We’ve done a lot of poking around on Airbnb in the past but for one reason or another never pulled the trigger. Well, Cape Town changed that. We did Airbnb for the entire week (two different places) and were delighted by our experience.
Our first lodging was a condo unit overlooking Fish Hoek Bay, about 30-40 minutes from downtown Cape Town. The layout was absolutely stunning. Open and airy with beautiful decor. This was the dining area.
And here’s the living room. There were tons of huge picture windows which meant you could enjoy the view no matter what room you were in.
The kitchen had everything we could possibly need. We were delighted to find that the fridge was stocked with breakfast for our first morning (bacon, eggs, milk, juice, butter + wine for later). I can’t tell you how great that was given that we got to the house at 6 PM after a long day of travel. There was also a variety of basic spices, coffee and tea for our use.
It unfortunately rained a lot so we didn’t get much time out on the porch, but the time we did spend out there was lovely. It became Nick’s favorite reading spot during afternoon quiet time.
Here’s another shot from the terrace. There was a grill available to use as well.
To round out the tour, here’s a peek at one of the bedrooms (the place could sleep six). They also had DSTV and Wifi and very complex security system with armed guard response. It was a ridiculously good deal too. We paid just under $100 a night, although I see he’s raised his rates to $150 a night now (still a very good value for all that you get).
I’m sure I’ll regret this later when I can’t book the place, but here’s the link to his listing:Â https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/9043004
I don’t have any pictures of our second place out near wine country unfortunately, but we had another marvelous experience. Our second place was an entire home with a pool and trampoline. Wifi, internet and an alarm system were also available. Oh, and did I mention there were toys too?
Our host, Marinda, made us feel so at home. She made great suggestions as to what to do and even insisted on babysitting for us for FREE so that we could go out to a movie together. I was so blown away by her generosity. Not to mention that I haven’t seen a movie in the theater since July when we left the US (no movie theaters in Lilongwe, in case you were curious). It was SUCH a treat and very unexpected. And of course our extroverted child had a marvelous time. She even used her smooth-talking ways to avoid going to bed. #classicnia
Marinda and her husband are relatively new to Airbnb and are using it for altruistic purposes. You see, she and her husband still live in the home, but simply move into a small flat in the second story when guests are present. They donate the proceeds from their rentals to the refugees that they work with around the world. Isn’t that incredible? I was really touched by their story and it reminded me that I need to get going on finding my own volunteer opportunity here in Lilongwe.
If you’d like to check out Marinda’s house, which was also around $100 a night, here’s the link for that one:Â https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/10447334
Pretty amazing first experience, no? We especially loved getting to know our local hosts. Locals always know all the best places. And it’s just fascinating to hear their takes on the political climate, public issues and how a place has changed over time. Two thumbs up for Airbnb from the Novaks!
I’ll close with one last lovely pic of our view of Fish Hoek Bay. So lovely. Just watch out for the Great Whites (the shark alarm went off daily and sounded a lot like a tornado warning). That’s it for now folks.
