The Twelve Apostles Hotel And Spa

“Absolutely Amazing”

I have just returned from my much anticipated trip to Cape Town. It was on my bucket list for my 60th birthday. We had a direct flight with BA which was horrendous, it would have been moved comfortable flying with easy jet. The seats in economy were so small we struggled to eat our meals without e… more

I have just returned from my much anticipated trip to Cape Town. It was on my bucket list for my 60th birthday. We had a direct flight with BA which was horrendous, it would have been moved comfortable flying with easy jet. The seats in economy were so small we struggled to eat our meals without elbowing each other, then my poor sis managed to knock a glass of red wine into the lap of the woman next to her. Anyway 12 hrs later we landed, there was some confusion over our transfer but that was resolved, unfortunately the driver that collected us put the fear of good in us to the point where we didn't want to go out in for fear of being massacred. We reached the hotel in one piece and was greeted with a glass of champagne, showing us to our rooms I was then presented with a further bottle of champers, some cake, balloon and a candle. Very impressive start. We had reserved a table that evening, the food was impeccable as was the service. The staff were polite, friendly and attentive. The beds were comfy and there is a pillow menu. Breakfast in the morning, a selection of fruits, salmon, oysters, cheeses, a cooked breakfast of your choice as well as pastries and cakes all freshly made, muffins were to die for. They arranged a number of excursions for us e.g table mountain, a day safari, Robbed island, we also hired a driver for 5 hours for a private tour of the city and a winery. We tried the couples massage which was so good we booked a second before we left. The hotel provides a courtesy transfer to camps bay around 10mins from the hotel and V&A waterfront 20 mins where there are restaurants and a huge shopping centre. There is so much more I could say about this hotel, they treated me like a queen, nothing was ever too much trouble it was a celebration for the whole ten days. I would like to thank everyone at 12A especially Imran who took the time to ensure our experiences were memorable. You are truly beautiful people. I would love to return some day.

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“Bucket list disappointment!”

Fantastic hotel. However disappointed with in house communication. This was a bucket list experience for me. Reception advised me that the restaurant Azure was fully booked on both nights. How ridiculous. I was an in house guest. Should I not have priority? Was I supposed to stay at your hotel and … more

Fantastic hotel. However disappointed with in house communication. This was a bucket list experience for me. Reception advised me that the restaurant Azure was fully booked on both nights. How ridiculous. I was an in house guest. Should I not have priority? Was I supposed to stay at your hotel and go and eat somewhere else for dinner? This should not even be a negotiable. It’s part of the experience to dine at your hotel. I was also given the paraplegic room and bed was caving in on the centre. Nolundi & Thembi gave me awesome service. Thank you.

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“Disappointing”

I booked a “Mountain view room” at the Twelve Apostles Hotel (an expensive upgrade), and it proved how important it is to read the small print. It claims, “impressive views from your balcony”. From inside the room, it is almost impossible to see the “mountain”. The balcony is only just big enough… more

I booked a “Mountain view room” at the Twelve Apostles Hotel (an expensive upgrade), and it proved how important it is to read the small print. It claims, “impressive views from your balcony”. From inside the room, it is almost impossible to see the “mountain”. The balcony is only just big enough for a small table and two chairs, and you have to take it in turns to see the “mountain” as only one chair faces in that direction. Another problem with the non-views inside the room is the permanent misting of the double glazing, where the seal between the two sheets of glass has failed. The three sets of floor-to-ceiling windows have wooden shutters that are ineffective at blocking the light from outside. With sunrise at about 05:30am, your room is flooded with light, making sleeping difficult without a blindfold. The sea-facing public rooms are smart, but my room looked dated. The staff are well meaning, but rarely get it right first time. You ask for cold milk, you get hot, you ask for Earl Grey tea, you get English Breakfast, you ask reception for the bottle of water the people servicing the room should have provided, and no-one brings it. The face flannels in the bathroom only get replaced sometimes. The tea bags and the coffee capsules in the room don’t get replaced…and someone comes to check the room has been serviced properly, and they don’t notice the errors either. It's a fabulous location with impressive sea views, but the food does not match. The sushi was soggy, the “fine dining tasting menu” – tuna tartare, mushrooms, roast chicken – with more mushrooms, venison, and dessert was neither fine nor very tasty. The Leopard Bar was the stand-out exception, and the breakfast was good, if they decide to take your order. I had to get up from the table and ask more than once. For the single traveller (I was avoiding Christmas for reasons I need not go into), the ‘do not disturb’ sign actually said “We’re still sleeping”, and the turn-down service (on request), provided two sets of slippers and dressing gowns, just to rub it in! (If you have to request it, surely they can see the room is single occupied. "No plans on Christmas Day?!" was another insensitive question asked with incredulity. The last day was like the others. I was given a different room to shower in after my check-out time, a standard room that was much nicer than my supposedly more expensive upgraded room! When I opened the door, two room service staff were relaxing in two chairs. “Wrong room” they said. I said “The key wouldn’t open the door if it’s the wrong room!” (The room number was also written on the card holder.) They looked puzzled but left. “Phone reception when you want me to collect your bags” the helpful porter said. I called. No reply. I waited and called again “We’ll send someone straight away.” Ten minutes later, nothing. I called again, no reply. I had a plane to catch, so I went to reception. “Sorry, we only have one porter. He’s coming now.” For a hotel this expensive, although it was over Christmas, my expectations were nowhere near met.

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