Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town

Everything was perfect

Driving up the palm lined entrance to the Belmond Mount Nelson, my heart skipped a beat – we were back at our favourite hotel, and it felt like coming home (if your home was a rose hued sanctuary that combined old world luxury and opulence with modern efficiency and sophistication.)
We were greeted with scented chilled towels and warm smiles, luggage was whisked away to our suite, and within minutes the stresses of an overnight flight were forgotten – we were back in our favourite hotel in the beautiful mother city!
The Belmond Mount Nelson isn’t the cheapest option when staying in Cape Town, but I believe it’s the best.

Impeccable Service.
As you would expect from a 5-star hotel, the level of personalised, unobtrusive service is outstanding. But the staff at the Nelly deliver something extra – heart. They care about what they do and take pride in making your stay extra special. The smiles are genuine. Every member of staff goes above and beyond, anticipating your needs and aiming to delight. From the turn down service, with a nightly gift left on the pillow, to the pool staff who angle the parasol perfectly, and the team of professionals who ensure every plate of food and glass of wine is delicious. Thank you to the concierge service who are always available to help, the lovely Simone for all her recommendations and Molebz, who saved the day by resolving issues with Hertz downtown.
Special mentions to Busi on the front desk for anticipating our every need and much more besides! Thanks to the wonderful Benson and his team at the Planet Bar, especially Sim. Sitting on the terrace, admiring the fountain and gardens whilst sipping a cocktail is the best way to begin (or end) and evening, and the menu available is so appealing, often we couldn’t bear to leave. Luckily, we didn’t have to venture too far for a high-end dining experience or give up that wonderful view as the Veranda Restaurant offers opulent seating both indoors and on the terrace.

The Veranda Restaurant.
In our 25 years visiting Cape Town we have dined at many wonderful restaurants, but few venues can match the timeless, elegant beauty of the Veranda or offer such delicious, seasonal cuisine. We were delighted to be greeted by our old friend Emmanuel (Manny) Mcotheli who has recently returned to the Nelly as Restaurant manager. Under his care the restaurant has reached new heights of excellence. Manny has that rare blend of warmth, charisma and a passion for service that enable him to make every guest feel like the most important person in the room. With him at the helm the whole atmosphere of the Veranda has been elevated, and his energy and leadership reverberate throughout the restaurant. A standout highlight of our evening was the ‘surprise’ chocolate mousse, served tableside. This wasn’t just a dessert, it was a moment of theatre, choreographed by Emmanuel to curate a very special experience. The rich, velvety chocolate delivered more than expected, as did the whole unforgettable evening. I didn’t think we could love the Veranda more, but with Emmanuel running the show, this is a dining option that deserves an encore.
Every year the Nelly seems to accomplish the impossible, it improves upon perfection! Last year it was the addition of The Fountain for al fresco, Mediterranean style dining. This year the reinvention of the Veranda and the addition of Seafood restaurant Amura, establishing the Nelly as a food lovers destination. But whether you chose the Nelly for its unrivalled luxury and old world charm, or its dining options and commitment to service, what will keep you coming back are its people who become the family you wish you had!

I was fortunate to stay at Mount Nelson in early January 2026. Having visited many times before, I already knew how special the hotel is — but this stay was made extra memorable for a new reason.
I took several tennis lessons with the resident Tennis Pro, Barkie, who has apparently been at the hotel for many years. His ability to connect with people, read their game, and elevate their performance is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Barry has a rare combination of technical expertise and outstanding people skills — he knows exactly how to challenge you while keeping the sessions enjoyable and motivating.
Thank you, Barkie, for the quality time on court and for taking my game to another level. I’m already looking forward to the next visit. 🎾

Lunch on the terrace. Poor quality food (at high prices). Worse than that the management don’t care.

10/10 experience! Service and food was outstanding! Thabisa was incredible!

Thabisa is a fantastic host! What a lovely girl. Food and ambience in the room lovely. Definitely recommend a visit.

We had a great time here for afternoon tea. Thabisa was amazing and made the experience even better.

Just had the most amazing high tea here. Thabisa was incredible and extremely knowledgeable on everything. She was extremely kind and made the experience so much better. Craig was also very lovely and knowledgeable on all the teas. Infact Everyone is just extremely lovely!

It’s my birthday too and I felt like it was very special being here, the little box of chocolates for my birthday was a lovely gift too. I will definitely be back

Had a wonderful experience here. This hotel has incredibly thoughtful, anticipatory service, a real sense of history, and fantastic accommodations. It's iconic in its own right, but everything is fresh and well-maintained. Could not recommend this enough for luxury stay in Cape Town.

Hôtel mythique du Cap, le Mount Nelson se dévoile au milieu d’un très grand et très beau parc, tel une parenthèse enchantée au cœur de la ville.
L’ensemble dégage un charme fou !
Piscine très agréable. Les différents restaurants et le tea-time sont également des must.
Service professionnel et agréable.

This hotel is fabulous. Wonderful, wonderful staff; sumptuous room; great bed; beckoning public areas; massive heated pool; breakfast smorgasbord!

We went for a Afternoon High Tea for our 2nd year anniversary. Thuli was helping us through the service, she was very kind and made sure that we were taken care of, comfortable and happy! Craig their Tea Master recommended us a Tea just by getting to know us and it was fantastic.

The food was superb very fun and definitely enough to make you say maagies vol oogies toe!
We were very happy that we chose the Mount Nelson, it really doesn't get better than that!

We did the high tea and had Thuli serve us. Amazing service and great experience with lovely food. Really good range of sandwiches and sweets + friendly service. Thank you Thuli.

Comfortable and beautiful atmosphere, delicious food, and perhaps best of all - great service. Thank you Thabisa! Hogh Tea

It was our second time going to the afternoon tea, the last time being 10 years ago. It was amazing back then and they still managed to make it even more special. Our server Thabisa was wonderful and made sure our experience was exceptional. The food is incredible (make sure you don’t eat anything before going because you will be stuffed by the end of it) and the tea selection is wide and well described in the card.
The price is very reasonable at 595 ZAR.
We are amazed by the services provided and the kindness every server welcomes you with.
Thank you Thabisa and Mount Nelson!

Had a lovely chicken curry and rice for dinner last night organised by Tariq , with all the trimmings on the side could not be faulted one of the best curries I’ve had for a long time and that includes back in the UK. Thank you, Tariq.

De oud Engelse stijl van het hotel en het reuze aardige personeel

The food was really very good: refined, perfectly balanced and beautifully presented. The atmosphere is classy and classic; this is clearly a high-end place where a neat dress code actually fits. It feels like a hidden gem, a luxurious retreat, away from the outside world for a while.

What made this experience extra special was our waitress Thabisa. What a fantastic hostess! With her beautiful smile, fine humour and enormous professionalism, she made us feel immediately welcome. She understands her craft wonderfully well, is attentive to the smallest details and does her job with visible pleasure.

If you want a real high tea experience, this is definitely the place to visit. This is class on all fronts.