Compact yet beautifully spacious. Colourful and thoroughly calm. Add ‘historic’ with a magnificently modern interior, and you have a sense that Number 53 is truly all things to all people. And with its Bo-Kaap setting on the slopes of Table Mountain, it’s a hop from Cape Town’s most popular and trendy attractions – as well as five enticing beaches.
Easily spotted by its black exterior façade with yellow trim, Number 53 is as vibrant inside as the colourful rooftops it overlooks to the sweeping views of Table Mountain. The interior decor is funky and eclectic, with two huge wall murals incorporated into the space, which is pared down and unfettered.
There are two airy bedrooms, and two bathrooms with the main bedroom being en suite. Little nooks and relaxation corners are seemingly everywhere throughout the house, beckoning you for a lazy nap or to curl up with a book for the afternoon. Built across two storeys with mezzanine levels in between, the space is quirky and sometimes fantastical. Small spaces have also been created to work, if need be, and there is wifi throughout the house.
Cosy little verandahs and an intimate greened courtyard draw you outside with ease, where you can simply chill – and soak up endless mountain views, while listening to the muted buzz of city life down below. Here you feel far from the madding crowd, but it’s also easy to join in if you so wish. Number 53 has a big personality amidst surroundings steeped in historic culture, and yet it with everything comfortable and cosy to make it feel home away from home.
Built on the lower slopes of Signal Hill, the Bo Kaap is a deeply historic part of Cape Town’s culture – and Number 53 is at the heart of it all. Many of the Georgian-style homes here have brightly coloured facades – said to be an expression of freedom when the Malay slaves, who lived here in the late 1700s, purchased the homes. Today the Bo Kaap is a vibrant neighbourhood with enchanting Malay flair, seen across restaurant menus, spice shops and delis in the area. Number 53 is close to all things iconic in Cape Town too. A plethora of art galleries, museums, restaurants, fashion boutiques and unique attractions are all nearby – actually walking distance away, if you don’t mind traversing steep terrain. Even the V&A Waterfront is just 1.5km from the house, as is the Table Mountain cable car station. Kloof, Bree and Loop streets – with endless designer shopping and food – are also close as can be.
NEAR BY ATTRACTIONS
Cape Quarter
Standing out as one of the most stylish shopping centres in the Western Cape, the Cape Quarter in De Waterkant is home to over 100 stylish retail stores and restaurants. The Cape Quarter is home to some of the most exclusive interior and fashion stores, including well-known local and international labels. As it borders the De Waterkant, Cape Town City Bowl, the Cape Quarter is perfectly situated for business breakfasts and lunch meetings. The open-plan piazza suggests a more relaxed and stylish experience in shopping centre dining. In fact, the piazza oozes with contemporary styling and luxurious detailing. Favourite meeting spots include Vanilla, Voila and Lazari, which are all located in favourable spots.
Noon Day Gun
Up on Signal Hill at 12:00 exactly every day, a cannon is fired. Accurate to the nearest millisecond, it booms over the Mother City, Table Mountain in the background, yet never ceases to surprise even long-term Capetonians, and certainly has visitors looking anxious.
Auwal Masjid
The mosque that stands at the top end of Dorp Street, in amongst the brightly painted houses of the Bo-Kaap (almost diagonally behind the Bo-Kaap Museum), is South Africa’s oldest mosque - established in 1794, during the first British occupation of the Cape, by Tuan Guru, the Indonesian prince released from his thirteen years’ prison sentence on Robben Island.
Heritage Square Shopping Mall
The vibrant hub of Heritage Square is aptly named, being situated in the heart of the historical and cultural heart of Cape Town. It is right in the CBD of the city, on the border of the Bo-Kaap, where the Cape Malay community have been based for generations. Today, of course, it is much more multi-faceted and multi-cultural. But, it still tells an intriguing and important story of a massive segment of the modern South African heritage. Heritage Square is home to a number of boutiques, shops, wineries and restaurants. There is even a gin distillery and a coffee roastery here. Jewellery, crafts and fashion are added to the mix to create a vibey little epicentre of all things delicious and beautiful; just minutes away from the malls, office blocks, and markets of the City Bowl of Cape Town.
Signal Hill
Signal Hill, which connects Kloof Nek to Lion’s Head, in the distinctive shape of a lion’s rump, is one of the most famous spots in Cape Town for sundowners. Views from the 350m high summit are nothing short of spectacular, particularly at night, and and picnic dinners with accompanying drinks is something of a capital pastime.
Bertram House
One of the Iziko stable of museums, Bertram House is the only remaining red brick Georgian style house in Cape Town. Originally built as a residence, the building became a museum when it was restored in 1984. If you are even vaguely interested in vintage interiors, then a visit to Bertram House is for you. The beautifully maintained interior depicts the life and home of a typical wealthy English family in the way they lived in Cape Town at the beginning of the 19th century.
GETTING THERE
Take Airport Ring Road and Airport Approach Road to N2 in Kanana
Head northeast on Freight Road towards Airport Ring Road
Freight Road turns slightly right and becomes Airport Ring Road
Slight left toward Airport Approach Road
Continue straight onto Airport Approach Road
Continue on N2 to Cape Town City Centre
Merge onto N2
Keep right to continue on Nelson Mandela Blvd/N2, follow signs for Cape Town N/Waterfront/CTICC
Keep right to continue on Nelson Mandela Blvd
Merge onto Nelson Mandela Blvd/N1/N2
Continue on Buitengracht St/M62. Drive to Lion Street in Schotsche Kloof
Continue onto Buitengracht Street/M62
Turn right onto Leeuwen Street
Turn left onto Lion Street
Destination will be on the left - 53 Lion Street/ Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town, 8001
All over Cape Town, you’ll find paid parking structures, free street parking, and in the City Bowl and a few other areas, such as Sea Point, paid street parking. There are no parking meters, so when you see the “pay and display” parking sign, look for the parking attendant – or most likely they’ll find you. Parking is currently under R5 per 15 minutes. In areas where street parking is free, expect to be approached by “car guards,” who ask for a tip in exchange for watching over your car.
Housekeeping included according to the duration of your stay. Please enquire with your host on confirmation.
A private chef can be arranged for daily meals or your specific requirements.
