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Most hotels along the coast get booked up over summer vacation (December to January), and the Wild Coast hotels are even busy over the winter school vacation, usually around June. Most establishments run winter specials, but there are exceptions. Grahamstown is packed in late June and/or early July for the National Arts Festival; every guesthouse is full, the campsite bulges, and even school and university dorms rent out rooms. Hotels on the Wild Coast often offer packages for the sardine run, usually in June or early July, but it's always a bit of a gamble, as the sardines are just not as reliable as the artists of the Grahamstown festival.
The best way to secure a reservation is by phone or via the lodging's website, if they have one. Another thing to keep in mind is that some of the more remote or rural lodgings on the Eastern Cape (particularly on the Wild Coast) still have limited Internet services provided for guest use, though almost all lodgings in the urban areas have good, fast Wi-Fi service these days. If the ability to connect to the Web is important to you, it’s always worth clarifying the type of service available when you make your reservation.
About an hour north of Coffee Bay, thatched-roofed, eco-friendly huts designed after Xhosa rondavels hug the Wild Coast. The huts may look traditional outside, but inside await all the conveniences of modern life. The crashing waves of the Indian Ocean, frolicking whales, and roaming cattle create a true Wild Coast experience.
