Cape Town has once again earned international recognition for its striking beauty, this time being named one of the most beautiful places in the world to stay.
City of Cape Town in South Africa, dockland in the foreground and the iconic Table Mountain towering in the background/By: Rodger Shagam/Getty Images
Research by British interior design company Sharps ranked the Mother City eighth in its global list of destinations with the most luxurious, design-led homes for travellers. The findings were reported by BusinessTech.
The study looked at homes across more than 200 tourist destinations, assessing the number of luxury properties available, average nightly prices and reputation scores. These factors were combined to create a “Beautiful Base” score.
Cape Town achieved an impressive score of 96.2 out of 100, placing it ahead of destinations including Miami, Palm Springs, Ibiza and Malibu.
Cape Town makes the global top 10
According to the research, Cape Town has 122 luxury homes included in the ranking, with an average nightly price of £1,109 and a reputation score of 98.
Sharps highlighted the city’s architecture and its relationship with the surrounding landscape as key reasons for its strong showing.
Many of Cape Town’s luxury homes make use of expansive glass walls, allowing visitors to take in views of the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain. The interiors also incorporate natural materials, indigenous plants, African textiles and minimalist Scandinavian-inspired furniture.
The result is a style that reflects Cape Town’s distinctive combination of dramatic scenery, contemporary design and local influences.
Cape Town’s luxury property market is also well established. BusinessTech has previously reported that the city’s Atlantic Seaboard, including areas such as Clifton, Camps Bay, Bantry Bay and Fresnaye, is home to some of South Africa’s most expensive residential properties.
ALSO READ:
Cape Town continues to collect global accolades
The latest ranking adds to a growing list of international recognition for Cape Town.
The city topped Time Out’s Best City in the World 2025 list and was also named the world’s best city by The Telegraph in 2025 for the seventh consecutive year, according to BusinessTech.
Cape Town’s appeal extends beyond its scenery and accommodation, too. The city was ranked among the world’s best destinations for food, while its combination of beaches, mountains, vineyards, restaurants and cultural attractions continues to attract international visitors.
Its luxury accommodation offering is another part of the appeal, with everything from contemporary villas overlooking the Atlantic to historic homes and stylish apartments providing visitors with a memorable base from which to explore the city.
The world’s most beautiful bases
Bali claimed the top position in Sharps’ ranking, achieving a perfect Beautiful Base score of 100.
The Indonesian island was praised for its open-air homes, natural materials and seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Paris came second with a score of 99.5, followed by California’s Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree with 99.
Other destinations in the top 10 included the 30A area of Florida, Saint Barthélemy, Los Cabos, London and the Big Island of Hawai’i.
Cape Town’s eighth-place position puts it firmly among some of the world’s most sought-after luxury holiday destinations.
The top 10 destinations
- Bali, Indonesia – 100
- Paris, France – 99.5
- Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree, United States – 99
- 30A Area, United States – 98.6
- Saint Barthélemy – 98.1
- Los Cabos, Mexico – 97.1
- London, United Kingdom – 96.7
- Cape Town, South Africa – 96.2
- Big Island, Hawai’i, United States – 95.7
- Park City, United States – 95.2
Cape Town’s position is particularly notable because it comes ahead of several globally recognised luxury destinations, including Miami, Ibiza and Malibu.
With its mountain-and-ocean setting, distinctive architecture and growing reputation as a world-class travel destination, the Mother City continues to make a strong case for a place on the global travel map.
Source: BusinessTech, reporting on research by Sharps.
Follow us on social media for more travel news, inspiration, and guides. You can also tag us to be featured.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify
ALSO READ:
