Name: La Grenadine
Address: 15 Park Rd., Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001, South Africa
Telephone: +27 (0)21 424-1358
Price range: $

Fodor's Expert Review

Built around a verdant courtyard shaded by pomegranate and avocado trees, this intimate and super well-located guesthouse is all Gallic charm meets South African vintage hipster style. The friendly owner-managed service at this bucolic oasis (croissants and homemade jam in the garden anyone?) make it hard to believe that one of Cape Town’s best restaurant zones perpetually buzzes just outside the gates.

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Room

Located in a renovated farmhouse that now happens to sit practically city-center, the gorgeous rooms here are individually styled, enjoying views either of Table Mountain and Lions Head or the fabulous garden. The style is quirky vintage Provence--hand-embroidered white linens, badminton paddles repurposed as mirrors, art deco light fittings, and exposed stonework and natural wood. All rooms have a kettle with tea and coffee-making facilities, a hair dryer and a safe. Note that TV is only available in a very cozy shared lounge space, and Wi-Fi can be a bit flaky. Families or groups may enjoy the two- and three-bedroomed cottages, each with their own very well-equipped kitchen and lounge.

Tip Room 5 has the best view and a small terrace (shared with Room 4).The only room that no one has reason to walk past, it is also the most private.

Bathroom

Individually styled bathrooms are marked by handmade floor tiles, vintage mirrors, and free-standing bathtubs.

You Should Know Two of the rooms’ bathrooms are not fully closed off from the room, so be sure to mention if privacy is an issue.

Lobby

Reception is in an inviting retro-styled double-volume lounge where an Edith Piaf vinyl is likely to be playing on the record player by the small bar. Old leather couches, fresh flowers, industrial lighting, and funky South African designer touches come together to create a space at once warm and hip. Treats like fresh fruit, jellybeans, and strawberry-mint infused water are always available, and a fire is lit in the stove on chilly winter days. A cozy mezzanine-loft has a TV with a good selection of DVDs and books, and makes for a great place to meet fellow guests or just chillax with your media of choice.

Dining

With literally dozens of restaurants and cafes within a two-minute walk--including a few of Cape Town’s best--La Grenadine wisely limits its dining options to breakfast. But of course it’s a great (French Continental) spread, complete with excellent fresh bread, croissants, and crepes, a half-dozen homemade jams, high-quality cold cuts and cheeses, homemade yogurt and granola, and fresh fruit. Guests are welcome to use kitchen facilities to heat or store purchased food.

Drinking

You can get a glass of wine at the small bar in the reception-lounge area, or enjoy a drink (soft drinks and beer) from the honesty bar. Otherwise, walk out the gate for a plethora of choice.

Area

A fabulous location on buzzing Park Road, you can walk nearly everywhere, yet the tranquility inside the gates will make you think you've been transported to rural France. It is also just a 10-minute drive to Table Mountain, the beaches, or the Waterfront.

What's Nearby

Getting Around

Its great location makes all of Cape Town central’s main attractions accessible by foot. Anything slightly farther afield is best handled using Uber. You may want to rent a car for a day to explore the peninsula, in which case the hotel’s 5 dedicated parking spots will be a life-saver, because Park Road is notoriously chockablock.

Restaurants

This neighborhood is crawling with great restaurants, including several of Cape Town’s best Asian eateries. Just a few doors down is Thali (high-concept Indian tapas). Walk a minute more to reach Sawadee (super casual and good-value Thai), or 5-minutes to reach the excellent and upscale Kyoto Sushi Garden (fine Japanese dining) or its neighbor, the more casual but equally good Hallelujah (hipster dim sum).

Bars

Across the street is Rick’s Café Americain, a Moroccan-esque restaurant with a great rooftop bar. Three-minutes’ walk down the road is Kloof Street House, a gorgeously outfitted Victorian mansion, said to have once been a gentlemen’s club, and now home to a good restaurant and fantastically baroque bar. The whimsical Planet Bar at the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel is just five-minute's walk.