Where to stay in Cape Town without a car
May 9th, 2008, 12:19 PM
#1
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Where to stay in Cape Town without a car
We (4 females) are currently looking for lodging in Cape Town and will probably not have a rental car. What area is convenient to sights without being expensive? Any specific hotel,B&B recommendations will be appreciated.
May 9th, 2008, 11:06 PM
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Hi Lynnie,
We are a family of four and just returned from a 3 week tour of SA and were in Cape Town for 5 nights. We stayed at David's 2 bedroomed apartment in Eaton Sq, Greenpoint. David's is a very famous guesthouse and this apartment is owned and run by them. It is located just around the block from their guest house. The location is about 8 mins walk to the waterfront, and just 2 mins away is "Marine Taxis" who are a top notch taxi service in Cape Town. There are some very stylish cafes, restaurants, ice cream parlour with Italian gelato to die for, mini market, launderette etc etc also a hip place called Giovanni's coffee shop located very nearby. The apartment itself was very clean and spacious, has a lounge with a small well equipped kitchenette/breakfast counter, an ironing board etc. There are two bed rooms, one with a double bed and one with 2 single beds. There is only one large bathroom with a very spacious shower. Towels plentiful, linens etc were very clean and they serviced the apartment and changed towels daily. The downside is it is on the third floor so you have to climb up three flights of stairs but this was no big deal for us. Carrying our heavy luggage up on arrival and back down on departure was not an issue as we had a helper from the main guest house whom we gave a small tip to. The price at less that US$ 100 per night was unbelievable! Contact Davids at [email protected] Tanya the secretary who worked there was very efficient in arranging a lot of this for us. I must also say that I have made a booking about 8 months in advance. The place is very popular and generally always full.
We are a family of four and just returned from a 3 week tour of SA and were in Cape Town for 5 nights. We stayed at David's 2 bedroomed apartment in Eaton Sq, Greenpoint. David's is a very famous guesthouse and this apartment is owned and run by them. It is located just around the block from their guest house. The location is about 8 mins walk to the waterfront, and just 2 mins away is "Marine Taxis" who are a top notch taxi service in Cape Town. There are some very stylish cafes, restaurants, ice cream parlour with Italian gelato to die for, mini market, launderette etc etc also a hip place called Giovanni's coffee shop located very nearby. The apartment itself was very clean and spacious, has a lounge with a small well equipped kitchenette/breakfast counter, an ironing board etc. There are two bed rooms, one with a double bed and one with 2 single beds. There is only one large bathroom with a very spacious shower. Towels plentiful, linens etc were very clean and they serviced the apartment and changed towels daily. The downside is it is on the third floor so you have to climb up three flights of stairs but this was no big deal for us. Carrying our heavy luggage up on arrival and back down on departure was not an issue as we had a helper from the main guest house whom we gave a small tip to. The price at less that US$ 100 per night was unbelievable! Contact Davids at [email protected] Tanya the secretary who worked there was very efficient in arranging a lot of this for us. I must also say that I have made a booking about 8 months in advance. The place is very popular and generally always full.
May 10th, 2008, 09:49 AM
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Hi Lynnie,
'Cape Town Hollow'is a boutique hotel, located in the City Bowl (downtown), on a quiet street across from the Campany Gardens and 1 block awy from shopping, restaurants, bars, internet cafes, antique stores, etc. Try to request front rooms, as they not only overlook the Company Gardens park but also face Table Mountain. The hotel has reasonable rates, with an excelent buffet breakfast, friendly staff and a very nice side-walk restaurant in front. I always stay there when in Cape Town. The website is http://www.capetownhollow.co.za/
Enjoy planning your holiday.
Rgs. BM
'Cape Town Hollow'is a boutique hotel, located in the City Bowl (downtown), on a quiet street across from the Campany Gardens and 1 block awy from shopping, restaurants, bars, internet cafes, antique stores, etc. Try to request front rooms, as they not only overlook the Company Gardens park but also face Table Mountain. The hotel has reasonable rates, with an excelent buffet breakfast, friendly staff and a very nice side-walk restaurant in front. I always stay there when in Cape Town. The website is http://www.capetownhollow.co.za/
Enjoy planning your holiday.
Rgs. BM
May 10th, 2008, 12:49 PM
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I spent two weeks in Cape Town in 2002 and again in 2003. Its probably my favorite city ever.
Cabs are plentiful and cheap -- Don't worry about renting a car. I felt very safe in the city and I led a group of 20 students both times without any problems. That said, I have several South African friends and every one has been car jacked at least once.
Here's a map where you can see most of the available hotels and their prices
http://www.HotelMapSearch.com/?llz=-...amp;f=&l=a
You can rent a cell phone at the airport for about a dollar a day and have free incoming calls... very nice if you plan to ever split up.
Hotel Locations:
Try the city and the wine country: The central city in Cape Town is very safe clean and nice. Walking around there feels comparable walking around in many European cities. Outside of the city center are slums that are prone to crime because their standard of living is so low. Habitat for Humanity offers some great volunteer events in the slums in the day time, but stay clear at night unless you're with locals. Beyond that are some really charming country side wine estates that have hotels integrated. I stayed in the city and on some wine estates and liked both. I don't really have a favorite but I'd encourage you try staying in the waterfront area and then maybe a few nights out in the wine country.
Cabs are plentiful and cheap -- Don't worry about renting a car. I felt very safe in the city and I led a group of 20 students both times without any problems. That said, I have several South African friends and every one has been car jacked at least once.
Here's a map where you can see most of the available hotels and their prices
http://www.HotelMapSearch.com/?llz=-...amp;f=&l=a
You can rent a cell phone at the airport for about a dollar a day and have free incoming calls... very nice if you plan to ever split up.
Hotel Locations:
Try the city and the wine country: The central city in Cape Town is very safe clean and nice. Walking around there feels comparable walking around in many European cities. Outside of the city center are slums that are prone to crime because their standard of living is so low. Habitat for Humanity offers some great volunteer events in the slums in the day time, but stay clear at night unless you're with locals. Beyond that are some really charming country side wine estates that have hotels integrated. I stayed in the city and on some wine estates and liked both. I don't really have a favorite but I'd encourage you try staying in the waterfront area and then maybe a few nights out in the wine country.
May 11th, 2008, 12:42 PM
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Thanks for the replies. I have just emailed David's and I hope they have room for us. I am also looking into Mandela Rhodes Place if anyone has heard of them, it also is a 2 bedroom apartment.
CityWalker, thanks for the Habitat info. I am involved in the local H4H here in my city and am going to see what they have going on build wise while I'm there. The 2 girls we are meeting in Cape Town are Peace Corps workers and they are probably ready for some plain old r and r (They've been in Africa almost 2 years now).
About the cell phone, I have a quad band cell I use for travelling. Can I easily buy a sim card in Cape Town, and do you know if it would work in Mozambique and Tanzania?
Much Thanks
CityWalker, thanks for the Habitat info. I am involved in the local H4H here in my city and am going to see what they have going on build wise while I'm there. The 2 girls we are meeting in Cape Town are Peace Corps workers and they are probably ready for some plain old r and r (They've been in Africa almost 2 years now).
About the cell phone, I have a quad band cell I use for travelling. Can I easily buy a sim card in Cape Town, and do you know if it would work in Mozambique and Tanzania?
Much Thanks
May 14th, 2008, 06:19 AM
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i don't know for certain (i'm sure it varies by carrier) but I got the impression from my South African friends that it did.. they go mozambique to volunteer and I think i got a call from a couple of them on their cells from there.
Grant Edkins is the Habitat director down there and a good personal friend of mine. here's the habitat page for him in South Africa: https://www.givengain.com/cgi-bin/gi...;cause_id=1194
he's really good at coordinating events down there. tell him Glenn from Atlanta sent you.
Grant Edkins is the Habitat director down there and a good personal friend of mine. here's the habitat page for him in South Africa: https://www.givengain.com/cgi-bin/gi...;cause_id=1194
he's really good at coordinating events down there. tell him Glenn from Atlanta sent you.
May 14th, 2008, 06:38 AM
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Thanks Glenn, I'm contacting him today.
Any info about how much a taxi would be form the airport to the Old Town area? I am booking at Mandela Rhodes due to no response from David's. They offer minibus shuttle for R290 each way. We will be arriving in 2 shifts and departing in 1 shift. Maybe a taxi to the hotel and the shuttle back?
Sorry about all of the detailed questions. I'm an overly compulsive planner and I can't help myself?
Any info about how much a taxi would be form the airport to the Old Town area? I am booking at Mandela Rhodes due to no response from David's. They offer minibus shuttle for R290 each way. We will be arriving in 2 shifts and departing in 1 shift. Maybe a taxi to the hotel and the shuttle back?
Sorry about all of the detailed questions. I'm an overly compulsive planner and I can't help myself?
May 14th, 2008, 09:38 AM
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http://www.rentamobile.co.za/
http://www.cellucity.co.za/
http://www.vodacom.co.za/welcome.do
above companies have shops at cpt airport. you can rent a sim card and pay airtime after you return the card.
they will inform yu on the allocated number befre your leave home so that you can provide your staff/family member with that number. it will be cheaper from the states to call that sa-number than v v i guess. at least for germans it's much more favourable to call sa via a call-by-call company.
mozambique: if you are reachable there then you have to pay roaming on your sa-cellphone.
dual band will be fine.
all companies also rent sat-phones.
http://www.cellucity.co.za/
http://www.vodacom.co.za/welcome.do
above companies have shops at cpt airport. you can rent a sim card and pay airtime after you return the card.
they will inform yu on the allocated number befre your leave home so that you can provide your staff/family member with that number. it will be cheaper from the states to call that sa-number than v v i guess. at least for germans it's much more favourable to call sa via a call-by-call company.
mozambique: if you are reachable there then you have to pay roaming on your sa-cellphone.
dual band will be fine.
all companies also rent sat-phones.
