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Cape Town · Hotel shortlist

Cheap hotels near the main square in Cape Town

Amara Nwosu

Amara Nwosu Africa

Updated 1 August 2026 · 27 Cape Town hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Cape Town, out of the 27 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.8 down to 4.6.

Every one comes in under $130 a night, and the one I would book first is $87.

Northern Vine Guesthouse

Highest rated of the five

Northern Vine Guesthouse

★★★★★4.8 from 60 reviews

Northern Vine Guesthouse comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.8 from 60 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 4 star property, found under the main square and around $87 a night on the dates we checked.

27 hotels in Cape Town qualified for this list and five made it. Ojong's Self-Catering | Short Term Accommodation | Bellville is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Kitchenettebreakfast on your own schedule
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in

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All five, ranked

  1. Northern Vine Guesthouse1

    Northern Vine Guesthouse

    ★★★★★4.8 from 60 reviews

    • Pool
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Air conditioning

    Check rates Read more

  2. Ojong's Self-Catering | Short Term Accommodation | Bellville2

    Ojong's Self-Catering | Short Term Accommodation | Bellville

    ★★★★★4.7 from 335 reviews

    • Pool
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning

    Check rates Read more

  3. Hoogelands Cabins3

    Hoogelands Cabins

    ★★★★★4.9 from 91 reviews

    • Pool
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

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  4. Beulahland Guest House and Self-catering Accommodation4

    Beulahland Guest House and Self-catering Accommodation

    ★★★★★4.6 from 86 reviews

    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

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  5. Prime Executive Accommodations5

    Prime Executive Accommodations

    ★★★★★4.8 from 104 reviews

    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Air conditioning

    Check rates Read more

How this list was put together

27 Cape Town hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Amara Nwosu

Amara Nwosu Africa

Books holidays a year ahead because court calendars demand it, then travels hard for three weeks. West Africa most years to see family, somewhere new in between.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.