Steve

My wife and I will be spending our Silver Anniversary in Cape Town from 31 Dec '97 to 11 Jan '98. We don't require transportation to S.A. but I'm trying to figure out the best way to book a First Class hotel, preferably in the Victoria/Alfred seafront area,and a rental car for that period. We're interested in the Table Bay, Cape Grace, Victoria/Alfred or any others in that class we can find. We've also heard about the Protea Ritz on SeaPoint--any comments on location or quality??Question--should I attempt booking through an agent? (If so, recommendations?) or try it direct. Any other hints (prices to expect/availability)would be appreciated.

Erika

Hi,
I live near Cape Town and will find the fax nos of hotels you require.
With regards to Sea Point versus The Waterfront,I would not recommend Sea Point-Lovely by day not so safe at night.
Please feel free to email me if I can help.

Steve

Erika,

Thanks for your response and particularly the safety implications. Would you suggest then that I'd have better luck dealing direct with hotels than through an agent? I'll await the fax nos and thanks again.

Steve

Erika

Hi,
The Victoria+Alfred hotel quote rates per person at
R495,00-mountain facing and R445,00 Piazza facing.
Their fax no is 0027 21 4198955.
The Table Bay is a Sun International Hotel -- There ia no answer at the no I got given but I will try
again in the week- I think it is not completed yet.
I have not stayed in any of these hotels as they cater for the tourist and are out of the range of most South Africans.
If you have spare time I would suggest you visit a little town called Stellenbosch -About 30min drive from Cape Town. It is a university town and in the heart of the wine lands.
Hope this all helps
Erika

Steve

Hi again

You're right--the Table Bay is scheduled to open in May/June. Thanks for the V & A info and we'll put Stellenbosch on the list---I appreciate your assistance.

Andrew

I reviewed the Protea Ritz in Sea Point when I was writing the Fodor's guide to South Africa. I was not impressed and did not include it in the book. That was in 1995, so things may have changed. Of the others that you mention, I was impressed with the Victoria & Alfred Hotel, but it's immeasurably more expensive than the Protea Ritz. For that kind of money, you might also consider the Mount Nelson, or the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay. If you don't mind being outside the city, the Alphen and Cellars-Hohenort hotels in Constantia are wonderful, too. In Cape Town itself, a small inn that I recommend is the Underberg Guest House, 20 minutes by foot from the center of the city.

Steve

Hi Andrew

Thanks for your message. I was kind of hoping to link up with someone who's looked at the area professionally. Perhaps you could give me some additional advice--I'm somewhat hesitant to charge into booking a hotel directly as I'm not too familiar with the going rate/good package deals, etc. We want to go first class, but certainly at the best price we can obtain and I'm not sure we wouldn't be better off with an agent obtaining that price. Long story short, can you steer me towards such an agency--not necessarily the cheapest, but trustworthy and reputable.

Once I get past the worry over booking our accommodation, I can concentrate on the better part--looking into all there is to DO!!

Thanks

Steve

Tony M Jowett

Steve

not to put a damper on your plans, but the center of Cape Town is absolute bedlam over that period, infact from from the 12th December to Middle of January is, especially the Waterfront. I live in Cape Town and the people who live here tend to escape for weekends to Stellenbosh, Franshoek, etc for quiter times, and lots of wine tasting etc etc etc.
Stellenbosch is worth a visit for a few days and Cape Town is easily accessable from there, plus the town has a myriad of great restaurants. If you need more info I would be happy to provide it for you.
Regards
Tony M Jowett(Ex. UK, USA, Europe!!)

Steve Ladd

Tony

Thanks for your message. Unfortunately, we've had a January anniversary for 25 years and it's a bit too late to change now. Anyway, we're committed, but we've got a rental car and intend to make a number of day out & back trips from Cape Town while we're there. Any suggestions?

Stev

WILCO VAN EEDEN

Hi Steve. I read through all the repsonses and put a question mark next to some of the info! I am currently studying Travel and Tourism in Cape Town. Here is my contribution. (I would with the greatest of pleasure send you brochures on the areas that you are interested in). The Portswood Hotel in the V&A Waterfront recently opened and is part of the Stocks and Stocks Hotel and Resort Group. The cost per double room, including breakfast is ZAR 640.00 with an average increase of 10-15%25 during December and January. The tel. no is +27+21+4183281 and the fax no is +27+21+4197570.The Cape Sun Intercontinental Hotel is in the centre of Cape Town (you can get the shuttle bus to the Waterfront at approximately ZAR 10.00 per person per trip). It is a 5-star hotel and the cost per person per night is ZAR 625.00. Have you considered th world-famous 5-star Mount Nelson Hotel. Very expensive but EXCELLENT!!!!! Yopu should consider various day-tours, such as: The Winelands Tour (ZAR 140.00 per person), The Cape Point and Seal Colony Tour (ZAR 135.00 per person), The Hermanus Whale Tour (ZAR 170.00 per person, The West Coast Ostrich Tour (ZAR 170.00 per person). Table Mountain will be open and the new prices are ZAR 55.00 per person. All of these tours are full-day tours, except Table
Mountain (1-2 hours). Mother City Tours does these tours. Tel. no +27+21+5512580 and fax no +27+21+5517281. Avis Car Rental has OK rates. A Volkswagen Golf will cost ZAR 151.00 per day that includes 200 km free travel. CDW is ZAR 29.00 per day and TLW is ZAR 11.00 per day. If you need brochures, please e-mail me your address. Good Luck! NB YOU SHOULD BOOK THROUGH YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE - CPT IS NORMALLY FULLY-BOOKED FOR THE DEC-JAN SEASON.

Steve

Hi Wilco

Many thanks for some excellent recommendations. In fact, we now have the hotel booked--Table Bay on the waterfront. Brand new and supposed to be lovely. We'll certainly take advantage of some, if not all the tours you've mentioned. Our next priority is finding something memorable to do on New Year's Eve. Any ideas??

Cheers

Steve

WILCO

Excellent choice! Here is some info on the Table Bay Hotel: The new Table Bay Hotel, in one of the prime locations in South Africa, is an enchanting place with magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean, breathtaking mountains and the bay, offering geniune luxury and exemplary service and baute cuisine. Due to open in June 1997 (I know its already August, don't worry!) and superbly situated along the V&A Waterfront, the hotel's neo-Voctorian design embodies the traditions of a bygone era with the sophistication of today. 330 air-conditioned rooms include standard twin, standard king and family rooms, rooms suitable for paraplegic guests, luxury rooms, 26 superior de luxe suites and three grand suites. Half the rooms face the harbour and the other half look out towards Robben Island. Each room has a butler station and honour bar, walk-in cupboards and marble finishes, contrasting with oak armoires and writing desks. Bathrooms with seperate showers and W.C. have marble vanitory units with hair dryer, cosmetics and toiletries. Make-up mirrors and cotton bathrobes are standard. Each room boasts satellite TV access, and several telephones all with a voice-mail facility and two incoming lines. The "Verandah" restaurant seats 188 inside and 60 on the terrace. It serves a la carte meals complemented by a 6000 bottle wine cellar in a smart and elegant setting to guests and non-guests alike. The first floor will house the Business Centre, with boardrooms, secretarial services and a burea de change: the Gourmet Shop, with fruit, salads, sandwiches, breads, coffees, and other temptations; and the Logo Shop, selling branded clothing and merchandise carrying the hotel's insignia. Emergency amenities, drug store supply and news agency will also be available. The swimming pool has a spa/restaurant offering health foods and beverages. The Health Club leads to the spa with steamrooms, hydo-therapy, sea wraps, massage, shiatsu, and aroma-therapy. A beauty parlour with hairdresser, beauty therapist, pedicures and manicures will be accessible from the shopping mall and health club. Other public amenities include the Union Bar, with live jazz after 17h30, Kipling's Lounge, with a relaxing chamber music every afternoon, a sub-divisible Ballroom seating 300 and a seperate area for pre-function cocktails. A chauffeur sevice is available to and from Cape Town International Airport. Tel: +27+21+4086889.I strongly advise you NOT to shop in the Waterfront, as the prices are extremely high, specially for the international tourists. The whole Waterfronty is actually a TOURIST MONEY TRAP!!!!! For example, a designer suit can cost you up to 60%25 more in the Watrefront than at a shoppimg centre such as Cavendish Square, 15 min from the Watefront, or at Tyger Valley, 30 mij from the Waterfront. Kind regards Wilco

WILCO

Please e-mail me you e-mail address so that I can send you my home address. I am more than happy to assist you when being in CPT. Wilco