Thursday, April 23, 2009

Cape Town in Winter – our Secret Season

In these recessionary times everyone is shopping around for a good deal. Some people are searching in Google for cheap accommodation. We noted the definition of “cheap’ as “of poor quality; inferior” Our self catering Western Cape accommodation is certainly not cheap as defined, but it is very affordable.
Now we have made it even more so with our winter low season offer ; For every 4 nights booked , we will give you one free night in any of our self catering accommodation units. This offer is valid right until end November, but excludes school holidays.
If we had 100 cottages, we could let them fully in the peak summer season in Cape Town, as the December/January period is the most popular time of the year with both locals and foreigners. February and Easter are also popular months.
Cape Town has been rated as one of the top 10 tourist destinations cities in the world, and although it attracts most of its tourists during "peak" summer months, bargains are to be had in the Autumn and winter months. Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate which is temperate for most of the year. Many overseas tourists are not aware of the Western Cape's best secret - Cape Town is frequently at its best in the traditionally low season from April to October! Coincidentally, this coincides with our prime safari seasons in Southern Africa, so if you are planning a safari in the Winter or Spring, include Cape Town in your itinerary.
It surprises us that those who live in the Northern Hemisphere where the summer season in their traditional holiday resorts are packed out, don’t take the opportunity to visit Cape Town, which at this time of year is green, quiet, beautiful with temperate weather. Yes Cape Town does have a winter rainfall , but rainy days are interspersed with lovely wind free sunny days and daily temperatures warm by European and North American standards, averaging 16 degrees C or more, and can reach up to 26C (80F). To visit Cape Town in winter is to see it at its most beautiful and, in addition, you will find many bargains- accommodation is at its cheapest rate, restaurants and tourist attractions are never busy.
The added attractions of visiting in the off peak season is that one can view the Spring Wild flowers and take the opportunity to view the whales basking in our bays.
Local often joke that Cape Town does not have a climate but just “weather”- one can experience all 4 seasons in one day. A good site to check out the weather is http://weather.24.com
Horizons self catering holiday accommodation is near Cape Point, and this really useful weather site allows on to select Cape Town or Cape point just to check out any differences, even though we are just 30 minutes from the city and the famed Cape Town Waterfront
Cape Metropolitan Tourism http://www.gocapetown.co.za/ recently launched a new “Secret Season" campaign-an integral part of the Campaign has been the identification and promotion of specific tourism routes, all of which are in easy reach of the centre of Cape Town. The Western Cape has a wealth of history, beauty and culture to boast, and these routes reflect that diversity. The routes that make up the Secret Season Campaign include a Whale Route, a Floral Kingdom Route, an Adventure Route, a Wine, Beer and Cheese Route, a Ghosts Route plus a Shipwreck and Lighthouse Route.
Remember that the rainy days need not be wasted- Cape Town has many interesting museums and then of course, there is the opportunity to relax indoors with a good bottle of the Cape's finest vintage red wine at prices that are unequalled anywhere in the world.
We look forward to seeing you soon