One of our favourite hotels in Cape Town is the President Hotel, Cape Town. It is a luxury hotel with an excellent location, making it ideal for a visit to the Mother City. In this article, learn about the President Hotel, Cape Town, its location, history and facilities, and how to book an affordable stay at this luxury hotel.
Where Is the President Hotel Cape Town Located?
You can find the President Hotel Cape Town in Bantry Bay, an area known as wind-free. Bantry Bay is part of Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard area.
It is the perfect place between the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain, with easy access for hotel guests wishing to explore Cape Town’s top attractions. The hotel’s location is near the Atlantic Ocean beach front, where you can access the Sea Point Promenade. It is near multiple MyCiti bus stops and a Cape Town sightseeing bus stop. Guests can get to the V&A Waterfront in a 10-minute drive.
Location, ambience, food, pool area and stall were excellent.”
– Susan (Read more reviews)
The President Hotels’ Address and Contact Details
The hotel’s address: 4 Alexander Road, Bantry Bay Cape Town, South Africa, 8001
The President Hotel, Cape Town’s contact details: reservations@presidenthotel.co.za or phone them at +27 (0) 21 434 8111.
The hotel’s check-in time is 14:00, and check-out time is 11:00.
Explore Cape Town with one of these Cape Town tours or visit the penguins at Stony Point after driving the fabulous Clarens Drive outside Cape Town.
The History of The President Hotel
The President Hotel has a long history.
In 1835 a senior judge, Justice William Menzies, bought the Sea Point House from the widow of the previous owner. He wanted to convert the building into a villa with 11 bedrooms. He died insolvent in 1850, and Samuel Bushnell became the new owner in 1852. After Samuel, Sir William Hodges, the Chief Justice of the Cape Supreme Court, became the owner in 1860. The property became the Wentworth Hotel in 1880 when J H Munks became the owner.
The Wentworth Hotel was demolished in the late 1880s, and the Queen’s Hotel replaced it. An architect, G M Alexander, designed the Queen’s Hotel. The Hotel was completed in 1887, coinciding with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. It opened on 1 October 1887. When James Cavanagh took over the hotel in 1888, it became a Sea Point Landmark.
The hotel was renamed in 1967. South Africa left the British Commonwealth in 1961 when it became a republic, and the hotel’s name seemed irrelevant. The Queen’s Hotel was renamed to The President or Hotel President.
After this, this Cape Town hotel was rebuilt with about 439 guest rooms. Nelson Mandela opened the President Hotel on 3 June 1998. It is now the largest independent 4-star hotel in South Africa, focusing on fine dining and luxurious beach holidays.
Cape Town has South Africa’s oldest buildings. If history is your thing, also read about the oldest towns in South Africa.
Guest Rooms at The President Hotel, Cape Town
The President Hotel, Cape Town, offers guests 249 luxury hotel rooms. The hotel’s room type options range from family apartments to suites and spacious rooms. Each room has a small kitchenette with a microwave and small fridge to offer guests a semi-self-catering experience. The spacious hotel room comes with coffee-making facilities and free Wi-Fi access. Each room has a flat-screen TV and an en-suite bathroom.
When you book your stay, you can request air-conditioned rooms with king-size beds, double beds, or twin beds. Some of the spacious hotel rooms or apartments have panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean or mountain views of Lion’s Head. Some hotel rooms have a balcony to enjoy these beautiful views.
Not all room rates include breakfast, so make sure what your booking includes.
Room Service at The President Hotel
One of the best services we enjoy at the President Hotel is the 24-hour room service. The room service options at the hotel are excellent and affordable. Nothing is better than the hotel’s fish, chips, or pizza on a rainy day.
We stayed at the hotel just after the peak COVID-times. The hotel was fully booked, and to avoid the breakfast rush time in the restaurant, the hotel staff recommended that we have breakfast in the room. The breakfast options were fantastic, and the staff was professional and delivered impeccable service throughout our stay.
Facilities at The President Hotel
This Bantry Bay Hotel caters to everyone, from a solo traveller to a whole family, with a remarkable variety of facilities. There is an outdoor swimming pool in the form of an infinity pool with comfortable sun loungers for guests to enjoy. Small kids will enjoy the outdoor play area and kids’ club. Kids also have a special many in the hotel’s restaurants. Guests can bring their pets while staying at the President Hotel if they arrange it in advance.
There is a business centre with printing and faxing facilities. The hotel offers guests laundry services, dry cleaning services, a hair salon, currency exchange and babysitting services. The front desk is open 24 hours a day. There is a fitness centre and a conference venue at the hotel.
The travel desk’s helpful staff can help you book tours of Cape Town or help you with any travel arrangements you need to make. Guests can have a complimentary newspaper during their stay.
There is an on-site placecol spa at the hotel. Guests can choose between having a spa experience in their hotel room or in one of the spa suites.
If you have a rental car, the hotel has limited parking available. Just mention that you will need parking when you make your booking.
Restaurants at The President Hotel, Cape Town
Guests can enjoy drinks at the Senate Bar or a meal at The Islands Restaurant. The hotel’s daily buffet breakfast offers various foods and drinks. Guests can also order pizza at The Base Pizza or have lunch or a snack at the Botany Café. At the Deck Bar, guests can have sundowners with beautiful sea views.
The hotel caters for many different dietary requirements, including gluten-intolerance, vegan and vegetarian. It also offers Muslim-friendly services. The hotel can arrange Kosher food on request and at an additional charge.
If the on-site food options are not to your liking, there are many restaurants and cafés around the hotel.
Lovely friendly staff, the reception staff were amazing. So professional and welcoming. Breakfast was lovely and changed daily, so was a treat to have different options. The room was lovely, exceptionally clean. Would definitely stay there again.”
– Caroline (Read more reviews)
Our Experience at The President Hotel, Cape Town
We have stayed at the President Hotel in Cape Town twice. Both times we stayed in one of the hotel’s standard mountain-facing rooms. We loved the windows overlooking Lion’s Head.
Having a kitchenette was great. There were days we were not hungry in the evenings and opted to buy food from the local Spar, where you can buy sushi and foods from Greece, South Africa and other countries.
We loved having breakfast in the room. Some of our favourites were the hash browns and sausages.
We enjoy staying at the President Hotel because of its central location. We typically use the MyCity Bus, always do the red sightseeing bus or use a rideshare service, such as Uber or Bolt, when we are in Cape Town without a rental car. Any of these transport options are easy to use when you stay at the President Hotel.
Read about accommodation options in South Africa!
How to Book an Affordable Stay at The President Hotel
The President Hotel is a luxury hotel, and the rooms can be expensive. Both times we stayed at the hotel, we booked through Agoda. Instead of paying around R3000 ($165) a night for our room, we paid only R1500 ($84) per room, which included breakfast. Click here to check the prices for the President Hotel, Cape Town, on Agoda.
You can also book the President Hotel on Booking.com.
Frequently Asked Questions About the President Hotel
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about the President Hotel, with answers.
What Is the Nearest Airport to The President Hotel?
Cape Town International Airport is the closest airport to the President Hotel and is about 26 kilometres from the hotel. You can either rent a car at the airport, arrange an airport transfer, or get the hotel to arrange a roundtrip airport shuttle at an additional charge. You can also take the MyCiti Bus from the airport.
If you have a late flight to Cape Town or are flying out early, consider one of the accommodation options near Cape Town Intl Airport.
What Services Does the President Hotel Offer Muslim Guests?
The President Hotel has received 5 out of 7 during a Crescent Rating audit for its Muslim-friendly services and facilities. Every room has an indicator to show the prayer direction. Guests can also access prayer mats, the local prayer times and a Quran at the hotel. The hotel can provide Muslim men with the details of the nearby local mosques.
How Does the President Hotel Cater to Jewish Guests?
The Hotel does not provide Kosher food for Jewish guests but can make arrangements with their trusted external parties if guests require kosher food. The hotel also allows Jewish guests to use the stairs on the Jewish Sabbath.
Alternative hotel options in Cape Town
If the President Hotel does not look like the best option for you, here are some alternative hotels to consider: