There are views in the world. Then there are views. With a name like Cape View Clifton, it was fair to say that we were expecting a half-decent feast for our eyes when we checked into this boutique hotel perched on the edge of Clifton’s steep geography. It is also fair to say that we were blown away by the beauty of this hotel, both inside and out.
As far as reception areas go, there was a real charm about Cape View Clifton. It feels like you are entering someone’s living room rather than a hotel and as you sit down to sign in, you can’t help but notice the panoramic view descending all the way down to the cape peninsula. My mouth and eyes were wide open as I put down the deposit for the room, and I wasn’t even looking at the Chip & PIN machine. Real views.
Orientation consisted of taking the few flights of stairs down to the communal area. Each floor houses just two rooms (seven in total), so you genuinely feel as if you are in a home rather than a hotel. The kitchen area had a “help yourself” policy which I absolutely loved. Freshly baked cakes, juices, and a fine selection of wines and champagnes were all on offer, along with usual amenities of coffee, tea and biscuits. We both wanted to move in and never leave.
With the bar set very high already, it was time to check out our room. A vast sprawling suite greeted us as we opened the door, again set against nature’s incredible backdrop. There was more than plenty of room for us both to live in the suite and it even had a desk to write up a blog post if we were feeling proactive. Understandably, it was hard not to keep looking outside; even the bath had a view! There was something mesmerising about watching the roar of the Atlantic Ocean from the comfort of an armchair, made even more satisfying when we cracked open a bottle of champagne we had purchased from the honesty bar downstairs.
I am slightly running out of superlatives here to describe just how beautiful Cape View Clifton is, but there was one final gift from the cape that is definitely worth a mention: the sunset. As the sun hit the horizon, the sea calmed and most radiant glow of red spread over the crystal blue water. It may have been the several glasses of wine, but it felt more like a watercolour painting than real life. We managed to tear ourselves away from the balcony for a short trip to the nearby restaurants to grab a bite to eat and, on our return, the staff had provided us with another bottle of champagne to celebrating our newly-married status.
Now, it would be great to end the post there, but we still have breakfast to talk about. Unlike big commercial hotels, a trip downstairs for breakfast felt more like raiding Mum’s kitchen. Even the three lovely cooks, complete with smiles and laughs, almost mothered us as we chose from a wide array of foods and had homemade poached eggs on muffins. As we finished our cappuccinos, the sun broke through the morning cloud. It was going to be difficult to leave; only made easier by the fact that we were heading out for a trip to the cape that morning.
