Silo Hotel
Industrial-luxe art hotel. Bold, maximalist interiors that mix African contemporary art with eclectic vintage flourishes. Feels less like a hotel and more like staying inside a well-curated private collection. The architecture is the star, and the rooms lean into that with enormous bubble windows and no two suites decorated alike.
The heated rooftop pool is strictly for hotel residents — non-guests are welcome on the rooftop terrace for drinks and food, but cannot use the pool
Why It Matters
Designed by Heatherwick Studio inside a 1924 grain silo and built directly above the Zeitz MOCAA — Africa's largest contemporary art museum. The only hotel in Cape Town with a rooftop pool and bar at the highest point in the V&A Waterfront, with 360-degree views of Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Robben Island, and the harbour. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
The Silo Hotel sits inside the grain elevator of a repurposed 1920s silo complex, six floors above the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa at Cape Town's V&A Waterfront. British architect Thomas Heatherwick redesigned the structure, and the building's 56 convex, faceted glass windows are a direct nod to the pressure of grain once packed inside — they literally bulge outward. The Royal Portfolio founder and interior designer Liz Biden then filled all 28 suites with bold colour schemes, Persian carpets, Egyptian chandeliers, and curated works by contemporary African artists. It opened in March 2017 and quickly became one of the most photographed buildings in South Africa.
Where You'll Stay
6 room types available
Deluxe Superior Suite
Spread across the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors with 5.5m (18-foot) pillowed-glass windows that frame harbour and Table Mountain views. The sitting area is one of the best rooms in which to actually appreciate the building's famous windows. Range from 60–67m².
King · 67 sqm
Duplex Suite
Double-storey suites across the 6th and 7th floors with either mountain or harbour views. The bedroom sits on the mezzanine level above the lounge, and each includes a compact balcony. Can connect to an adjoining Duplex Suite for larger groups.
King · 82 sqm
Family Duplex Suite
Two-bedroom, double-storey suites on the 7th floor designed with families in mind. The second bedroom is scaled for children. Views span the harbour, mountains, V&A Waterfront, and Signal Hill. At 111–128m², it's one of the roomiest options in the building.
King + Twin · 128 sqmRoyal Suite
Two-bedroom, triple-aspect suites with simultaneous views of the Atlantic Ocean, Robben Island, and the distant mountains. At 132m², they also include large living and dining areas plus a generous balcony. The two Royal Suites are some of the most scenically placed rooms in the hotel.
King + King · 132 sqmSilo Room
The entry-level rooms, and still far from modest. Each of the 8 Silo Rooms is individually designed with a bold colour scheme and a private collection of contemporary African art. Private balcony, large en-suite bathroom with harbour views. The rooms sit on floors facing the working harbour.
King · 44 sqm
The Penthouse
The one-bedroom Penthouse on the top floor is The Royal Portfolio's flagship room. At 211m², it includes a private cinema room, a dedicated spa treatment room, two walk-in wardrobes, two marble bathrooms, and two 24m² private balconies with panoramic Cape Town views. Can be converted to a two-bedroom layout by connecting to an adjoining Deluxe Superior Suite. Rates reach up to R226,000 per night during peak season.
King · 211 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
5 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
The hotel itself is a curated art collection, assembled by Liz Biden. Works by contemporary African artists are displayed throughout public spaces and in every suite. The hotel team can walk guests through the collection.
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa sits directly below the hotel — the world's largest contemporary African art museum. Hotel guests can walk straight downstairs into what is one of the most significant art institutions on the continent. A genuinely rare in-hotel cultural experience.
Hotel can arrange penguin colony visits at Boulders Beach, whale watching (seasonal), and other marine and wildlife experiences on the Cape Peninsula.
Hotel concierge can arrange guided city tours taking in the Castle of Good Hope, Parliament Buildings, Bo-Kaap, and a cable car ride up Table Mountain.
The Robben Island ferry terminal is 250m from the hotel. The hotel concierge can assist with booking tours of the former prison where Nelson Mandela was held.
The hotel concierge can direct guests to scenic hiking and cycling trails from Signal Hill to the Cape Peninsula. Cape Town is considered the fitness capital of South Africa.
Cocktails and light bites at The Silo Rooftop — the highest point in the V&A Waterfront — open daily from noon to sunset.
Daily afternoon tea in The Granary Café (14:30–17:00). R575 per person. A signature hotel experience open to non-guests with advance reservation.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Business centre, meeting rooms, and The Wisdom Room private dining/conference space (seats up to 22).
Complimentary full English breakfast included in all room rates, served in The Granary Café.
On-site gym included in the room rate.
All rooms include a complimentary minibar stocked with local South African wines and soft drinks.
The hotel is affiliated with the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA).
Heated infinity pool at the top of the V&A Waterfront's highest building. For hotel residents only — non-guests on the rooftop terrace cannot access the pool.
Paid airport shuttle service to/from Cape Town International Airport (~25km).
BUILD YOUR THE SILO HOTEL PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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