For years, the place to stay in Cape Town was the Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront. On this trip, we returned to that popular quarter to dine at superlative Pier, shop at Aafricaa and the Watershed and check out the latest exhibitions at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, a Tate Modern-like converted grain-storage building.

However, old downtown neighborhoods have become increasingly fashionable, and I wondered if it was time to break the V&A Waterfront’s monopoly on our Cape Town hotel recommendations. Inland, Kloof Street now hums with upscale restaurants and bars, and it’s perfectly safe to walk to institutions such as the Iziko South African National Gallery and South African Jewish Museum, both of which abut the Company’s Garden, founded in the 17th century and now a beloved park.

Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel

Conveniently, Mount Nelson’s two driveways lead precisely to Kloof Street and the Company’s Garden. Opened 125 years ago, this hotel has had its ups and downs. We recommended it until 2012, when a disappointing stay gave us second thoughts. But with the neighborhood around Mount Nelson revitalized and the rooms refurbished, it seemed high time for a revisit.