Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Anyone who knows two things about Cape Town will know that this city in the alternate Down Under is one of the most popular locations for queer travel in the world. This comes as no surprise when one considers that South Africa – the country of which Cape Town is one of the three cooperative capitals – is known internationally and by its people as the ‘rainbow nation’.
The annual Cape Town pride march may be extremely successful, but in truth, it is only one part of a much larger picture that makes up the love and welcoming attitude that the city extends to its queer people and tourists in general. Another is the plethora of gay hotels in Cape Town that welcome queer travelers and their pink dollars.
Cape Town’s fusion of the general overarching South African warmness and hospitality and the more modern edge offered to the city thanks to its importance in international affairs and amongst artists makes it truly one of the very best cities in the entire world for queer tourists to visit and perhaps even stay in.
The district of Cape Town, known as De Waterkant, is the true heart and soul of the queer activity in the city and isn’t at all removed from the usual tourist destinations and laid-back city center either. Most of the city’s gay bars and clubs are located here, but you needn’t worry about being able to access all of its shopping opportunities, best hangout spots, and wonderful lookouts while you’re there.
The city’s beaches, its wonderful cafes and boardwalks, and its mild climate make for the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed, southern holiday that ticks all your queer satisfaction boxes while remaining unique and colored by a unique, powerful, and welcoming local culture.
Even with all that said, however, it’s always good to keep your horizons wide to absorb the best of both worlds and as such, our usual disclaimer is just as true here as it is for the rest of our planet’s wonderful cities.
Although there are some truly wonderful places in the world for queer people to explore, with Cape Town being one of them, things that appeal to gay travelers aren’t always necessarily marketed toward them.
We know that; therefore, we’d like to note that the gay hotels in Cape Town on this list follow the same logic. Most of them have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to, for, and by queer people in general, as well as being highly rated in general.
So, if you’re ready to head down to the almost-most-southern tip of South Africa for an amazing holiday experience that you most likely never saw coming, get your best pair of shorts to read, and prepare to tuck into some Boerewors!
It’s time for yet another generation of wonderful globe-trotting queer travelers to discover the beauty of Cape Town, and what better way to do it than with eight of the city’s very best gay hotels and places of accommodation?
In this article we will cover...
The Cape Royale
Without even beginning to talk about the top-tier five-star establishment that it houses, the building of the Cape Royale is one of the most recognizable in the entire city and has been striking a feeling of grandiose excellence into the hearts of guests throughout decades upon decades of its long, successful history.
It’s when one begins to venture inside, however, and when you finally get to see the sheer attention to detail that the Cape Royale awards the appearance of its public and private spaces. This hotel is just as visually stunning as it is centrally located, practical, and filled with relaxation opportunities.
Some other franchise locations that the Cape Royale has under its wing and sharing its building include the Shift Espresso Bar, the Ninety One and Tiger’s Milk restaurants, and an entire wellness center to compliment its gym ensemble.
All of these establishments share the Cape Royale’s amazing views out over the sea strip and the South Atlantic Ocean, so if you’re a sucker for ocean views, this is the perfect place for your luxurious South African home away from home.
The Cape Royale understands its position of privilege and fame amongst the city’s hotels very well, and it has set out to make the best out of that head start for just about as long as it has existed as a hotel.
This determined attitude isn’t just reserved for the Cape Ryoale’s attitudes when it comes to accommodation, however, and also extends to the hotel’s treatment of queer travelers and its support of gay rights in general. The Cape Royale has participated in Cape Town’s pride parade in the past and has received no shortage of positive reviews from queer guests!
Home Suite Hotels Sea Point
The Home Suite Hotels – located along Cape Town’s Atlantic seaboard, fitted with a rooftop pool and bar and surrounded by an all-powerful aura of class, aristocracy, and welcoming warmth. Although this hotel is a bit more affordable than the five stars of the Cape Royale before it, the Home Suite Hotels still maintain four for themselves and an almost ten-out-of-ten service rating. Not only that,
the Home Suite’s name gets something right in the fact that the does indeed give off strong feelings of homely welcome and inclusion and most certainly includes queer travelers. A blend of comfort and luxury is the Home Suite’s motto, and this mentality is carried out perfectly thanks to the attentiveness and friendliness of its staff.
The rooms at the Home Suite Hotels are modern to a shining edge, beautifully designed, and – more often than not – are treated to amazing views out over the cape and the coast surrounding it.
Speaking of the coast and wonderful sights, the Three Anchor Bay beach is within a few minutes walk if you’re hungering after some time spent relaxing on the sand, and if you’d rather spend your holiday immersing yourself in Cape Town’s center, then head in the other direction and you’ll find the retail and culinary district amongst the central business area.
The actual area that the Home Suite Hotels finds itself in is known as the Sea Point thanks to the fact that it lines along the south-westernmost point of Cape Town’s main mass, and it’s here that the city’s posh, highbrow, and culinarily-orientated scene finds one of its most crucial footholds.
Long story short, if you’re looking for a fashionable, practical, and beach-centered accommodation experience that doesn’t let down on luxury, this is it!
The Glen Boutique Hotel & Spa
The Glen Boutique Hotel and Spa may take a bit of a sharp uptake in price from the previous two gay hotels on this list, but we promise that the extra damage to your wallet does not come for no reason. The key to what sets this particular location above from those around it comes with the ‘spa’ attached to its name, after all.
As such, the spa and relaxation experiences here at The Glen are amazing thanks to this location’s focus on those two aspects of itself, but you needn’t worry about the rest of its amenities either. The Glen’s rooms are polished, well-maintained, and have excellent views, and the hotel’s service makes it undoubtedly one of the best-tended on this list.
Free breakfast is just one of the many complimentary benefits that staying at the Glen offers its esteemed guests, with the hotel’s dining program and bar offerings rounding out the list of culinary delights soundly.
The Glen is also the home of the G Kitchen, a traditional five-star restaurant prepared to dish out some of the best hotel food you’re likely to have ever had. The reputation of South African cuisine is simultaneously well-earned and far too small for how wonderful it is, and staying here at the Glen to try out its food and sample from the nearby eateries is an opportunity that you should not pass up!
There is also a complimentary breakfast on offer every morning served in the same restaurant we just mentioned, meaning that you can enjoy the wonderful views from the hotel’s deck twice in one day if you have stomach space and are so inclined.
O’Two Boutique Hotel
The O’Two Boutique Hotel may not have the dedicated attitude of a spa resort that the Glen before it embraced to such an extreme degree, but what it does have is a brighter fusion of luxurious hotel living than you could imagine.
This is both thanks to and proved by its caring service mentality, pristine review rating on all major platforms, and its above-average but still relatively affordable room rates. Speaking of the rooms, the individual suites of the O’Two are nothing short of amazing – roomy, separated into divided living and dining spaces, and maintained expertly all year round.
The benefits of staying at the O’Two start early with the fact that the hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, much like the majority of the other locations on this list, but they don’t stop there.
Some of the hotel’s useful common areas include its self-sufficient spa facility, its fully-outfitted gym ensemble, its bar for socialization and a quick drink, and its direct access to the beach. Rooms at the O’Two are brought up to top shape thanks to their included kitchenettes, separate living spaces, and dedicated room and laundry services.
The O’Two also offers an airport shuttle between the hotel and the international airport, much like the Grey later on this list, and this factor serves as just as much of a benefit for The O’Two location as it does for that one.
With the chance of taking an airport shuttle to your accommodation on the table, you can say goodbye to having to hire a car, drop it off, and worry about finding somewhere to park it while you put up your feet and enjoy your time in the friendliest city in the entire southern hemisphere. No worries mean no burdens and nothing holding you back!
Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel
The Belmond Mount Nelson may be primarily marketed as a business traveler location, but if there’s one thing that businesspeople have right with their choice of hotels and travel destinations, it’s convenience, value for money, and sensible attractiveness.
With that said, if you’re looking for a gay hotel that prioritizes location and stylish practicality over all else, this is the perfect place for you. The Belmond Mount Nelson is incredibly popular with business travelers and those looking to explore the city in a succinct, aristocratic, and relaxed fashion, bringing you to everything you need to see rather than forcing you to move.
Not only are the practical parts of the hotel’s selling points excellent, such as its location, digital sign-in facilities, and connection to crucial parts of the city, but the individual rooms are also chic, well-designed, and tended to by dutiful room service.
The Belmond is quite literally only a ten minute’s walk away from the very heart and center of Cape Town’s central business and retail district, and as such, if you’re the type that likes to immerse yourself in the bustling middle of a city to sample its culture and try out its franchises, then this is the perfect place for you to do so without having to spend an extra cent or an extra minute fussing around with public transport.
Even if you would rather stay in than go out and about walking, the Belmond still has a wide range of aristocratic offerings for you in the form of its acclaimed in-house restaurant, its casual bar, its included fitness center, an open-air pool with attached sitting area for undisturbed relaxation, and its full-service spa facility with an overlook out over the skyline of the city and its surrounding areas.
The Grey Hotel
Undeniable queer energy, limitless shopping possibilities, and a connection to tourist sites. Don’t let this hotel’s simple, minimalistic name fool you – the Grey is anything but colorless, and its guests can attest to the exact opposite.
This four-star location is an absolute explosion of color amongst the already exciting and fresh atmosphere of Cape Town, and this liveliness continues throughout just about every aspect of its approach to service, maintenance, and accommodation amenities.
Just about every box is ticked by the Grey, both when it comes to the hotel itself and its scenic, beautiful surroundings. The sheer cost-effectiveness and convenience of staying at the Grey have pumped up to the max thanks to the hotel’s offered free breakfast, its in-house bar, restaurant, outdoor pool, and its offered airport shuttle service.
The bar we just mentioned deserves special attention, however, as it earned its name of ‘the Skybar’ thanks to the fact that it is positioned perfectly in such a way to have an unobstructed view of the Table Mountains and Cape Town as a whole. There’s nothing quite like an amazing view to make your food taste better and your experience at a hotel all the more exquisite and interesting!
You also won’t have to be moving far throughout the city to reach Cape Town’s gay heart while staying at the Grey either, thanks to the fact that the hotel is located right in the middle of the De Waterkant district that we mentioned earlier as being the center for the city’s queer activity.
The sheer number of nearby clubs, bars, stores, and fellow queer-friendly hotels is beyond impressive, so if you’re looking for a gay-catering experience that truly brings you to the middle of everything the city is famous for, then this is the place for you!
Pink Rose Guesthouse & Spa
Boasting four stars, a hands-on and caring service reputation, and a lifetime of ten out of ten reviews that have given it fame throughout gay Cape Town like no other, this lovely, relaxing gay hotel is located right on the cusp between the calm Somerset West district and the central parts of the Cape Town.
This location gives it the best of both worlds when it comes to atmosphere and connectivity to tourist hotspots, and you can be sure that it hooks right into the city’s gay scene as well, with the famous De Waterkant district being only a few minutes walk away towards the city central business district.
Although the outside appearance of the Pink Rose may make it seem like a humble, homely location, and while humility is certainly a quality that the hotel exhibits in its service mentality, there’s nothing bottom-line or cheap about this establishment.
The rooms are spic and span, the pool is isolated and surrounded by beautiful nature, and the hotel’s status as a small-sized guesthouse allows it to feel up close and personal.
It’s one thing to stay that a hotel is gay-friendly, but it’s another thing altogether when that hotel specifically caters to queer travelers and when it truly understands the privacy and systems of support that gay holidayers look for while moving from place to place abroad and looking to enjoy an open-hearted, stress-free time.
Regarding the particular location, its dedication to embracing a true policy of queer inclusion and exclusivity is clear. The Pink Rose Guesthouse is pet-friendly and child-friendly and also has free parking, so no matter what kind of traveling group you’re coming to the city with, you won’t have to worry about checking this hotel’s regulations for a moment.
The Westin Cape Town
We began this wonderful, inspiring journey through Cape Town’s accommodation scene with a five-star location, and therefore we should have wound up on yet another to finish up. Popular with businesspeople like the Belmond Mount Nelson but also aesthetically wonderful like the Cape Royale, the Westin truly seems to have all the plus factors that a gay hotel in Cape Town possibly could.
Everything about this location pushes it to the top shelf of accommodation standards, from its location its attention to detail when it comes to design, and its connection to public transport.
The Westin Cape Town is located right in the middle of the Cape Town central business district, so no matter what you’re here in the city to do – sightseeing, visiting tourist spots, or simply enjoying the local cuisine and socialization hotspots.
Speaking of sightseeing, one needn’t even leave their room to experience an entrancing glance out over the mountains of Cape Town and its surroundings, wonders and cityscape, thanks to the excellent views offered from just about every room’s windows. There are very few other places in the city where one has a better, more unobstructed view than here at the Westin.
The Westin may overlook the city’s main port district and its connections with Cape Town’s industry, but there’s nothing industrial or gritty about the hotel’s approach to accommodation and the atmosphere that it has carefully built about itself for the benefit of its guests.
It may come as little surprise by this point in a list of gay hotels in one of the most queer-friendly cities in the entire world to say that this hotel is officially marketed as LGBTQ+ welcoming, but it’s a touching gesture nonetheless that serves merely to strengthen the Westin’s position on this list.
Gay Hotel Map Of Cape Town
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Cape Town? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are fabulous; they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Cape Town! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Cape Town.
