Dorp Hotel Review: Cape Town’s Quirky Boutique Hotel for Luxury-Loving Oddballs
Cape Town has no shortage of world-class boutique hotels, but the Dorp Hotel remains something of an enigma. Despite being a sprawling 42-room hotel perched on Signal Hill (and therefore, quite hard to miss), Dorp seems to be something of a mystery.
When I heard I would be staying here, I was excited. I knew just enough about it to have some notion that the interiors were on the quirky side, and I’m all about all things that are a little different. If you, like me, enjoy a bit of luxury, no pretentiousness, loads of quirks and maybe a bit of offbeat humour, Dorp is the ultimate Cape Town boutique hotel. AND it comes with some of the most incredible views in Cape Town!
No hotel has ever left an impression on me like this one. Let me try to explain why:
My First Impression of Dorp: A Boutique Hotel Like No Other
Before I was assigned to my room, I spent a few moments exploring the Salon. This is the restaurant of the hotel but it also feels like the living room and library. This double-volume space leaves quite the impression.
In the centre of the room are two giant pink granny settees back to back, creating two separate seating areas. They are divided by an oasis of indoor palms. (Palm trees are a motif that seems to recur here quite a bit.) Chairs and tables surround the outside of the room, each with a stack of books on it.
In one section of the room was a beautiful grand piano. A row of books rested on the top of it, held in position by two dinosaur bookends that immediately led me to google “dinosaur bookends” to see where I could buy some.
The more time I spent in this space, the more quirks I noticed. What was a classic granny settee at first glance turned out to be covered in a subtle dinosaur print (if anything about an oversized pink settee covered in dinosaurs can be “subtle").
A glass cabinet against the wall was filled with books and other curiosities, like a large preserved beetle in a glass case right next to plastic toy dinosaur.
A cushion on one of the armchairs consisted of a tapestry of a pair of spaniels. I want one!
The artworks that hang on the walls are equally eclectic. I personally loved the painting of a giraffe in a suit at the far end of the dining area, while more serious religious imagery made a number of appearances throughout. Sophisticated antiques and ceramics intermingle with toys, and there are books and cut flowers in glass bottles almost everywhere.
Next to the main door that enters the Salon, lettering spells out “Check your privilege” (at the door).
On the wall between the five windows that opened onto incredible views of Table Mountain were the letters of the name “Dorp”. In the same gold lettering under each one, respectively, were the words “Decency, Originality, Respect, and Psycho”.
I just loved every quirky element I stumbled upon, and after a few minutes of being thoroughly entertained by interior decor, I had fallen in love with Dorp. I needed to meet the creative mind responsible for this special place and become her best friend!
I asked one of the friendly staff who was behind this genius, whose creativity had produced such whimsy? They said a lady named Gail. And then they said she had passed away.
I have never been so saddened to hear about the death of someone whose existence I had only just discovered. I felt like I had been punched in the gut. It was a weird feeling, but one that seemed to match the almost surreal nature of the place I was standing in.
Walking through the Dorp Hotel is like walking through a three-dimensional memorial to someone with so much character, with a larger-than-life personality, one so large that it took up a 42-room hotel, where you can still feel her presence long after her death.
I know so little about Gail Behr, but I am a fan. And while I never got to meet her during her lifetime, I’m so glad I got to experience her hotel during mine.
Here are some of the reasons you should too:
Dorp’s Rooms
The hotel consists of 42 rooms, each one individually designed and delightfully unpredictable. (Not that I’ve seen them all, but from what I understand.)
Each member of the media group I was travelling with was assigned a room at random. I ended up with the Rooftop, one of the Premier Suites. It is an apartment with a large lounge area, a tea and coffee station with rusks and muffins, and a fully stocked all-inclusive mini-bar, not one but two large bathrooms (one with a bath, one with a shower that could fit a small orgy) and a large private balcony with the most incredible views. At 134m2, it was easily twice the size of my flat! And to think all I was expecting was a bedsitter!
From the strange mermaid art, to the eclectic book collection, to the dog door-stopper, the colourful rugs, and of course the ostrich feather key ring on my room key, there were a number of quirky elements in my room to love.
I imagine that getting assigned any room here is a bit like opening a lucky packet. You never know what charming surprises await. And honestly, I would love to tour all 42 of them.
The Behr Necessities Tin in Every Bathroom
If you have travelled more than twice, you probably know what it’s like to have forgotten something that you really need. Well, Gail thought of everything. In the ‘Behr Necessities’ tin (love a good name pun), you will find all the essentials you could have forgotten, from a razor to a sewing kit, a spare toothbrush, and a candy watch - an obvious necessity for anyone on the move. It feels like such a nice touch.
The Gardens
The gardens intermingle with the sprawling hotel buildings. They were designed by none other than Leon Kluge, probably South Africa’s number one landscape designer and botanist. They are perfectly manicured to look wild and unkempt, but, you know, in an aesthetically pleasing sort of way.
(It happened to be raining on the morning I explored the gardens so the pics don't quite do the gardens justice)
The Dorp Hotel Shop
There is a Dorp shop on the property, and it’s worth navigating your way through the hotel to find it. Gail’s creativity seems to have known no bounds, and she even had a clothing line. While some of the clothing is still available in the upper level of the shop, downstairs, you can find home decor and gifts for purchase to take some of the whimsy of Dorp back home. The single greatest elevator in existence in Cape Town (prove me wrong!) connects the two floors.
The Game Room and the Palm House
Wandering through the hotel grounds on my way from the shop back to reception, I stumbled upon two public areas that were charmingly "Gail":
- The Game Room looks like the most amazing place for a games night. About 14 mismatched chairs lined a long table in a relatively simple room, but one with a fireplace and some of Dorp's signature quirky art.
- The Palm House is a surprisingly large clubhouse consisting of a kitchen and a number of dining tables and lounge areas. From the bunny curtain that hangs in the kitchen to the oversized statement cushion in the corner, there were lots of charming elements, as well as more books, palms, ceramic vases and unusual art. This space seems to be available to guests of the hotel up until 8pm. I believe that both venues function as event spaces and are available for hire.
The Dorp Hotel Restaurant/The Salon
Dorp serves comfort food in large portions. The cheese soufflé is rich and delicious. If you ever wanted to know what a hug would taste like, try this. I had it for my mains because cheese is everything. The roast chicken, however, is apparently the stuff legends are made of. I believe it is Gail’s famous recipe. And yes, after the cheese soufflé, I had the cheesecake for dessert, you might judge me, but no one else did. If ever there was a restaurant that catered for oddballs, this would be it. I have no regrets. I savoured every mouthful and every moment.
You don’t have to be a guest of the hotel to dine here; it is open to the public for lunch and dinner. Just be sure to make a reservation: +27 21 612 0298
The Staff
The Dorp Hotel staff were amazingly friendly and helpful. Scattered around the hotel were a number of pinboards with different notes and posters pinned to them. One of the two that I spotted in the Salon had this tacked to it:
“If you are a cheap tipper or rude to your server, you are dead to me. You are lower than whale feces.” - Bourdain
As someone who has worked in hospitality, my appreciation for the hotel went up, and if this is the hotel’s attitude to the staff, it explains the great service (even if it does mention “feces” in a restaurant!).
The Best Views in Cape Town
From the windows of the Salon, the terrace above it, or many of the suites, Dorp offers incredible panoramic views that span Table Mountain all the way to the harbour.
It almost seems unfair that a hotel with interiors this spectacular has such incredible vistas. Shame, give the guests of a soulless hotel something to look at!
The Most Inspiring Hotel Stay in Cape Town
Whether you’re looking for accommodation or just a meal, in a world full of boring hotels, Dorp is overflowing with character and is not a place that you will easily forget. Not only is it one of the most unique hotel stays in Cape Town, with one of the most impressive hidden gem restaurants around, but it feels like a memorial to a seemingly amazing human.
A stay or even a meal here is sure to leave you feeling inspired; inspired to be your authentic self, inspired to not conform, inspired to let your beautiful freak flag fly …and, maybe even let that translate into your own interior decor choices. (If anyone knows where I can get dinosaur bookends, let me know.)
I never expected a hotel stay to have such an effect on me, but I feel like I left Dorp ready to be a bolder version of myself.
Thank you, Gail, for your incredible gift.
Find out more about Dorp or book here.
Know Before You Go:
Dorp is not licensed. You are welcome to bring your own wine, but you can get tipsy on the decor alone.
Plan Your Visit
📍Location: 273 Longmarket St, Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town, 8001
🛏️ Rooms: 42
🍽️ Restaurant: Open to the public (bookings essential)
🍷 Alcohol: Not licensed—BYOB encouraged
📞 Reservations: +27 21 612 0298
🌐 Website: dorp.co.za
Things to do in the area:
- Grab a drink at Cape Town's secret speakeasy, The Art of Duplicity.
- See crabs bigger than your dog at the 2 Oceans Aquarium.
- Meet South Africa's most interesting sushi chef at Konnichiwa
- Check out the Museum of Dogs
- Try out the Waterfront Duck, Cape Town's bus-boat
- Go for a sunset kayak at the Waterfront Canal District
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