Ellerman House

Lucky guests staying at Ellerman House between July and September may spot southern right whales swimming off the sparkling coast from the pink and white terrace of Ellerman House. Inside this Edwardian mansion, tucked behind an unassuming wall on a busy road along the city’s Atlantic Seaboard, lies another wonderful surprise: The property houses one of the country’s largest private collections of art with pieces by South African artists like William Kentridge and Sam Nhlengethwa.

There’s also a wine cellar with more than 9,500 South African wines to try. The 13 rooms and suites all have wingback chairs and chandeliers; the two modern-feeling villas feature private pools. While each space is different, there’s one thing they all have in common: a brilliant vantage point from which to watch the sun sink.

Checking into Ellerman House is a great way to start exploring South Africa’s booming art scene. Traditional and contemporary South African art is displayed in the hotel’s 13 rooms and in its on-site gallery, and staff will arrange personalized visits with local curators. The innkeepers take an equally hands-on approach to the 7,500-bottle wine collection. In December 2013, they opened a wine gallery where guests can sip vintage champagne against the backdrop of the Terroir Wall, a patchwork of soils sourced from 100 South African vineyards. The real show stealer, however, is the carbon-fiber wine rack molded into the shape of a gigantic corkscrew.