The Village Lodge Portfolio - Cape Town, South Africa 

We stayed at the Village Lodge in December for a few days. I had an idea of the property from pictures I had viewed and was quite excited to be staying somewhere so luxurious, seeing as we where budgeting for most of our stay in Cape Town. When we arrived the place was just as I had pictured and I felt really pleased. When we were taken to our room I was taken back at just how small it was - especially as it was the most expensive hotel we had booked on our trip, and the most expensive room in the hotel. The bathroom was so small we couldn't dry ourselves in there after the shower. The hotel was also very impersonal as you always had people outside in the courtyard working or just walking up and down the stairs and we could hear everything. However the hotel is very clean, in a great location, the staff are absolutely great and breakfast was really fresh and it was lovely to just sit outside and contemplate your movements for the day. There is also a huge development next to the hotel, this made it very dusty and noisey - not the hotel owners fault. The view from the top of the hotel was fantastic of Table Mountain and the surrounding area. The pool is really a dipping pool and not great for a swim - bit small, but the rooftop is a suntrap and great for a golden tan, lots of very comfortable beds to lay on with a bar upthere also. I did not feel threatened going out at all around the area, we did however have a bit of a bad experience with my partner who had his drink spiked - lucky we were together as I took him back to the hotel where he was very ill all the next day. I would recommend the hotel but just for gay men and couples, not families and older people. I must point out though that a friend did stay at the villa owned by the village lodge and highly recommends that to people visiting Cape Town.

We were pleasantly surpised by the accomodation. The room was compact and could have done with a bit more storage space but the bed was comfy the a/c worked and was cool and the staff were very friendly. This is in the gay quarter but don't be put off, its not in your face. There are plenty of places around the Watekant area to eat and drink (particularly the Cape Quarter) and the V&A and capetown centre are only a 10 minute walk away or at night a very cheap taxi ride. I've stayed in better but not at these prices and both me and my finace were very pleasantly surprised.