wedding dresses.

HOME

AFRICAN IMAGE
52 Burg Street (00 27 21 423 8385; fax: 422 1575; www.african-image.co.za; email: contact@african-image.co.za). Home to contemporary artefacts from all over Africa, including textiles, sculptures, pots and jewellery.

OKHA
109 Hatfield Street (00 27 21 461 7233; fax: 424 9709; www.okha.co.za; email: info@okha.co.za). This shop sells the best contemporary furniture and ceramics that South Africa has to offer. Everything is eminently covetable, ready for equipping urban spaces everywhere.

THE PLUSH BAZAAR
30 Somerset Road, Green Point (00 27 21 419 8328). Good for bric-a-brac, glassware, crockery, chandeliers, mats and quirky paintings of charming South African landscapes.

AFRICAN LIGHT & TRADING
31 Wesley Street Gardens (00 27 21 462 1490; fax: 462 1587; www.altrad.co.za; email: info@altrad.co.za). If you only have time for one shop, make it this one. Its porcupine-quill lampshades are unique, and you will love its mirrors and leather furniture and accessories. Things can also be made to order.

JEWELLERY

DOLCE & BANANA
5 Main Road, Hout Bay (00 27 21 790 0802; fax: 790 8542; www.dolceandbanana.com; email: mijou@ethno-bongo.co.za). Unique hand made jewellery in true African style. Using local materials such as ostrich egg shells, glass beads and feathers, Dolce & Banana offers a wide range of individual-looking bracelets, necklaces and earrings.

OLGA JEWELLERY DESIGN STUDIO
Shop 6274, Victoria & Albert Waterfront (00 27 21 419 8016; fax: 419 8013; www.olgajewellers.co.za). This is Olga's flagship, where goldsmiths create unique masterpieces for individual customers. If you want a private consultation, it is advisable to phone ahead of your visit.

PETER GILDER
Shop 40, Constantia Village, Constantia (00 27 21 794 2116; fax: 794 2302; www.petergilder.com; email: peter@petergilder.co.za ). An exclusive jewellers run by father and daughter Gilder. Established in 1984, the Gilders keep a large selection of both unset diamonds and diamond jewellery in this workshop. Other precious stones, such as sapphires, emeralds and tanzanite are all on offer too. You will certainly be able to find the perfect engagement ring, if that is what you are looking for.

MARKETS

GREENMARKET SQUARE
Greenmarket Square, Cape Town. Situated in the Central Business District, Greenmarket Square used to be a slave market. Today it is one of Cape Town's most vibrant flea markets, with a great amount of stalls carrying clothes, jewellery and souvenirs. Open daily.

WATERFRONT CRAFT MARKET
Victoria & Albert Waterfront, Cape Town (00 27 21 408 7600; fax: 408 7605; www.waterfront.co.za). An indoor market for all things handmade, ranging from modern to traditional as well as antiques. Open daily.

SHOPPING MALLS

VICTORIA & ALBERT WATERFRONT
Victoria & Albert Waterfront, Cape Town (00 27 21 408 7600; fax: 408 7605; www.waterfront.co.za). The V&A is a huge shopping mall plonked in the middle of the working city harbour, filled with wooden tubs, tankers and yachts. A bit ersatz, locals tend to stay away and leave the place in the hands of tourists. But the mall is smart and shiny, and it has a good bookshop, fashion shops, and cinemas, among other things. It also offers great parking and security.

AIRPORT
Cape Town International Airport (00 27 21 937 1200; www.airports.co.za). There are half-hourly bus services from the airport into the city centre.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com)
South African Airways (0870 747 1111; www.flysaa.com)

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - via Amsterdam (0870 243 0541; www.klm.com)
Lufthansa - via Frankfurt/Brussels (0845 773 7747; www.lufthansa.com)
Virgin Atlantic - via Johannesburg (0870 380 2007;www.virgin-atlantic.com)

Avoid the tourist influx during December and January, when accommodation is expensive and hard to find, and stay clear of the gales from September to November.

TOURISM CAPE TOWN
Pinnacle Building, Corner Burg & Castle Street, Cape Town (00 27 21 426 4260; fax 426 4266; www.tourismcapetown.co.za; email: capetown@tourismcapetown.co.za). The main information point is located in the Pinnacle Building, but Tourism Cape Town also has a number of local offices.