For many visitors to Cape Town, the V&A Waterfront, Africa’s most famous shopping mall, is at the top of the itinerary. It’s easy to see why: in addition to hundreds of shops and great restaurants and bars, the Waterfront has a fantastic setting on the harbor with a backdrop of Table Mountain, so you can sip on a local wine and eat delicious food while watching bobbing yachts and the sun set behind the iconic mountain.

There is a handful of excellent hotels on the V&A Waterfront, most of which are large, multi-story affairs with hundreds of rooms. The Dock House, which oozes class and style, is a wonderful alternative: the boutique hotel has only one suite (with a private garden) and five rooms in a charming double-story heritage house, the 19th columns, balustrades and French doors. Cavernous high-ceilinged rooms feature understated elegant furnishings with a modern Victorian look: a palette of soft greys, offset by chandelier lights and crisp white linen sheets. Request a top-floor room facing the waterfront for the best views.

Breakfasts are served in the all-white dining room where an a la carte menu offers up gourmet choices such as eggs Benedict with smoked ostrich and avocado, and potato-and-feta rosti topped with roast field mushrooms. If you prefer a buffet, you can opt to have breakfast at the Dock House’s sister hotel, the Victoria & Alfred, next door.

The hotel’s lawn, pool and outdoor bar area are literally meters away from the waterfront: walk out the garden gate, cross the road, and you’re there. You can watch all the action from a poolside lounger. Adjacent to the hotel is the Urban Beauty spa, where you can book body treatments or use the sauna and gym with a personal trainer.

The close proximity to the V&A Waterfront unfortunately has its downside: we stayed at the hotel on a Saturday night when a live band was playing at the outdoor amphitheater until the early hours of the morning. In summer, the waterfront can heave with crowds, so keep this in mind if you’re after total peace and quiet.