‘Why South Africa’s coolest city felt strangely like home’

“Welcome home,” manager Charmaine said as she beckoned us into an elegant hallway, toward a staff member bearing warm towels and another holding a tray of orange fizz.

We might have only travelled from the airport to the hotel, but this city already seemed eerily familiar.

Here we were at a century-old mansion within a leafy suburb of a city by the sea on a cool winter’s day. It was giving eastern suburbs of Sydney, which we’d left around 20 hours before.

We were instead in Cape Town in South Africa.

The Claremont was taken over last year by luxury travel company Sabi Sabi and felt more like some very wealthy person’s house than a hotel.

That’s probably because it once was.

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Now it has 15 rooms spread across the century-old Cape Dutch manor in Claremont, a spot famous for its upmarket homes (though they do all have electric fences around them as is the norm here).

It was built for an Englishman, which meant I was perfectly at home. It also has a library, multiple roaring fires, and a lounge with the most exotic wallpaper I’ve ever seen.

While some rooms are in the main house, ours was a lavish cottage in the garden by the pool.

With a separate living room complete with a fireplace, bedroom with a freestanding bath and marble bathroom with twin sinks and a mammoth shower, it was as sumptuous as you’d expect.

We even got a bedtime story left on our pillow (which I made my husband read to me.)

Things to do in Cape Town

After sleeping off our jet lag for about 14 hours (‘I was worried about you!’ one staff member remarked when we emerged) we were ready to venture to the city’s most famous sight.

Now, I’m not usually one for tourist attractions. I’d much rather wander around than queue up to see something.

But a couple of locals told me the magnificent peak which towers above Cape Town, Table Mountain, is a must-do.

So we headed over early to try and avoid the crowds and get the best of the morning weather (it often clouds over later).

It was a swift journey in a revolving cable car to the top and while the views were incredible, our favourite thing were the dassies, aka rock hyrax, which hang out up top.

They’re like an Aussie quokka having a bad day.

On the way back to the hotel we called by upmarket suburb Camp’s Bay for lunch.

We could have been in Bondi were it not for the lack of dumped Lime Bikes and the noticeable security guard patrols.

Now, South Africa is as famous for wine as it is for wildlife, and you don’t have to travel far out of Cape Town to try it.

The Klein Constantia Estate is less than half an hour from Claremont.

We joined VIP Guest Liason, Alan for a wine safari.

We crawled up and down the hills in a truck spotting grape vines rather than animals (though you may see an errant baboon).

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At one point, Alan pulled over to set up a spectacular tasting table by a lake and shared with us the nation’s “most famous” wine, Vin de Constance.

Jane Austen once wrote about it and Napoleon supped a botte a day. It was pretty lush, and at $160 a bottle you’d want it to be.

After such a packed day it was lucky the hotel has its own destination restaurant because we were ready to flop.

Forget overpriced, rubbish hotel food, the Veld & Vine Bistro was top class and the prices reasonable. Don’t skip dessert; traditional South African Malva Pudding with custard.

Day two had a more sombre itinerary.

Having already visited Soweto, there was another part of the nation’s history I wanted to see – Robben Island.

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“That was where my bed was,” our guide, Sipho said, pointing to a corner of the large, concrete-floored room with barred windows.

Part of the tour of Robben Island is led by a prisoner who was incarcerated at the off-shore jail.

He explained how he had been sentenced to five years when he was 22 as a political prisoner during apartheid. He’d endured months of solitary confinement, and lived on rations of crushed corn and rice.

And while Robben Island is best known as the prison which held Nelson Mandela, no sign marks the future president’s tiny cell.

It’s perhaps the most striking historical landmark I’ve ever visited.

And while Boulders Beach down the coast is famous for its African penguins, we were thrilled to see some here too.

After the tough tour (and enduring a bloke retching the whole boat journey back) we were cheered by a visit to a South African restaurant near the waterfront.

At Seven Colours Eatery we dined on tasty veggie bowls made of traditional sorghum, spinach, chakalaka, samp and beans and pap.

The best part? It tasted like home cooking.

Getting around Cape Town

We used Uber Black to travel as it means the drivers have higher ratings than regular Uber.

It was pretty affordable, with most of our journeys under $30 and the airport transfer around $40.

The V & A Waterfront in Cape Town is safe and accessible for tourists.

If there is a place you want to visit it’s important to do some research and ask your hotel for advice.

That’s because Smartraveller’s guide for South Africa is to exercise a high degree of caution due to crime.

Walking alone at night is not advised, and the city centre is best avoided on foot even in the daytime.

The writer travelled at their own expense and stayed as a guest of The Claremont.