Round House

About Round House

The Roundhouse in Camps Bay, Cape Town, is a historic 18th-century building situated on Kloof Road, originally built as a Dutch guardhouse in 1786. It later served as Lord Charles Somerset’s hunting lodge in the early 1800s before becoming a renowned fine dining establishment offering panoramic views of Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles. Origin: Built by the Dutch East India Company to watch for enemy ships entering Table Bay. The "Hunting Lodge" Era: From 1814–1827, Governor Lord Charles Somerset used it to hunt lions and leopards. Dr. James Barry: The famous physician, who was discovered to be a woman only after death, was a regular guest at the lodge and is rumored to haunt it. Ownership: It was owned by Jan Carel Horak, a Cape Town butcher, from 1814 to 1837. Evolution: Over the centuries, it has served as a tea room, dancehall, and even a backpackers' lodge before being restored in 2008.