The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa, wedged between the dramatic peaks of Table Mountain National Park and the glittering expanse of the Atlantic, is more isolated than most of Cape Town’s five-star properties — halfway between Sea Point and Hout Bay, with Camps Bay visible in the near distance.
This heightens the sense of getting away from the hustle and bustle, creating a refuge of warm hospitality.
Since opening under the Red Carnation Hotels banner in 2002, the property has evolved steadily with its guests. Over the past five years, as family travel has surged worldwide, the Twelve Apostles has responded. The philosophy is simple: whatever the adults are doing, the children can join too, in their own way. There are sushi-making and smoothie workshops. Gin tastings run alongside pizza-making. Cocktail classes are paired with chocolate and strawberry milk tastings.
That inclusive, family-orientated ethos is evident immediately on arrival. My daughter is handed a form to fill in, a sort of personalised certificate that includes favourites: animal, movie, food (cucumber and soya), ice cream (mint), and colour (pastel yellow). By afternoon those details have quietly shaped the experience.
She gets to ice cupcakes (rather impressively), and perhaps the most fun is learning how to make a mocktail. Yup, at the bar. Right up there in front of the shimmering glass of whiskies and sodas, she’s handed ingredients to make a mojito and then a strawberry daiquiri (both non-alcoholic). Shake it up, deliver it in a stylish glass, and pop on the trimmings. Mama is excited for these new learnings.
There are also outdoor activities. In a space once reserved exclusively for weddings, croquet sets and oversized Jenga now appear on weekday mornings. The hiking options are well calibrated. A short 15-minute trail suits the youngest guests and leads to a stream where hot chocolate is served at a riverside station. For those with more appetite for adventure, a treasure hunt winds through the hotel’s garden paths, ticking off landmarks on a hand-drawn map before culminating in a prize at the Café Grill.
As for the rooms, at the upper end is the Presidential Suite, which wraps around the building with panoramic views of the mountain range and the coastline below. The interior of the suite (where we stay) is grounded in marble floors with underfloor heating and an antique marble bath of considerable presence. Italian chandeliers illuminate works by South African artists. In the bedroom, the cutest tent is set up for a “stayover” with colourful towels available for swimming and a selection of children’s snacks.
The layout flows from a grand dining room through to the well-appointed bar and a dedicated study. The private terrace, overlooking the ocean, is precisely the sort of place for sundowners before easing into dinner. The views from the hotel are part of what sets it apart. Whale sightings from the balcony are a regular occurrence, almost unremarkable.
The hotel’s warmth has a biographical root. Red Carnation was built by Bea and Stanley Tollman. Stanley had proposed to Bea at the Oyster Box Hotel in KwaZulu-Natal, promising, half in jest, he would buy it for her one day. He kept his word, and then some, eventually building a collection of more than 20 hotels on three continents along with luxury cruise experiences.
Over the years they would arrive at the Twelve Apostles each December with their dogs, take their customary table in the restaurant, and greet the staff by name. The hotel even has designated pet-friendly suites and pet menus available on request.
That culture of warmth endures: the large jars of sweets in the public spaces, the baskets of sunblock casually stationed near the pool, the popcorn and ice cream that materialise without being requested in the private cinema. The pool is heated, making an early morning swim less an act of bravado and utterly pleasant.
Bea Tollman was also a passionate cook, and her influence remains tangible on the plate. At high tea — among the finest in Cape Town, served in the Leopard Lounge with its view of the Atlantic — her cheesecake, key lime tart and salted beef bagels appear alongside caramel macarons and proper finger sandwiches.
In the Café Grill, her chicken linguine remains a fixture. At Azure, the hotel’s more formal dining room, the focus shifts to seafood and sunsets: oysters and shellfish presented against a striking backdrop. A legendary hotelier, Bea was awarded the prestigious British Travel & Hospitality Hall of Fame Award after working closely with her team of chefs around the world for decades.
Though Stanley has died, the family connection endures, and their children are involved in the business. Photos of new dishes from the hotel are sent to Bea and her daughter Vicki, current president of Red Carnation Hotels.
We eat dinner at the Café Grill, the more casual daytime dining option which allows children. Dinner is an obvious choice: Bea’s tasty chicken linguine, one of her specialities. Breakfast, however, is served at Azure.
It’s the hospitality of the space that engages. One friend described once arriving at 11am for the oyster and wine celebration and not leaving until nine that night — somewhere in between, she and her partner had drifted into the spa and lost track of time.
As the Twelve Apostles approaches its 25th year under the Red Carnation banner, it feels like a deeply personal retreat shaped by ritual and hospitality. The grandeur of the setting is evident, but it’s the smaller gestures that linger.
