Special occasions call for special activities. We believe that some occasions call for experiences more than gifts so we’ve made a habit of going away for our anniversary (Gold Reef City, Paternoster, Franschhoek, etc) and this year was no exception. Except that it was an exception. We were lazy, didn’t feel like going too far from home and kinda broke (a broke blogger, who would’ve thunk…). We decided to do a “Cape Town staycation”.
I used HotelsCombined which aggregates rates from Booking.com, Agoda, Hotels.com and a few other websites. We were looking for something near Long Street in the Cape Town CBD. To be honest, our budget was low and the only places within our budget were hostels and backpacker lodges. Some actually seemed okay but none included parking. Yes, we could’ve Uber’d but that would have added an additional cost – a cost we may as well factor into nicer accommodation.
Cape Town Lodge Hotel
A hotel came up on our radar called the Cape Town Lodge Hotel in Buitengracht Street. I was familiar with it as I’ve attended a few seminars there. It’s a few roads away from Long Street but I used to walk there from my previous workplace near Parliament. I knew the area was a bit quiet but mostly okay.
Foyer at the Cape Town Lodge Hotel
The hotel room was seriously discounted – maybe by 60% or more. I knew the room was probably not going to be that great but would be better than a backpackers/ hostel. The parking was R60 for 24 hours which seemed pretty reasonable (especially since the street parking costs R4 for 15 minutes!).
Check-in at the Cape Town Lodge Hotel
We arrived at about 1 pm and parked in the hotel’s basement parking. We walked down to Long Street and Kloof Street before coming back to the hotel to check in (which was the standard 2 pm).
The staff at the hotel’s desk were nice enough. They were clearly more interested in the larger group of tourists than the 2 of us there for the evening. They gave us a key card and sent us up to our room.
The room
The room was designed like every other hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. The structure looked oldish but it seemed they must have remodelled it at some point. They had a shower over bath situation which I know many people have an issue with but I don’t.
The budget room at the Cape Town Lodge Hotel
I liked the bright colours in the room. However, the view was dire!! But what can you expect for that price?
The bed was comfy although I found the pillow way too high (make sure you request feather pillows should you ever stay there).
The view, TV & kitchen area in a room at the Cape Town Lodge Hotel
The room had a bar fridge, tea & coffee facilities and a hairdryer. I was very surprised to see no warnings alluding to the Cape Town drought and water restrictions anywhere.
The facilities
The hotel seemed really quiet when we were there. It was creepy in a way as you could wander around on other floors without seeing anyone.
Perk of a quiet hotel – taking photos with no one to judge you (except whoever monitors the CCTV & the poor soul taking the pics)
I went up to the pool just to check it out but it was closed due to it being winter – though no one warned us about it. The gym was great, though. Lots of equipment.
The view from the deck and pool, Cape Town Lodge Hotel
The lift seemed to have no sensor. I tried to keep it open for someone and the thing slammed hard into my arm. Ouch!
The surrounding area
There’s a Famous Butcher Grill situated in the hotel. Next door to the hotel is an ice cream parlour and two barbers. You can find the Hilton Hotel right opposite the hotel.
We walked around quite a lot! We explored all the cute, trendy restaurants we’ve been wanting to see. The area is quiet but we walked back to the hotel around midnight from Long Street without a problem and without feeling afraid.
Check out
Breakfast was not included in our stay. We checked out pretty early and went to get breakfast at one of the many cafes on offer.
In conclusion,
As we checked out, the hotel staff said: “see you again”. And I thought about it for a second and replied “definitely”. So, even though this hotel has much room for improvement, I really enjoyed my time there. It has a great location for a decent price. Perfect for an inner-city stay. If I can get a room at that rate again, I will definitely go back.
-Rif
Cape Town Lodge Hotel: website