More about An African Villa
B&B in a Hip Area
by TRimer about African Villa
After much searching, I finally found an affordable accommodations for our return trip to Cape Town- The African Villa. Billed as both a B&B and a boutique hotel, the African Villa is three historic terrace houses linked together and tastefully decorated in a modern African style.
The villa is located on a quiet street with lots of parking. Facilities at the Villa include: a library where free internet access is available (the house is also equipped with wireless internet ‘hotspots’); a plunge pool surrounded by cushioned loungers in summer. They have a large kitchen where you can get a cool drink (honor system) and we had a lovely breakfast out by the pool.
Louis and Jimmy were SOOO helpful in helping us make dinner reservations.
It turns out (I find this out 6 months later) that one of my colleagues at work is friends with Jimmy.
Louis, Marcel and the Villa are PERFECT
by TripAdvisor Member PaulyOnHerOwn
The best part of our South Africa trip.
The best accommodation.
The best people.
The best weather.
The best safety.
The best food and drink.
The best night life.
The best wineries.
The best maids - Tandy was so sweet!
The best value for money - We'd have paid double if they asked.
We loved Louis, Marcel and the African Villa.
THANK YOU for a great Cape Town experience.
We will return, and waste no time heading straight to the Villa.
Excellent Service!
by TripAdvisor Member Hairy-Muffin
We stayed in an african villa at the end of july.
Louis the owner arranged for a pick up from the airport and it was pure enjoyment from then onwards!
We got to african villa at 7 am and we were offered coffee, as well as a bite to eat and somewhere to shower down - it was a godsend after a long flight from the UK!
We were booked into room C3 - a beautiful room with plenty of space. It was decorated well and had all the comforts of a 5* hotel.
We looked forward to the breakfast in the am - the service was great.
The area in which the hotel was located was safe and very near to restaurants.
Louis and Jimmy were both great. When our room was affected by some flooding - we were moved to a nice room in their sister accommodation. However, we didnt mind as louis was courteous and made up for the trouble by offering us a generous gift!
We will certainly come back again!
A Fantastic Experience
by A TripAdvisor Member
We chose An African Villa based on the fantastic reviews on Trip Advisor and great value for the rooms. We were extremely happy with our visit - the decor was really nice, the rooms were spacious and really thoughfully done, and the service was fantastic! Louis and Marcel were so helpful when we needed directions, reservations, and even a car rental. The breakfasts were large and delicious, and we definitely enjoyed having a glass of sherry in the lounge area after long days out around Cape Town. I would highly recommend staying there. The location is great, and I really don't think you can get a better value for your money.
Excellent place, two thumbs up, would definitely come again!
by TripAdvisor Member JuliaRozanova
Julia from Alberta, Canada - I learned about An African Villa through TripAdvisor and chose it for my two-day stay in Cape Town on my way to a big international conference in Durban in July 2006. It has truly exceeded all my expectations! Everything about my stay there was excellent, I just loved it. Great place, wonderful people running it, very helpful staff, a beautiful room, very good breakfast, excellent location. A lot of kind thought and care is obviously put into making the guests feel welcome and at home. I will definitely recommend it most wholeheartedly to all other travellers coming to Cape Town be it for business or pleasure.
Fantastic value relaxed luxury
by TripAdvisor Member Scaggers
Not sure what I can add to the previous reviews except to say that if you are thinking of booking a room at the African Villa just do it! We stayed for a week and the villa is a perfect place from which to explore Cape Town. The location is central and safe and the owners/staff were extremely helpful and professional (they sorted out our hire car/restaurtants etc.and their recommendations were always spot on). The villa is exactly as it looks on the website, very relaxed but luxurious and it really felt like we were coming home at the end of each day. Our room was very stylish and absolutely huge! I do not know anywhere else where you can get this standard of accommmodation for such a reasonable price. I will definitely return!
Would love to go back!
by TripAdvisor Member PhillyMLE
Based on the reviews we read on TripAdvisor, my husband and I chose An African Villa for our four-night stay in Cape Town. We were not disappointed. From the moment you walk in to this place you think, “Cool!” Our room was on the second floor, quiet, clean, and comfortable. Just outside of the room, in the hall, there was a tea station with snacks – one of many nice touches at the Villa.
The place has the coziness of a B&B with fabulous modern décor with a distinctly African flair. Many of the decorative touches (ornamental ostrich eggs for example) can even be purchased from them and make great souvenirs. The common areas are inviting, and one room has a computer with free internet access. Occasionally there were people waiting to use it, but not too bad.
We arrived late in the evening and had to get up very early the next morning for a tour. Louis was very accommodating about making sure we had breakfast available, even though it was a little earlier than normally served. The day we left, we had to get up even earlier, and he left breakfast boxes for us to take to the airport so we’d have something to eat. But it wasn’t just Louis who was so helpful. Everyone on staff is very friendly and happy to make your stay as good as possible.
The neighborhood is within walking distance of museums, shopping, and restaurants (try Greens down the street, it’s really good).
We would absolutely stay at An African Villa again, and we recommend it strongly. But the word is obviously getting out about this place, so book early!
Emily and Adam, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
The raves have it right
by TripAdvisor Member wiblet
An African Villa does indeed live up to the glowing recommendations. My friend and I chose this guest house based on Trip Advisor reviews, and we weren't disappointed. Owner Louis and host Marcel create a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that made us feel very at home lounging around the well done common areas, as well as lingering at the breakfast table. They took responsibility, not only for our comfort, but also for ensuring that we had a good time in Capetown. They provided excellent suggestions and advice about tours, restaurants, travel about town, etc. We especially loved Tania, the tour guide to whom they referred us.
Marcel was so kind to spend considerable time and effort organizing boxes for us to mail home our finds. We were particularly touched that Marcel was keeping tabs on us--he called to check on us when we stayed out a little late with Tania, and he was waiting in the doorway when we returned. An added bonus is that the Villa seems, at least while we were there, to attract other guests that we found interesting and great fun. We became friends with all and look forward to returning someday. We decided the plane ride to SA is like childbirth--gruesome while it's happening but fades enough in time so that one can bear to do it again.
Not bad but next time room A4 perhaps.
by TripAdvisor Member OutOfUSA
About us first-Well off, well traveled professional couple. Prefer no kids. We considered Mount Nelson but it was under renovation (partially)-so no go. For African villa, Room A2, top rate room with a view of table mount. Forget the view,and it was tiny. But it was a quite room with soft white sheet, Internet connection was fast and free. After a hotel in pretoria-j'burg, it was a relief. I had hard time finding drinking water-looked around lounge as it said in the book, but it was actually in the kitchen. Moved to room C4-street facing ,same top rate toom. Bigger, better room, but not as quite as A2, internet connection was non-existent-since it was far away from the office. Strong bacon smell from kitchen in the morning. I wonder whether the best room would be A4. Excellent hosts, Manola restrurant (10 min walk) was good, medi-spa (10min walk) was excellent. Self service tea outside of the room was a good touch. One item for improvement, helping staff -30 min for an egg, not-so-friendly. Was told to get lost (so to speak) for 7:00am continental breakfast since it is not ready, it was ready well into around 8:00am. They are probably not getting paid well- but reminded me of two worlds-not-so-in-harmony in south africa. Cape town does not have good weather, but this villa was ok.
Forum Posts
Cape Town Hotels
by Victor250
Hi all,
Heading to Cape Town in October and intending to stay in the V&A Waterfront area. I have previously been told that hotels in Capr Town are very reasonably priced but to be honest on most booking sites they seem to be priced up at about the same rate as hotels in the U.K.
Is it better for me to book only my first couple of nights then book the rest of my stay when I am in C.T or will the price stay roughly the same.
Cheers for any info, also any good reccomendations of good hotels at V&A around the £80 to £100 per night greatly appreeciated.
Thanks
Dave
Re: Cape Town Hotels
by julia687
We stayed at the Portswood hotel which is one of the most reasonable around the V&A and not a bad hotel - I'd certainly stay there again. Generally the rate is actually more if you just turn up and also it can be more if you book direct with the hotels - this is because you pay what is called the rack rate where as if you book it through a 3rd party because they commit themselves to sell so many rooms for the year they get a better rate. Airline Network/ Gold Medal sell the Portswood as do Hayes and Jarvis, travel 2 and Somak.
Make sure you go out to Simons Town and visit Boulders beach and also do the walk to freedom tour - it was well worth it.
Re: Cape Town Hotels
by Victor250
Thanks for the info.
Cheers
Re: Cape Town Hotels
by tmap
it is good to tlak to someone on the ground who can try to meet your specific travel needs and budget.
I once used African Wanderer(www.africanwanderer.co.za) and they were good at finding me better rates
Re: Cape Town Hotels
by TRimer
We did not stay at the waterfront as it was very touristy. Instead we stayed in Camps Bay at the Twelve Apostles and got a package deal and when we returned to Cape Town we stayed at the African Villa which was in a great neighborhood and very reasonable. Just something to consider.
Re: Cape Town Hotels
by mikereef
You could think of staying at the Breakwater lodge. It is right in the V & A waterfrom the rooms are very decent and the price is reasonable.
The hotel is run as part of the Cape Town Graduate School of Buisness.
http://www.bwl.co.za/
Re: Cape Town Hotels
by pdx_doglover
If you are lucky and 18 on crox has room you will never want to stay in a mere hotel ever again.
http://18oncrox.com
We had the pleasure of staying there for a week in July. A wonderful location and the most relaxing place to stay we have ever encountered.
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