Cape Town Hotels

Finding lodging in Cape Town can be a nightmare during peak travel season (December-January), as many of the more reasonable accommodations are booked up. It's worth traveling between April and August, if you can, to take advantage of the "secret season" discounts. If you arrive in Cape Town without a reservation, head for the Tourism Office, which has a helpful accommodations desk.

Hotels in the city center are a good option if you're here on business or are here for only a short stay. During the day the historic city center is a vibrant place. At night, though, it's shut up tight (though this is changing slowly as some office buildings are converted into apartment complexes); night owls may prefer a hotel amid the nonstop action of the Waterfront. Hotels and bed-and-breakfasts in the Southern Suburbs, especially Constantia, offer unrivaled beauty and tranquillity and make an ideal base if you're exploring the peninsula. You'll need a car, though, and should plan on 15-30 minutes to get into town. Atlantic Coast hotels provide the closest thing in Cape Town to a beach-vacation atmosphere despite the cold ocean waters.

Keep in mind that international flights from the United States and Europe arrive in the morning and return flights depart in the evening. Because most hotels have an 11 AM checkout, you may have to wait for a room if you've just arrived; if you're leaving, you will be hauled kicking and screaming out of your room hours before your flight. Most hotels will try to accommodate you, but they often have no choice in peak season. Some of the larger hotels have residents-only lounges where you can spend the hours awaiting your flight. Note that many small luxury accommodations either do not permit children or have minimum-age restrictions. It's a good idea to inquire in advance if this will be an issue.

Another option is to stay in one of Cape Town's numerous guesthouses or B&Bs, which is what many South Africans do when they travel. Don't be put off by the names—choosing a B&B or guesthouse doesn't mean you'll have to eat breakfast with the family or help wash up afterwards! Instead, there are some very classy and professionally run establishments that offer everything a hotel does but on a smaller, more personal scale.

The most reliable source of good B&B establishments is South African Accommodation (021/794-0030. www.bookabed.co.za). The Portfolio of Places (021/689-4020. www.portfoliocollection.com) brochure includes guesthouses, B&Bs, villas, and more.

If you don't like tiptoeing around someone's house or you want to save money, consider renting a fully furnished apartment, especially if you're staying two or more weeks. CAPSOL Property & Tourism Solutions (021/422-3521. www.capsol.co.za) has around 1,500 high-quality, furnished, fully stocked villas and apartments on its books. Cape Stay (021/674-3104. www.capestay.co.za) has a wide selection of accommodations to suit different needs.

De Waterkant Village & Life is Cape Town's first and only guest street, an entire little community near the harbor of houses to rent. There are more than 40 beautifully restored, self-catering (with cooking facilities) houses that are unusual, trendy, classy, and quite charming. The houses, which come with daily housekeeping services, have anywhere from one to four bedrooms. If you don't feel like cooking, you could also stay in the Village Lodge here. The high-season double-occupancy rate for one of the houses is around R2,000 per night. 1 Loader St., Cape Town Central, 8000. 021/422-2721. www.dewaterkantvillage.com. AE, DC, MC, V

Cape Town is regarded as one of the top backpacker destinations in the world, with plenty of hostels to choose from. Contact Backpacking South Africa (BTSA. www.btsa.co.za) for information.

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