The Belmond Mount Nelson is affectionately known to her friends as The Nelly, this grand old dame is something of a Cape Town institution. Her iconic pink walls, soaring columns, and rolling lawns have been loved for hundreds of years the world over. (We hate to name drop but a young chap called Winston Churchill thought it was “most excellent” and we’re reliably informed that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used to hold public seances in his room.) Here, protected by a forest of trees that block out the city noise, you can find your bliss in the tranquillity of the gardens – with a generous slice of triple chocolate mousse cake from the high tea table, to add to your joy.