laosa13

I am planning on spending 4 days in Cape Town the end of February and I would love to hear some hotel recommendations. My boyfriend and I are looking for a quiet, clean room with a private bathroom in a neighborhood that is safe and convenient to attractions. As we don't want to spend much more than $100 a night, we are open to Bed & Breakfasts or hotels that would fit in that range. We are young, independent travelers - if we stay in a B&B we would certainly welcome the interaction with the owners and other guests, but don't want to deal with people being overbearing (I've never stayed in a B&B before so not sure if this is even a legitimate concern).

One other item to note, as this is South Africa, we are an interracial couple (Black & White). Not sure if this matters much in the Cape Town/South Africa of today, but just thought I would put that out there.

Thanks in advance!!

mkhonzo

Portswood & or Commodore are relatively inexpensive both located in the W/front so you'll be in the heart of the action if that is what you enjoy.

If you want something a little more suburban, I recently stayed at Stillness Manor in Tokai, close to the mts, beaches and constantia winelands, the rate might be a little out of your budget though.

South Africa has buried it's apartheid legacy, you'll not find any discrimination what-so-ever. That should be the very least of your concerns.

Enjoy your trip.

safjunction

one of my favorite places in capetown is the harfield house, although a little out of the way, the people are fantastic. It is a B&B but they also have a cottage. The price is around US$120-$130. check out their site www.harfield.co.za
hope this helps
gary

Roccco

mkhonzo,

The Portswood is $329 per night (Travelocity)

I believe the Commodore is even more expensive but because there was no availability for the late February dates I plugged, I don't know the rates.

The price for the Portswood is even more than I paid for a 4 night package at the heavenly Twelve Apostles Hotel through Luxury Link. This package included many extras.

So, if the budget is about $1,000+, then Luxury Link would be a great option. www.luxurylink.com

However, if the budget is $100 per night per room, then the Portswood & Commodore would be far too expensive.

tuckeg

While apartheid may be buried, economic apartheid hasn't been. We spent 4 days in CT in 2004 and in most restaurants and bars there were no blacks. On the top of Table Mt. out of 500 people, we saw one black couple. It made us uncomfortable and we are white. I am not suggesting anyone will make you feel uncomfortable, just that you will quickly realize that a huge divide still exists.

We stayed at a nice B&B that I think was in Gardens. It sounds like what you are looking for and was recommended by a friend who at that time was a travel agent in CT (she also gave us a great tour). I'll check with my wife later and if I come up with the name I'll post it.

Selwyn_Davidowitz

laosa13,

Tuckeg's summary of the black/white situation in SA is unfortunately spot on. I say unfortunately because as a South African I yearn for quicker change but have also come to terms with the fact that change always takes time. Furthermore I firmly believe that it is still going to take a generation if not 2 for matters to normalise. With tyhat said as we speak changes take place on a daily basis in my country and I can assure you that as a mixed race couple you will be welcomed everywhere with open arms and nobody will even bat an eyelid at your social setup.

With regard to your accommodation I ALWAYS recommend that my visitors stay in guesthouses and not hotels. I do
this because owners of South African guesthouses are generally marvelous
hosts. The ones that I use as a tour guide definitely are as such. Bear in
mind that guesthouses represent excellent accommodation that is much more
personalized at MUCH better rates than hotels. Guesthouses are marvelous
venues to stay in and their rate also includes a fantastic breakfast. At
most guesthouses you enjoy this meal in the wonderful, friendly breakfast
room. When you are in a guesthouse you have total freedom of movement.. 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.

At this stage with me not knowing your budget I am simply going to make the below suggestions however if your budget differs to the below rates structures let us know on this page and I am quite sure that other suggestions will come up too.

Craigrownie Guesthouse
-----------------------------
http://www.craigrowniehse.co.za/

My first choice! Wonderful venue. 50 yards from the seafront. Well appointed. Friendly staff. Near the sea. Reasonably close to all. Away from all the action yet close to it. A new facility at the guesthouse is a free broadband internet connection.


Avanti.
-------
www.avanti.co.za

Tried and tested ranking amongst the best value for money in Cape Town. Also 50 yards from the seafront. HIGHLY recommended.


Albatross Guesthouse
--------------------------
http://www.albatrossct.co.za/

Sister to Avanti. Well located. Excellently priced. Perfectly safe. Wonderrful host with very clean well appointed rooms


Davids
--------
http://www.davids.co.za/

Wonderful venue with fantastic hosts. Close to city as well as the Green Point strip where there are many restaurants. Well appointed and has to be amongst the best value in Cape Town. Highly recommended.


Romney Park.
-----------------
http://www.romneypark.co.za/index_02.htm

Excellent venue at excellent prices. Well located. This is a mini boutique hotel which is exquisitely laid out. My only problem with the venue is that they dont have a non smoking room policy and on one occasion have had visitors who had to fend with a smoke smelling room. I want to add that this is NOT the norm for this venue as on all other occasions of usage the rooms have smelt wonderful. You would need a car or the facility of taxis at this venue so as to get around


The Bay Atlantic
-------------------
http://www.thebayatlantic.com/Default.htm

Smallish rooms but wonderfully located in a safe area in Camps Bay. Magnificent sea views and fabulous swimming pool. Hosts are also very friendly


Redbourne Hilldrop
----------------------
http://www.redbourne.co.za/

Great venue. Very well appointed. Friendly staff and hosts. In upper part of Cape Town meaning that you will need a car to get around or otherwise you could quite comfortably use taxis. In actual fact the venue is a short taxi or bus ride away from all. Away from all the action yet close to it. Excellent prices and great value for money.


Cape Cadogan
-----------------
http://www.capecadogan.com/

Relatively new in Cape Town and close to the city. Rooms are fabulously appointed. Very comfortable living close to the city however far from the sea.


Village and Life - De Waterkant
-------------------------------------
http://www.villageandlife.co.za/

Fantastic self catering cottages, flatlets or houses. Very quaint and well maintained. Right in the middle of where it is all happening if you stay at De waterkant or Waterfront areas. Close to many great little coffee houses and restaurants where you can have your morning breakfast seeing that these venues are self catering places of stay.

The Camps Bay houses are great value and close to the seaside.


Two other websites which are well worth looking at when it comes to Cape Town accommodation are:

http://www.portfoliocollection.co.za/

and

http://www.noxrentals.co.za/index.asp

As I have already said if you need any further help just put your question onto this page as I am sure that someone will be able to help you further.

Hope this helps you in your quest to find a place to stay in our city.

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

tuckeg

Selwyn,

I am glad to hear you see the situtation as we, outsiders, did. One thing that was particularly troubling to me was that my South African friends were obvlious to it. They seemed to think that now that apartheid was gone, all was well. I think SA is a wonderful country, with wonderful people. I just hope that the changes we both seek come quickly.

Perhaps you can help me with the name of the B&B we stayed in. It was near a private school and in the evening the street by the school was closed with gates. I think it was in Gardens.

George

Selwyn_Davidowitz

George,

Was the guesthouse called Leeuwenvoet?

Any clue to the name or similarity of name of the school. That certainly would help?

Any features of the guesthouse that you can recall that makes it different from others?

If you can give me some more clues I might be able to help.

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

susan300

Selwyn.. the idea of guesthouses sound wonderful, but my husband is limited in his physical activity. Since we won't have a car for our four days in Cape Town I thought being in the center would be best. It would give me the freedom to walk around if he can't. What moderate priced hotels would you recommend? Just curious. thank you

tuckeg

Selwyn,

You shamed me into digging out our 2004 Africa folder (nice memories) and it was the Welgelegen.

http://www.welgelegen.co.za/index.htm

George

jasher

Susan,

Take a look at the Portfolio Collection -- there is a large selection of boutique hotels and guesthouses to fit a wide range of budgets, and located all over Cape Town. For your purposes, somewhere in the City Bowl (Tamboeskloof, Gardens) would be good. Remember that taxis are cheap in Cape Town, so you won't be isolated even without a car.

Cheers,
Julian

leanapayne

On being Black & White in Cape Town: I think this is interesting and maybe you guys could let us know after your trip how it goes.

The economic apartheid is very much a fact of life in Cape Town and in the rest of South Africa. As you drive from the airport to the city this is very evident. The road is surrounded by shacks and there are not very many white people living there.

Many South Africans try to pretend that the whole race issue doesn't exist. This is the politically correct approach, a kind of blind optimism about the future and how everyone will love one another and there will be endless happiness. It's a nice sentiment but the reality is that everbody who lives here has the whole black/white issue ingrained in their psyche. The surface may look rosy but underneath it there is a lot of unresolved animosity/fear/guilt etc.

I can say that before apartheid officially ended I had never had a proper conversation with a black/coloured/muslim/indian person. Post 1994 I have had many conversations. There were no black children in my school but now as an adult I have many black colleagues. It is a slow process.

Selwyn_Davidowitz

laosa13,

I can assure you that no matter where you stay you will need some sort of transport when visiting Cape Town. As you wont be hiring a car Jasher makes the excellent point about taxis which are freely available, relatively cheap and efficient.

You could elect to stay at hotels like the Portswood which have an excellent location to the Waterfront however Cape Town has a lot more to offer than the Waterfront. You could elect to stay in the city centre but then you have a potential noise problem on your hands. It is for this reason that the recommendations that I have made to you originally are pretty good because they are well located, quiet and most are next to or close to the sea.

I would not let your husbands limitations to move around deter you from staying at the places that I have already suggested however if you realy want to be very close to the Waterfront then I would suggest that The Portswood is your best and most budgeted option.

Please bear in mind that in case your husband has problems with stairsask every place that you speak to as to whether they have stairways becasue as an example Avanti, Craigrownie, Davids and Albatross have stairways but they also have ground floor rooms which if the stairs dont suit you, you probably will be able to book.

George,

Welegelegen is still going strong in Cape Town however Lanie, the wonderful lady who owned the place when you were in Cape Town has now sold out to a new owner. No matter what the venue is still a good one to stay at when in Cape Town.

Very proudly part of the wonderful nation of South Africa

laosa13

Thank You all for the suggestions. I will keep you posted on how it goes and I am sure that I will be asking you for further recommendations as we narrow down the choices. I have sent requests to all of the suggested hotels already and I am now waiting for responses. By the way, I heard back from the Craig Rownie Guest House and they are quoting me a price of $1359. First of all is a bit beyond my budget, but even more interesting is the fact that this is higher than the rack rate listed on their website (1254 for Feb). I have pointed this out to them and I am waiting for a response.

Thanks so much for your help. You are truly a generous group of people!!

PS Are you familiar with any of the following accomodations?:

Villa Zeezicht
http://www.zeezicht.co.za/

Villa Christina
http://www.villachristina.co.za/

Nine Flowers Guest House

Liberty Lodge

Lady Victoria Guest House

Braeside Bed & Breakfast

Do you think I will get a better rate if I contact the B&B's directly, or will I get the same rate as contacting them through Portfolio?

mkhonzo

Wow Rocco,
I had no idea of how the rates at the P/wood had escalated, when I last stayed there I bought the room inclusive of breakfast for just on $100. Goes to show what inflation, demand and a strengthening currency are doing to the values in SA!!

I have to add that some of the racial comments have disturbed me, more about that later!

leanapayne

What I was trying to say ealier is that I think race is definitely a huge issue in Cape Town and South Africa. There's no getting away from it. And being a mixed race couple might make you more sensitive to this especially if you are particularly interested in apartheid, South Africa's history and the diversity of its people. Many people come here and have absolutely zero interest in cultural matters. It largely depends on your interests. The more interested you are the more likely you are to have a profound experience.

The chances of you actually running into any overt displays of racism are extremely low. Probably the same as in any large city in the world. Sure there are places in South Africa where you would find obnoxious, overtly racist people but it's unlikely to happen if you stick to the tourist routes in Cape Town. But even if you were to run into such a person - being young and independent travellers I'm sure you could handle the situation with ease.