Hotel The Portswood

These relatively small rooms are of a very high standard. All are carpeted, have traditional dark wood furniture, a table and chairs for guests, and low lighting, giving the rooms a calm and cosy feel. Situated in the Old Convict Station building (part of the old prison), this long, narrow, modern restaurant has a beautiful wooden ceiling and support beams. The table settings are attractive and the walls are covered in historical black-and-white photos. The restaurant offers superb Cape Town specialities, as well as international cuisine. With its national monument status, the Portswood is an impressive historical building. With its nautical theme, the lobby is a bright area with large glass doors leading through to a pleasant reception, with polished wooden floors and a seating area for guests. High ceilings give the lobby a nice sense of space. The reception has an elevated walkway, similar to a ship's deck, overlooking the central water and floral feature. Once Cape Town's biggest prison, this national monument building has been well-converted into one of Cape Town's best hotels. The hotel has a small, attractive, tropical garden with a swimming pool that has a stylish water feature at one end. There is a cocktail bar that offers guests drinks both inside the hotel and at the poolside terrace. A gym, steam room and sauna are available to guests, as is on-site parking. (AHJ 07/08)