Clivia 2006

Tel (w): +27 21 808 2547; Tel (h): +27 21 852 2290; Fax: +27 21 8083360; Cell: +27 72 222 6624

There are thousands of places to stay in and around Cape Town, in all price classes and with varied amenities. Some visitors would like to be within walking distance from the Central Business District, others would like an open view over the sea and others would like to wake up with Table Mountain in their line of sight. It is obviously impossible for us to give advice to suit all tastes.

Warning: You must remember, however, that Cape Town does not have an extensive public transport system, that the CBD is desolate at night, and walking the streets is highly dangerous. You should also not get lost while driving and land up in “places” or even stop at even a main road and ask for directions. I am sorry to be negative, but your choice of accommodation will determine your movements and this will determine your safety. One last negative: when you stop at a traffic light (strangely called Robots) or stop street, do not under any circumstances open your window to speak to a person approaching your vehicle and keep all purses, cell phones and packets out of sight.

General Considerations: After discussions with several Clivia growers, all long-time inhabitants or residents, we feel that you should rather stay in one of the many places in the farming areas around Cape Town. You can then reach the airport quickly and easily, have quick and safe access to main roads, be within about 30 kilometres of the Shows, the mirabilis tour, wine tours, beaches, etc. And if you want to visit Kirstenbosch, Table Mountain, the Waterfront or Clivia growers, you have easy and relatively safe access routes. But the choice is yours. I would be glad to find information or discuss the locality of a particular venue with you.

In August 2005, I visited 3 different accommodation venues, a luxury hotel, midrange hotel and a rural guest house ("best value", in my opinion). All three are in the rural area in the triangle between Bellville (Cape Town), Stellenbosch and Somerset West/Strand. This makes it easily accessible from the airport, main roads, Clivia Show, Wine routes etc. Even the Cape Waterfront, Table Mountain and Kirstenbosch are barely 30 minutes away, on main roads. All 3 are very popular with local and especially overseas visitors. (Sure Travel Studio has listed added another option (also on the outskirts of Stellenbosch) which in their experience are suitable and popular – Stellenbosch Lodge and Conference Centre.

Spier (www.spier.co.za) is upmarket and very pricey, but gives excellent service. It has huge landscaped grounds and a Moyo African -style restaurant, which is a unique experience in sanitised Africa. Moyo can, however, be visited without having to stay at Spier.

Protea Hotel Stellenbosch (www.proteahotels.com/stellenbosch) is in the Technopark, just outside town, very quiet and scenic. All facilities are as per good Tourist Hotels. It has a popular Grill and Pub.

Soverby Guest House (www.soverby.co.za) is on a working wine farm, in restored 100-year farm buildings. Very neat and attractive in antique Cape furniture. There are several options, rooms and cottages. In cottages self-catering is available, but breakfasts are excluded. A huge cold or hot breakfast is now only about R35 - combined hot and cold is R65 in 2006. They also offered to make a South African braai for guests at reasonable cost, as well as any other special requirements, such as picnic baskets, etc. (I can try to organise a combined braai for the visitors and the Cape Committee). Soverby is a 4-star Guest House, open now for 10 years. They have a very nice, cosy lounge, but no pub. We have had several celebration meals there and can attest to excellent personal service. Bookings must be well ahead for such a relatively large group. .

They can all arrange for airport transfers. Day tour operators will pick you up at the hotel/guest house. Again, my advice would be Soverby or the Stellenbosch Lodge, both for quality of service and value for money, with an "African meal" at Moyo and/or a late afternoon picnic at Spier. I have pamphlets for all 3 of the places I mentioned above.

Since this page was first loaded onto the website, we received the following update from Coen Calitz.
More information on Stellenbosch lodge (www.stblodge.co.za):

I visited the Stellenbosch Lodge and was very much impressed by the courteous service and the simple, yet tasteful and comfortable furnishings.

The main difference from the other places is that this lodge has only double rooms (some double, some twins), whereas the others have the possibility of up to 6 guests sharing a suite or cottage.

This lodge is on the Southern outskirts of Stellenbosch, on the main road to Somerset West and the Strand, thus easily accessible from all sides. Although it is about 100 meters from the road, the traffic is just a faint, dull rumble. Most windows face to the North, East and South and these should not be bothered by the noise at all and has beautiful views over the adjacent vineyards and mountain slopes and peaks on three sides. All rooms have air conditioning and heavy curtains.

There is a restaurant and a bar on the premises, with several small convenience stores and other restaurants near by.

There are hundreds of Guest Houses, B & B’s and self-catering places in each and between towns and suburbs in the Western Cape. The names of Guest Houses and Self Catering Apartments in the Stellenbosch area offering rates from as low as R150 per person have been forwarded to Sure Travel.

Accommodation in the Western Cape