Cape Town Hotel Tips by jmschief

The Capetonian: Great location Capetonian Hotel Review

I negotiated a deal with this hotel where I stayed in a massive room which I was told by the concierge was a dead cert if you managed to blag a corner room. It was a big L Shape room on the 9th floor for only 600 Rand a night (£60). That didn't include breakfast but the staple diet here seemed to be curry and meat for breakfast which wasn't really an option.

When I was there, I shared the hotel with a large number of Barmy Army supporters but they all moved onto the next Test or went home leaving me on my own for a few days. This was fine although when I tried to eat in the Hotel restaraunt I found the place wasn't licenced. The only place you could get a beer was on the 2nd floor with a buffet type dinner which to be brutally honest was pretty poor compared to some of the meals I'd indulged in down at the waterfront.

Apart from that, from the cleaners, to reception through to the Concierge everyone was really helpfull and sorted me out with all my trips and excursions, surprisingly enought without any cut or commision, just a little tip for their efforts and they seemed more than happy to help.

Location wise it was spot on, about 10 minutes walk to the V&A with security and cctv all the way so walking wasn't an issue.

Unique Qualities: I had views of the bay from my 9th floor room but as far as facilities go, it was a bit limited - there was a gym in the building with a couple of bits of equipment but since the hotel had been taken over by a major malaysian hotel chain, they've cut down on a few things - there was a pool and a fitness centre across the forecourt which used to be free for guests but the new owners had dispensed with that.

Address: Pier Place Heerengracht

Comparison: about average

Directions: 10 minutes from V&A

Price: US$80-120

Theme: Hotel