5-star hotel
Ellerman House
If the French Riviera had a cooler, more discreet South African cousin, it would be Ellerman House. Perched high on the slopes of Lion’s Head in Bantry Bay, this Edwardian mansion doesn’t bother with the flashy 'see-and-be-seen' theatrics of the V&A Waterfront. Instead, it offers the hushed confidence of a private estate belonging to an art-obsessed billionaire. There is no lobby, only a living room lined with South African masters. The 13 rooms and two villas are sanctuaries of silence, though be warned: entry-level 'Classic House' rooms lack the ocean-facing balconies that define the property’s appeal. Upgrade, or you’ll miss the point. Life here revolves around the resident-only policy, ensuring you never fight for a striped lounger by the 20-meter lap pool. The culinary program is equally hermetic and high-caliber. Skip the city’s restaurant reservations for a night to dine at Curate, where the Springbok with samp and beans rewrites local heritage cuisine. For the restless, ‘The Pantry’ is a dangerous 24/7 walk-in sugar shack stocked with homemade cookies and craft spirits. But the real flex is the Wine Gallery—a structural marvel with a carbon fiber rack and a spiral corkscrew staircase holding 7,500 bottles. It’s sophisticated, strictly adult (14+), and utterly faultless.
