Camps Bay Retreat

Adam Smith

2 months ago

Our stay at Camps Bay Retreat in Villa 5, Room 20 during the week of June 15 was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with genuine warmth by the late-night reception staff, setting the tone for what would become an unforgettable stay. The property itself is absolutely stunning. Between the beautiful pools, nature trails, trailheads, private beach access, and breathtaking surroundings, there was always something to enjoy. It’s the perfect balance of luxury, relaxation, and adventure. The dining experience was outstanding. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner was prepared with care and consistently exceeded our expectations. The chefs, waitstaff, housekeeping, porters, groundskeepers, and every member of the team made us feel like valued guests. Their professionalism, friendliness, and attention to detail truly set this property apart. A special thank you and recognition goes to Venessa Baillie. She runs an outstanding operation and clearly takes tremendous pride in both her team and the guest experience. Whether it was recommending shopping and dining, arranging activities, or simply making sure every detail of our stay was perfect, Venessa made us feel genuinely welcomed and cared for. Great leadership is reflected in the people it inspires, and that was evident throughout every department at Camps Bay Retreat. I made it a point to tip the staff because they absolutely earned it, but I also wanted to leave this review because exceptional leadership deserves recognition. If you’re considering a stay in Cape Town, I cannot recommend Camps Bay Retreat highly enough. It’s a destination where the beautiful setting is matched only by the incredible people who make your stay so memorable. We can’t wait to return.

Phollicle (Phil Hunt)

5 months ago

Glorious and splendid from beginning to end. 5 days here has been glorious. Our villa was amazing, and we were so lucky. Massages, hot tub experience was great. All staff were great, kind and happy and professional. The house and gardens are magical and I should like to close the hotel and live here myself. Feel.very lucky to have experienced this place. Two small negatives, the walk down to the garden gates needs a little more lighting, our phone torches were useful for this. And more consideration for serious allergies on the menu( or simply a printed version giving allergy advice) Otherwise- all amazing

Arthur Braylovskiy

6 months ago

We booked Camps Bay Retreat as a standard room through Trivago. What we were given on arrival was completely different and not what we booked. They placed us in their “pod room,” which is essentially a metal shipping container dressed up. There is no air conditioning at all, only a fan, and the unit becomes stifling and hot. The bathroom was extremely cramped with a metal toilet and metal shower, barely enough room for one person, let alone two. The bed felt smaller than a queen, and there were essentially no amenities consistent with a property marketed as five star. On top of that, it’s located down at the bottom of the property near the road and exit, and getting up to breakfast or amenities is an unpleasant trek up stairs. It’s inconvenient and not relaxing. When we raised this immediately, we were told they were fully booked, so basically we were out of luck. Instead of trying to fix it, staff kept pointing to what we paid and implied this was the only room we could have at that price, which felt insulting and dismissive. It honestly felt like the hotel already knows this is an issue and that guests who pay more are prioritized for the normal rooms, while others get pushed into the pod or container units. I can’t prove their internal process, but that’s exactly how it came across based on how it was handled. We didn’t stay even a single night and had to make other arrangements. We had to book another hotel last minute at our own expense, which because of the last minute booking, was even more expensive. This was the worst hotel experience I’ve ever had, and the fact that this property markets itself as five star makes it absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable.

Melanie Pai

7 months ago

We had a 10 day girls get away trip and stayed at this fabulous hotel. Our room had a swimming pool and hot tub. The views and unique trails were breathtaking. The staff was amazing!!! I would highly recommend staying at this boutique 5 acre estate hotel

EJ Lewin

8 months ago

Avoid. Beautiful setting (one of the most beautiful you’ll ever see). But the hotel lacks any sort of execution. We were witness to a total systems failure at the hotel when dinner had to be abandoned. Breakfast was an absolute shambles. Rooms badly in need of a refurb. Some lovely individual staff but they lack leadership and systems to help them succeed.