Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Cape Town

Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Cape Town is a lively, design-led hotel on New Church Street in Tamboerskloof, part of Marriott's Protea Hotels brand, which is South Africa's best-known local hotel chain. The hotel has a playful personality, with modern rooms and décor inspired by South Africa, and it appeals to travellers who want something with more character than a standard chain hotel at a moderate price.

The on-site restaurant, Hustle & Flow, serves comfort food, with burgers and gourmet milkshakes as its signature, along with cocktails. It is a relaxed place for a casual dinner after a day out. The hotel also has an outdoor pool, included at no extra charge, a spa and a fitness centre, and it received a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice award in 2021.

Rooms range from standard rooms to lofts, so it is worth comparing the options when booking if you need more space. The hotel suits couples, friends travelling together, young families and solo travellers who want a sociable atmosphere and a good location without paying luxury prices.

The location is one of the hotel's main advantages. New Church Street runs parallel to Kloof Street, and the restaurants, bars and cafés of Kloof Street are a short walk away. The city centre, Long Street and the Bo-Kaap are within walking distance or a short taxi ride, and Kloof Nek, the starting point for Lion's Head and the road to the Table Mountain cableway, is just up the hill.

For trips further afield, taxis and ride-hailing services are easy to find, and the V&A Waterfront and Camps Bay are each around 10 to 15 minutes by car. As with any central city hotel, use taxis rather than walking long distances late at night, and confirm parking arrangements with the hotel in advance if you are hiring a car.

Tamboerskloof is a residential neighbourhood of Victorian houses and leafy streets on the slopes below Lion's Head and Signal Hill, and it is one of the most pleasant parts of the City Bowl to stay in. Morning walks around the area give good views of Table Mountain, and the lower slopes of Signal Hill are close by. Kloof Street's cafés make breakfast an easy short walk away.