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We all gripe about the heat. So why go on holiday to where it might be sunnier than here in Singapore? Simple: the beaches, the shopping, the nightlife, the food, and the absence of your boss.

Don’t be boring; you’ve had enough of Koh Samui and Phuket. Venture further: Cape Town’s Camps Bay combines beach and ocean views with plenty of food, shopping and nightlife. And at boutique hotel The Marly, which opened last July, you’ll be in the centre of it all.

1 The hotel’s 11 rooms, all designed to maximise sunlight and views, are spacious and elegantly furnished. Some sea-facing rooms even come with their own private deck, so you can enjoy the ocean view without being part of the crowd on the beach. (Here’s another resort where you can have privacy and party like a rock star).

The Marly Private deck
When you book, get an ocean-facing room with a private deck.
The Marly Seafacing-room
Every room features cool white furnishings and specially commissioned artworks.

2 There’s also a private pool-terrace bar (below) at The Marly, where you can sip cocktails mid-afternoon and take dips whenever you fancy. 3 Even here, you won’t miss the sea – ocean-reflecting mirrors decorate the pool terrace.

The Marly pool-terrace bar
Perfect for afternoon cocktails: the pool-terrace bar

4 The sunsets at Camps Bay are reputed to be events in themselves – enjoy these from private decks, while walking along the Camps Bay promenade, while dining at The Marly’s in-house restaurants, or from the sidewalk restaurants surrounding the hotel.

Balcony---sunset

5 If you’re feeling restless, take a car ride along the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive, just 20 minutes away – the scenic route takes you through mountains, with spectacular ocean views, to Hout Bay, a coastal town where the fish and chips are said to be the best in the world.

Best time to go: well, right about now.

Room rates start at 2,700 rands (S$305) per person a night, breakfast included.

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