Updated October 2026: Ellerman House was awarded Two MICHELIN Keys in the first southern African MICHELIN Keys selection in October 2025. It was also voted Cape Town’s top city hotel in the Travel + Leisure 2025 World’s Best Awards, and its sommelier was named South Africa’s Best Young Sommelier 2026.
Ellerman House at a glance
Location: Bantry Bay, Cape Town, South Africa | Price: $$$$ | Best for: Couples, art and wine lovers, and quiet luxury close to the city
Rooms: 11 rooms and 2 suites, plus two three-bedroom villas | Best time to go: November to March for summer; July to November for whales
Why we love it: A historic manor house on the Bantry Bay hillside, with a remarkable collection of South African art and a serious wine cellar. It holds Two Michelin Keys and feels more like a private mansion than a hotel.
Good to know: Suite guests get complimentary airport transfers, which need to be booked ahead of arrival. No two rooms are alike in style or size, and afternoon peak-hour traffic can make cross-town trips far longer.
Insider detail: Raid the ground-floor pantry opposite the kitchen, stocked with baked goods, tarts, sandwiches and teas.
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My stay at Ellerman House
You might remember a few years ago when I announced it was one of my favourite properties in the entire world, an opinion I formed very quickly after my first visit to Ellerman House. Although officially a hotel, a visit to Ellerman is more like staying in a long lost family friends’ mansion, located in the breezy residential area of Bantry Bay overlooking the ocean. So on my recent visit to Cape Town, I checked myself back into Ellerman. I just can’t get enough of this oasis!Pairing this trip with time in the bush? Read my ultimate luxury safari guide for where to go and the best lodges in Africa.
Checking In: My Stay at Ellerman House
With just twelve suites on offer in the house, the level of service is something more than you would have come to expect from a luxury hotel. Suite guests can enjoy complimentary airport transfers making for a seamless arrival into the city – just be sure to book your transfers in advance of your arrival. The property is situated in a residential neighbourhood overlooking the ocean, just beyond Sea Point and before Camps Bay. For this stay I checked in to room number 4 and in comparison to my last stay, I noticed that no two rooms are the same, nor are they close to it! Each room varies in style, size, and albeit always a classical approach, the interior design of each room is also always unique.
Around Ellerman House
One of my favourite aspects of the house is the unique and extremely varied collection of South African art, collected over many years by the owners. A walk through the hallways is like walking through different ages and ideologies, in no particular order, but it still manages to feel like a journey through time. Equally impressive is the collection of South African wines in the cellar, so be sure to take some time to visit. Another highlight of the property for me (and one that I have spent far too much time enjoying) is the “pantry” on the ground floor of the property, opposite the commercial kitchen. Here you will find a stocked pantry full of baked goods, tarts, sandwiches and tea selection. During the days if you’re not out exploring the city and surrounds, be sure to visit the pool area with its own bar, a nearby restaurant, and mostly unobstructed views of the ocean below. As it currently stands the city of Cape Town is undergoing a serious water shortage, so be sure to ask the staff at check-in as to how you can help keep your water usage to a minimum. As for the pool it should be noted that Ellerman import water from outside the city, so as to not impact or contribute to the crisis. There are water usage reminders in rooms as well as a no-bath policy, so be sure to keep these things in mind if visiting between now and June/July 2018, when the winter rains are expected to arrive.
Bantry Bay and the Surrounding Neighbourhood
While the city of Cape Town is geographically small to get around, the city was never built to handle the influx of residents that have begun to call Cape Town home in recent years (for understandable reasons, this city is such a unique balance of city-meets-sea!) Thus if you are travelling around Cape Town during the day, be sure to keep in mind peak traffic hours, as a normal 30-minute journey can take four times as long if you get caught in the afternoon peak hour! From Bantry Bay it is just a short walk to nearby Sea Point, a beautiful little residential area filled with great eateries, bars, and pubs. The crowds here are a lot less rowdy than those in more central locations, making this a great nearby neighbourhood to spend an evening or two. Travelling away from the city you will soon reach Camps Bay, a highly affluent residential neighbourhood that has an equally great restaurant and bar scene, albeit a little more “sceney”. Chinchilla was one of my favourite finds on my most recent trip, a large rooftop bar overlooking the beach of Camps Bay and offering one of the best views of the sunsets, which are remarkable in summer!
Thanks to Ellerman House and the team for another fantastic stay in Cape Town! All photos + opinions are my own. Lots of love!
Ellerman House: frequently asked questions
How many rooms does Ellerman House have?
The main house has 13 rooms (11 rooms and two suites), and there are also two three-bedroom villas.
Where is Ellerman House?
It sits on the hillside in Bantry Bay on Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard, with sea views.
What awards has Ellerman House won?
It holds Two MICHELIN Keys (2025) and was voted Cape Town’s top city hotel in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards.
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Brooke is a Tasmanian-born writer and professional baker who started World of Wanderlust in 2013 and has since travelled to 86 countries. These days her guides focus on what she knows best: the bakeries, hotels and places worth crossing the world for.
