Portswood Hotel, Cape Town?

Old Apr 9th, 2003, 08:42 AM
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Portswood Hotel, Cape Town?

Has anyone stayed at the Portswood Hotel in Cape Town, and would you recommend it? We are looking for someplace reasonably priced (under $150/night per room), where we can walk to shops, restaurants, etc. (We will have a rental car too though.)
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 12:17 PM
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Lisa,

Portswood Hotel is a nice enough looking hotel but it is not directly on the Waterfront. For just a little more, possibly $25 USD per night, you can probably stay at the Victoria & Alfred Hotel, right on the Waterfront, in the middle of all the action.

Also, there are VERY nice self-catering apartments that are directly across from the Cape Grace Hotel, viewed by most as the best hotel in Cape Town. These places are very classy and would probably cost only about $125 USD per night or so. If you are interested, let me know and I will get you the name of the place.

Good luck.
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 01:49 PM
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Lisa,

When are you planning on going? We are going in Sep. and staying at the Commodore, which is right next door to the Portswood, I think.Would be happy to give you a report when we return if your trip isn't for a while.

We to are trying to keep the cost down.That is why we picked the Commoodore. We looked at the Victoria and Alfred, and also the Grace but just didn't want to spend that kind of money on a room. Spending the money on private guide instead.
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 02:53 PM
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Price comparisons between The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Hotel, The Portswood Hotel and The Commodore Hotel, as shown on a couple popular websites:

www.travelocity.com:
Portswood - $196.40 USD per room per nt
Commodore - $225.18 USD per room per nt
V&A Waterfront - $220.17 USD prpn

www.e-gnu.com:
Portswood - 1,768 ZAR per room per nt
(about $219 USD per night)
Commodore - 1,850 ZAR per room per nt
(about $230 USD per night)
V&A Waterfront - 1,758 ZAR per room pn
(about $218 USD per night)

I realize that this is just a small sampling, but I believe that it will stay consistent if I continue to check other websites.

For the location, I would definitely choose the V&A Waterfront over the Portswood or Commodore. And that is my two cents.
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Old Apr 9th, 2003, 04:20 PM
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A couple other possibilities, as listed on www.attractiveafrica.com, include:

The Bay Hotel, in Camps Bay, is available for 1,260 ZAR ($159 USD) per room per night (between May 01st - September 30th for a Mountain View room). I have heard very good things about this hotel and it may be classified as a 5* hotel, compared to a 4* hotel for any of the three that were mentioned previously (Portswood, Commodore or V&A Waterfront).

Camps Bay is a great area with its own restaurants, nightlife and beaches, within 10 minutes from the V&A Waterfront.

I did find the Commodore Hotel cheaper on www.attractiveafrica.com than I have seen it anywhere else at 1,080 ZAR per night (540 ZAR pps)($136 USD). Still, I wouldn't stay there over either the Bay Hotel or the V&A Waterfront.

Also on www.attractiveafrica.com you will find the Portswood for a mere 998 ZAR per night (499 ZAR pps)($126 USD).

If you are staying 4 nights, you will save $92 USD by staying at The Portswood instead of The Bay Hotel and possibly double that instead of staying at The V&A Waterfront, but in the end, I think that either The Bay Hotel or The V&A Waterfront Hotel are the right way to go.

Keep in mind that prices at most hotels go up after September 30th and that I quoted you low season rates. Good luck.

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Old Apr 10th, 2003, 03:29 PM
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Lisa,

The Portswood is pretty average when it comes to hotel rating imho.

I must ask the qustion as to why you are staying at a hotel? (This question is directed at you too Dottie) In my expereince guesthouses in Cape Town are MUCH better to stay at and one heck of a lot cheaper too. I feel these venues are better to stay at because owners of South African guesthouses are generally marvelous hosts. The ones that I use as a tourguide/operator definitely are as such. Bear in mind that guesthouses represent excellent accommodation that is much more personalized at MUCH BETTER rates than hotels. Also realise that guesthouses are marvelous venues to stay in and their rate also INCLUDES a fantastic breakfast. Most guesthouses have something very special about them such as stunning views of Cape Town etc When you are in a guesthouse you have total freedom of movement such as if you want to put some juice or soda in the refrigerator for yourself for late at night you can do this and whatever else you would like to do. It is a wonderful free and easy style of holidaying. What also is most important is that because of the size of the guesthouse you will NOT be in amongst the hordes of tourists as you might only have a couple of other guests at the guesthouse while you are there. Thus you get great accommodation, personalised attention as well as wonderful value in a very safe place to stay when you reside in guesthouses and that is why I recommend them so highly.

If you want to see what is available with regard to guesthouses in Cape Town then go to http://www.portfoliocollection.co.za/ where you will find a good selection of some of the best guesthouses in the country as well as Cape Town.

Hope this helps.

Selwyn Davidowitz
[email protected]
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Old Apr 12th, 2003, 01:39 PM
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Roccco,

I know you don't care for the Commodore,and I am looking at the options you sugested, but I do have a couple of questions.

Is the Commodore within easy walking distance to the waterfront? We will not have a car is the area safe ? Also what exactly do you dislike about the Commodore other than it isn't a 5 star? What star rating would you give it? Thanks for you help

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Old Apr 12th, 2003, 07:26 PM
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Dottie, I would estimate that the Commodore is about a ten minute walk (1/2 mile) from the true Waterfront area. I would imagine it would be safe to walk such a short distance in such a highly concentrated area, but don't quote me on that. I just don't see why somebody would stay there when they could stay at either The V&A Waterfront, a slightly nicer place right in the middle of The Waterfront, or even better at The Bay Hotel, a superior hotel in the very nice area of Cape Town known as Camps Bay (which has its own restaurants, nightlife, beaches, etc., and is only a 5-10 minute cab ride away from The Waterfront).

Taxis are very plentiful in Cape Town and are very reasonably priced.

The Commodore may very well be completely fine for you, so please don't think that I am saying that it is a bad hotel. It is still a 4* hotel but if it were me, I am saying that I would much prefer first The Bay Hotel and then next The V&A Waterfront, both which seem to be within about $25-30 USD per night more, a minor price to pay when you are probably going to pay upwards of $7,000 USD for your entire trip.

I am by no means wealthy, but when I am on vacation, I prefer to pay a premium for the best accomodations I can possibly afford. Hopefully you have already visited the websites of each of the hotels that we have discussed. You need to really research your trip and you will likely see the difference in quality between The Bay Hotel and The Commodore Hotel. Personally, I would rather error on the side of a 5* hotel than on the side of a 4* hotel, especially when the price difference is so negligible.
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