Where to stay in Cape Town when you are going alone

Women keep coming back for the rooftop pool and Signal Hill views, and say hiking and wine tour partners materialise within hours. No women-specific floor or late-night desk detail in the reviews to go on.

The rooftop pools, bar, and restaurant offer mountain, harbour.

Halal restaurant on site, free parking and a local shuttle, reception staffed 24 hours.

The pool has been closed for maintenance across multiple recent stays.

Rooms plus a cafe, bar, hot tub and sundeck, with reception staffed around the clock.

Suites with kitchenettes and balconies, outdoor pool, sea views, reception staffed 24 hours.

Individually decorated rooms with satellite TV, plus an on-site restaurant.

Luyolo at the front desk is the name women keep mentioning, genuinely present and helpful rather than performatively so. One reviewer flags a staff member who was too touchy, and the entry codes are widely known and rarely changed, which means the odd non-guest wanders in overnight.

A free continental breakfast is included and the property has an outdoor pool.

Camps Bay rooms with balconies or patios, pool and free breakfast, check-in from 2pm.

Dorms and private rooms with a cafe bar, outdoor pool and free Wi-Fi; reception 9am to 9pm.

Dorms and private rooms in Observatory, with a bar, shared kitchen and plunge pool.

The rooftop bar has a small pool and serves drinks.

The staff here resolve last-minute booking changes fast and without fuss, which matters when you're travelling solo. The catch: the hotel sits on a steep hill, and reviewers suggest getting an Uber rather than walking far into the city.

Fully self-catering units with kitchen facilities.

At least one reviewer stayed in a balcony room.

The lobby and rooftop bar attract a lively crowd.

Long Street is a central, busy thoroughfare in Cape Town known for its nightlife, bars.

Some rooms have balconies, and there's an outdoor saltwater pool.

The 6-person dorm configuration includes a private living room, a fully equipped kitchen.

A MyCiti bus stop is located around the corner from the hostel.

Staff accommodated last-minute walk-in booking during peak NYE season.

Security is stationed at the front gate around the clock.

Located in Oude Molen Eco Village with mountain views and open secure parking.

Sea view rooms with balconies overlook the ocean, and room 3 sits directly above the pool.

Rooms sit above a bar, with noise running past 1am and later on weekends.

Free Wi-Fi, shared kitchen, garden and BBQ grill; reception open weekdays 8am to 5pm.

Rooms and cottages in Gardens, with an outdoor pool and breakfast included.

The beach is directly across the road and the area is described as walkable during the day.

Rooms come with a shared bathroom, and reception is staffed 8am to 8pm daily.

Guests have access to a rooftop terrace and plunge pool at the sister property, Dixon House.

Tiny kitchen with only 2 stools for all guests.

Muizenberg stay with weekday reception until 5pm and short weekend desk hours.

Gardens address with 24 hour reception and a host on site to help guests.

Guests report unreliable wifi and cleanliness problems with bedding and walls.

Hosts Russell and Allen run the rooms, in Bo-Kaap.

Located on Union Street in Gardens with bars and restaurants within walking distance.

Kitchen facilities are described as very messy and dirty, electrical plugs don't work.

Clear arrival directions make it workable for late flights into Observatory.

Located a few hundred metres from the beach in Table View.

Located on Main Road in Sea Point, described as central with easy access to area amenities.

Rooms have no aircon and a single window, with shared bathrooms outside the room.

Two bedroom units sleep four, with kitchen and toilet shared with other guests.

Bo-Kaap budget beds; recent guests report dirty linen and worn rooms.

Bunk bed dormitory setup with 8 beds squeezed into single apartment-style rooms.

Located in Table View, walking distance to Blouberg beach and local shops and restaurants.

Rooftop area with mountain views and pool facilities designed for warmer weather use.

WiFi connection is unreliable in rooms. Kitchen facilities available for guest use.

Budget beds in Sea Point, with noise carrying through the building.