Celebrating 5 Years Of Good
Neighbourgood: 5 Years In
On 1 July 2020, we opened the doors to our very first Neighbourgood space. Just three co-founders, a dog named Archie, and a big, slightly wild dream: What if the way we live and work could be more connected, more human, and a little more GOOD?
One year later, we had grown to 4 locations and had 15 team members. Five years after we started the business, we’ve grown into a team of 192 people with 13 living spaces in Cape Town, 5 co-working spaces in Cape Town, 4 cafés in Cape Town, and 4 living spaces in San Francisco. Now, spread across 26 vibrant spaces in two of the world's best lifestyle cities, we have our sights firmly set on bigger global expansion.
Before we talk about the future, we’re taking a moment to look back at the five-year journey that got us here - the pivots, the progress, the people, and the purpose.
Year 1: The Year of Dreams
July 2020 – June 2021
4 locations | 15 team members
We launched in the thick of a global pandemic. COVID forced everyone to rethink what home and work really meant - and for us, that became the spark.
In March 20221, Cape Quarter Living was our first leap - our first living space that set the tone for what was to come. Green Point and Woodstock followed as additional living spaces, each with their own character and community. Cape Quarter Workspace quickly followed, giving our members a dedicated place to work and deepening the connection between how we live and how we work.
We were small but scrappy. By the end of our first year, we were a team of 15, running on vision, purpose... and a concerning amount of coffee.
Year 2: The Year of Learning
July 2021 – June 2022
8 locations | 43 team members
The momentum picked up, and so did the lessons. We expanded to Bree, where we opened another vibrant workspace. We then did something big - we purchased our first property. It was a 107 room hotel which we renovated to create Neighbourgood East City.
We also walked away from some deals that didn’t feel aligned; a tough call, but the right one. One of our biggest learnings: values aren’t just posters on the wall, they’re the compass. We more than doubled our team, tightened our operations, and started seeing glimpses of the incredible eco-system we were building.
Year 3: The Year of Pivots
July 2022 – June 2023
13 locations | 103 team members
Call this the “sweat equity” year. We chased deals, refined our model, and brought in serious talent to help us scale smartly.
We added 5 new living spaces to the family including Romney, a 122 room hotel in Newlands, De Wet in Franschhoek and Old Cape Quarter. Our network started to feel like a true city within a city.
We weren’t just growing - we were becoming intentional. And a little more polished (on most days).
Year 4: The Year of Growth
July 2023 – June 2024
21 locations | 189 team members
This was the year we rebuilt the engine - quietly, but thoroughly.
We took a step back and reimagined the full guest experience. What needed to work better, feel smoother, and scale with us. From check-ins to community events, we tightened the back-end so the front-end could shine. It wasn’t always glamorous work, but it laid the foundation for the kind of hospitality we believe in. The kind that just works, even when you’re not looking.
Between July 2023 and June 2024, we expanded to 21 locations and grew our team to 189 members strong. This was the year we went global and opened up our first co-living spaces in San Francisco.
We opened 5 locations in Cape Town, including an aparthotel of 50 apartments at 84 Harrington, a boutique guest house in Camps Bay called 1st Crescent, Ravenscraig extended our Green Point offering and Loop was added to our inner city spaces. We did a full renovation on a number of additional units at our Franschhoek property, Neighbourgood De Wet.
2024 was the year we brought Food & Beverage in-house, and it was a huge milestone to open two cafes in the space of a few months: Nice at 113 Loop and Nice at East City.
Cape Town started to feel stitched together by shared spaces and familiar faces.
Year 5: The Year of Consistency
July 2024 – June 2025
29 locations | 192 team members
This year was less about growing fast - and more about growing well. We’ve set our sights on 2,500 units across Cape Town and San Francisco (yes, San Francisco - we’ve gone global).
We also introduced new living spaces like Castle and Mission and an office space at 105 Hope, each one adding its own rhythm to the Neighbourgood eco-system. We ended off the final month of our fifth year in business with our most exciting venture yet - the purchase of our first property in San Francisco, what will be called Neighbourgood Sutter Mansion.
Through it all, one thing hasn’t changed: We are building spaces where good people can belong and thrive.
Our People = Our Power
From three founders and one big idea to nearly 200 team members and 26 locations - Neighbourgood has grown because the world was ready for a different way to live and work.
What’s stayed constant? Our belief that cities should feel more like communities. That connection matters. And that good design isn’t just about furniture - it’s about how people move, meet, feel and belong.
What’s Next?
We’re not just growing - our community is growing, and the buzz is impossible to ignore.
With San Francisco already in the mix, we’re gearing up to bring our unique blend of community, living and working to even more lifestyle cities around the world. More spaces. More faces. More opportunities to connect, collaborate, and live with purpose.
But it’s not just about expanding our footprint. It’s about a mission far greater than that deepening the experience - making every space feel like home, no matter where you are.
Here’s to five incredible years.
Here’s to the next five cities.
Here’s to a future full of GOOD.
Let’s build it. Together.
