Although there are plenty of central places to stay in Cape Town, but it is worth going the extra mile to Kevin Gerlach’s boutique hotel, Villa Zest, if only to speculate as to how the staff keep this ultra-white four-level house as clean and spiffy as they do. Sleek, compact, and packed with showy, memorable details, this is a very flashy, very slick ode to the era that produced Barbarella, American Graffiti and Studio 54. Which are the names of three of the seven rooms Kevin has on offer in this out-of-the-way corner of Green Point, down the drag from the city’s brand-new stadium and not too far from De Waterkant’s trendy shops at the two Cape Quarter developments. In a way, Villa Zest is like a glammed-up disco club, only without the crowds and, as yet, no mirror ball (and definitely no rollerskates on those gleaming white floors!). Retro wallpaper and classy designer furniture make the place look and feel very Austin Powers, while the relaxing spaces in the poolside garden and the little rooftop lounge give you space to prepare yourself emotionally for a night on the town, away from all of this.