Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts

Monday, March 21, 2011

Cape Town medium term apartment rentals: Choosing your apartment

Planning on where to rent an apartment can often be a difficult and tedious process, especially if you’re only going to be in area for a limited time and can’t afford to make mistakes to learn from. Cape Town has a variety of accommodation on offer for short-term holiday makers and professionals on business, however if you’re planning on staying for several months, finding an affordable and appropriate apartment to rent can become unpleasant. Here are a few pointers to take into consideration when looking for Cape Town medium term apartment rentals.

When looking for a temporary apartment to stay in for only a few months, it is important to find a balance between everything that you want this apartment to be and have. Location and number of bedrooms are often important and non-negotiable, however you may have to forgo your balcony with a view, garden, off-street parking and swimming pool to get them. Depending on the nature of your trip, you will have to prioritise some qualities over others. Cape Town medium term apartment rentals each have a range of different features, many with stunning views of the city and mountains, some of the beach front, and others in security complexes. Before you set out to look for an apartment you must decide what your non-negotiables are and what you’re willing to sacrifice to get them.

Another important factor to consider is transport and travelling. Unfortunately Cape Town doesn’t have a very reliable public transport system so you may have to hire your own car or rely on calling taxis. Although the trains can take you out of the city centre towards Kalk Bay or even Stellenbosch, they are not the safest way of travelling. If you are here on business, if would be advisable to rent an apartment that is close to where you will be working. Traffic is particularly bad and time consuming travelling towards the CBD in the mornings and away again in the evenings. If you are here on holiday, many tourist attractions are easily reached on foot around the business district in Cape Town. Medium term apartment rentals in Milnerton, Green Point and Sea Point, however offer stunning sea views and are far enough outside of the CBD to get away from the hum but still feel the city’s vibe. If you rent an apartment in one of these areas it would be wise for you to hire a car to be able to get to the tourist
destinations in the CBD and around the peninsular.

Renting a furnished house will help your budget and save you from the stress of having to sell furniture and appliances when you need to leave. Off-street parking is vital if you are renting in the CBD as there is very little parking available on the roads, however if your apartment is outside of the city you should easily find a place to park on the streets but will need to remain aware that this may not be the safest option. Gardens and swimming pools are also added bonuses, especially if you have a big family and you’re here during the summer. However these also mean added responsibilities, costs, and can become a hassle. If it’s hot, you’ll probably want to go to one of the many beaches surrounding Cape Town.

Medium term apartment rentals can be a nuisance to find, however the process can be easy and exciting once you know what you’re going to be looking for. Online websites and agencies mean that you can find your perfect apartment before you even reach your destination. It is important to be patient however and eventually you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.

Source: Cape Town Apartment Rentals

Monday, February 28, 2011

Cape Town self-catering accommodation; Experience a culture don’t see a city

When visiting Cape Town, self-catering accommodation should be considered as an option for your stay. Whether visiting by yourself, with a family, for business or for pleasure self- catering accommodation in Cape Town will give you an experience that no tourist guide can offer. From cooking like a local to staying on when the busses have left, Cape Town self catering accommodation is the best possible option for seeing the city the way the locals do. Many people consider Cape Town self-catering accommodation as all about saving money, as you’ll see here it’s about a lot more.


Many people can’t see the benefit, when on holiday in Cape Town, of self-catering accommodation, it’s an instinctive reaction to believe that having to cook for yourself defeats the purpose of going on holiday. However it would be short sighted not to at least consider this option when visiting somewhere with as much to offer as Cape Town. Sitting at the tip of Africa, Cape Town is a melting pot of cultures, influenced by its history first as a Dutch settlement then an English colony and its involvement in the slave trade. The food you’ll find here is a unique blend of flavours from all over the world and the best way to experience it is to cook for yourself in one of Cape Town’s self-catering holiday apartments.


There are many fresh food markets, stocking local produce, available in Cape Town. Self-catering accommodation allows you to enjoy the experience of spending a day wandering through these markets, sampling exotic ingredients and getting advice on how to use them from friendly locals. When your feet are sore and your shopping bags are full you can return to your self-catering accommodation and prepare a meal that is unique to Cape Town. Self-catering accommodation allows you the freedom to spend your days and then your evenings like a real local, experiencing Cape Town rather than just seeing it.


The benefits of Cape Town self-catering accommodation are obvious, even for those that have no interest in cooking. There is no shortage of good restaurants in Cape Town so self-catering accommodation shouldn’t make you harbour fear about having to cook for yourself, instead consider it an opportunity to find out where the locals eat, rather than where the tour guides think you should.
Package tours will see you forced to say goodbye, perhaps before you are ready, to Cape Town. Self-catering accommodation gives you the freedom to decide when your time in Cape Town is over. Cape Town is full of tourists that came for a week and stayed for three and Port Elizabeth is full of tourists that would rather be in Cape Town but had to leave with their tour bus.

Cape Town’s weather is notoriously fickle and the South Easter can see a perfectly clear morning turn into a grey afternoon covering Table Mountain in a thick blanket of cloud known as the table cloth. When this happens taking the cable car to the top becomes impossible. If this happens for two or three days in a row and you’re booked a package tour you might be forced to leave without ever having experienced the views. Cape Town self-catering accommodation options are multitude and give you the freedom to truly experience Cape Town. Self-catering accommodation doesn’t have to be about saving money it can be about having the truly local experience.

Source: Cape Town Self Catering