The Silo Hotel
The Silo Hotel sits inside one of Cape Town’s most distinctive buildings: a 1920s grain silo at the V&A Waterfront, converted by Heatherwick Studio. Six upper floors hold the hotel, sitting above the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, which fills the lower levels of the same structure. Industrial bones are still visible throughout. In fact, the original silo’s geometry shapes everything above it. Pillowed glass panels, however, rework the façade, bulging gently outward. This gives the hotel its distinctive look from the harbour, turning it into a glowing landmark after dark.
This is a small hotel by design: 28 rooms and suites, each individually decorated by Liz Biden, founder of The Royal Portfolio. She also runs The Silo alongside her other South African properties. The decoration leans deliberately eclectic rather than restrained. Persian carpets, giraffe prints, bold stripes and acidic velvet sit against transparent furniture and the building’s industrial concrete. It’s not a neutral, blend-into-the-background style of luxury. Instead, it’s meant to be noticed, and most guests who choose The Silo are choosing it specifically for that visual confidence.
Design and Architecture
The rooms’ defining feature is their windows. Large convex “bubble” panels bulge outward from the building’s original silo geometry. These frame sweeping views over Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Robben Island, the harbour and the Atlantic, depending on which side of the building a room sits. Several reviewers single these out as the best individual detail in the hotel. It’s a genuinely unusual feature rather than a marketing flourish. There’s no equivalent window anywhere else in Cape Town.
Art, Dining and Location
Living directly above Zeitz MOCAA, the largest collection of contemporary African art on the continent, shapes the hotel’s identity as much as the building itself. Guests have direct access to the museum, and a private tour can be arranged as part of a stay. This is a meaningfully different proposition from simply staying near a museum, since the two institutions share the same building and, to some extent, the same curatorial sensibility. The hotel’s own art collection, drawn exclusively from across the continent, continues that thread through its corridors and public rooms.
The Silo Rooftop, on the building’s top floor, holds a heated infinity pool and lounge seating with panoramic views stretching from Table Mountain to the Atlantic. It counts as one of the better sunset spots in the city by most accounts, open to hotel guests rather than run as a public rooftop bar. Breakfast and lighter meals run through the Granary Café, with views over the docks. For the rest of the day, meanwhile, the Willaston Bar and rooftop offerings take over. The hotel’s minibar, in addition, comes stocked with local wines and snacks as part of the rate, a detail several guests mention as a thoughtful touch rather than an obvious upsell.
Practically, the hotel sits a five-minute walk from the rest of the V&A Waterfront, with the Robben Island ferry departure point essentially on the doorstep. It’s a genuinely central location. As a result, it suits travellers who want to combine striking design and direct museum access with easy reach of the Waterfront’s restaurants and shops, rather than seeking seclusion. For couples or design-minded travellers wanting one of the more architecturally interesting stays in the city, The Silo is hard to substitute with anything else in Cape Town.
Why Stay Here
- A converted 1920s grain silo with a distinctive bubbled-glass façade, designed by Heatherwick Studio
- Just 28 individually decorated rooms and suites, each with the hotel’s signature convex window views
- Direct access to the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, which occupies the lower floors of the same building
- A rooftop infinity pool and lounge with sweeping views from Table Mountain to the Atlantic
- A five-minute walk from the rest of the V&A Waterfront, including the Robben Island ferry
Accommodation
28 rooms and suites are spread across six floors, each individually decorated with bold textiles, bespoke furniture and African art. Every room also features the hotel’s distinctive convex glass windows. A two-bedroom Family Duplex Suite suits travellers with children. The two-bedroom Royal Suites, meanwhile, offer views over Table Mountain, the Atlantic and Robben Island. The Penthouse, on the top floor, is the hotel’s most exclusive room.
Dining
The Granary Café serves breakfast and lighter fare with views over the docks. For small plates and a wider drinks selection, the Willaston Bar covers the rest of the day. The Silo Rooftop, finally, serves light bites and cocktails, including oysters with champagne, against the hotel’s signature panoramic backdrop.
Experiences
A private guided tour of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa can be arranged directly through the hotel, given the museum’s position in the same building. The rooftop’s heated infinity pool and lounge area, in addition, are reserved for hotel guests. The surrounding V&A Waterfront, including the Robben Island ferry terminal, sits a five-minute walk away.
Best For
Design-minded travellers and art enthusiasts, couples wanting one of Cape Town’s more visually distinctive stays, and anyone prioritising direct museum access alongside their hotel.