I knew I was in for a treat before I even stepped inside this boutique hotel. The location alone is simply spectacular and features a breathtaking view of the ocean and the 12 Apostles as a backdrop. It also looks quite luxurious from the outside when walking up from the beaches at Camps Bay. POD’s winning combination comes from just 17 rooms that pamper travelers with a true five-star experience and an extremely high attention to detail.

Once we stepped inside, we were greeted by a friendly concierge who made sure we were comfortable, offering us fresh espresso and snacks while our room was being prepared. We arrived early so we had an hour wait, but we had no problem with it because we were escorted to the outside patio to lounge on comfortable chairs while we basked in the sun and listened to the waves crash. The pool on the outside patio was modern, sleek and facing the ocean — it’s just too bad it was too cold to swim. There was also a covered area past the pool where people can hang out next to a waterfall coming down the rock wall.

The best way to describe the decor of the hotel is modern minimalism meets stone and old-growth wood. The lobby has a swanky bar that stretches out to the patio and you could get a sense that this could be a hopping place at night for a lucky few. When we got into the luxury suite on the top floor, we had to refrain from dropping our jaws open at the stunning interior and view. The hotel room stretched pretty far horizontally into a giant open floor plan that seamlessly connected the balcony, living room, bedroom and bathroom together. Only one sleek additional room was used for the enclosed toilet.

The bed was extremely comfortable and surrounded by beautiful wood and our night stands consisted of large tree trunks. The living room had a tasteful grey sectional couch and an abstract floor lamp. On the coffee table, several complimentary magazines were available for our reading pleasure. The bathroom is also worth mentioning and could have been the star of the show. It had a romantic vibe with a large white bathtub surrounded by black slate with complimentary boutique bath salts, candles, shampoo, conditioner and lotion. But the highlight of the bathroom is the open shower next to the tub. There are two large round shower faucets hanging from the ceiling so two people can shower at the same time. There are no shower curtains or walls to close it off and the water just drains into the floor. It felt like you were taking a shower in the rain below the mountains and if I ever get enough money, I’ll try to get one installed in my house.

The complimentary items that come with a stay at POD also makes it a memorable experience. The mini fridge was stocked with complimentary soft drinks, juice, cream, local beer and wine. A Nespresso machine, teas, dried fruit, chocolates, gummy snacks and more items to nibble on were available and restocked every day. A large selection of DVDs was available if you wanted to stay in and relax. The room was outfitted with a beach bag full of fresh beach towels, new flip flops and paddles to play paddleball at the beach. There were also four different robes, two thick cotton ones and two almost paper-thin light robes for warmer evenings. The concierge also has a personal taxi service and can set you up with trips throughout the area.

The final day, we went down for breakfast in the cafe area and were pleasantly surprised to see the gourmet spread full of bread, cheese, fruits, jams, cold cuts, cereals, orange juice, grape juice, milk, nutella spread, olives and much more. We helped ourselves to the buffet, but we didn’t realize that there was an additional menu on the tables that we could personally request the chef to make or breakfast on the spot. We ordered two types of omelettes that were fresh and divine. There is also a complimentary juice of the day, but it was beetroot and apples day and we’re not a big fat of beets. It’s a great idea though.

All and all, POD goes above and beyond to make you feel special and sets the bar extremely high for what other hotels can strive to be.