The President Hotel stands on the seafront at Bantry Bay, at the Sea Point end of the Atlantic seaboard. It is a large, long-established seafront hotel with a high proportion of apartment-style units, which makes it one of the more practical Atlantic addresses for families and longer stays.
Best for
Families; longer stays that benefit from a kitchen; travellers who want the promenade on the doorstep; visitors who want the sea without Camps Bay prices or Camps Bay wind.
Location
Beach Road runs along the water here, and the Sea Point promenade — flat, paved and several kilometres long — begins a short walk away. Sea Point’s restaurants and shops are within walking distance, which is unusual on this coast. The city centre is roughly ten minutes by road outside peak traffic.
For how the seaboard compares with the other bases, see our Where to Stay guide.
Rooms and style at President Hotel
The President Hotel mixes conventional hotel rooms with self-catering apartments of varying size. Aspect matters as much as category: sea-facing units look straight at the Atlantic, while inland units face Lion’s Head and the slope. Ask explicitly which you are booking.
Facilities at President Hotel
Pools, a restaurant and bar, and the kind of practical infrastructure — laundry, parking, family configurations — that matters on a longer stay more than a spa does.
Who should consider it
Consider it for a week rather than two nights, particularly with children, or when you want to cook some meals and walk the promenade every morning. It is a sensible Atlantic base for a trip that also involves driving out to the peninsula and the Winelands.
Trade-offs
No property suits every trip, and President Hotel is a better fit for some than others. These are the points worth weighing before you book.
- Large and functional. This is not a boutique experience.
- Busy road. Beach Road carries traffic; sea-facing does not mean silent.
- Cold water. The Atlantic here is for looking at and walking beside.
- Sea Point is urban. Lively and walkable, but not a resort setting.
- Aspect gap. Inland units give up most of the appeal.
Explore the area
- Cape Town beaches: which one suits which day
- Camps Bay and the Atlantic seaboard
- Cape Town with kids
- Western Cape accommodation guide
Getting there and getting around
The airport is roughly 25–35 minutes by road. Sea Point is walkable for daily needs, the MyCiTi network runs along the seaboard, and e-hailing is quick. A hire car is useful for day trips rather than for the city itself.
How President Hotel compares
Against Camps Bay, the President Hotel trades the beach strip and the sunset scene for a calmer, more sheltered stretch of coast, a walkable neighbourhood and apartment options. Against the Waterfront it trades precinct convenience for the promenade. Against the City Bowl it trades street life for sea air.
Practical notes for a stay at President Hotel
- Bantry Bay and Sea Point are more sheltered from the summer south-easter than Camps Bay.
- The promenade is busiest and best in the early evening and suits all abilities.
- Sea Point has the most useful everyday shopping on the seaboard, which matters on a self-catering stay.
Before you book President Hotel
- Ask whether you are booking a hotel room or a self-catering apartment, and how many bedrooms.
- Ask for sea-facing explicitly and check the floor.
- Confirm parking arrangements and cost.
- Confirm the current cancellation window at checkout.
Current rates and availability
Rates vary by unit type, aspect and season, so none is published here. Use the availability button for the current price on your dates and the cancellation terms.