A great location for your stay in Cape Town

If you're staying in Cape Town for a week or so, there are many advantages to finding a well-placed holiday apartment.

It's great to stay in a luxury hotel when you're on holiday, but in these more restricted times many more of us prefer to use the larger part of our holiday budget for experiences rather than accommodation. That puts the premium on finding a nice holiday apartment in Cape Town. So what are the considerations?

Location: Cape Town is a beautiful place but much of your pleasure will depend on choosing the right location. Nothing beats waking up in the morning to a stunning sea view. During the summer months (Europe's winter) the South-East wind is constantly blowing. Some parts of the city, like Clifton, are sheltered from the wind by Table Mountain and Lion's Head Mountain. On the web site of Talia Apartment (www.cliftonfirstbeach.co.za) you can see this situation exactly on the Location page. It means that the beaches in this area (First, Second, Third and Fourth Beach) are particularly popular. Along this part of the coast, the views are amazing – beautiful vistas of sea, beach and mountains in both directions. The Talia Apartment is located just above Clifton's First Beach, with private beach access.

Comfort: Assuming that you're willing to forego the convenience of being served by hotel staff and are happy to serve yourself, all other comfort aspects should be equivalent to a quality hotel. The holiday apartment should have comfortable beds and lounge seating with individual bathrooms for every room. That's the case with Talia Apartment. It's well equipped with all conveniences (TV with surround sound, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, outdoor furniture) and is spotlessly cleaned before every letting, with fresh sheets and towels. If you're lucky, you can also find an apartment like Talia with a large exterior patio that allows you to have barbeques while you watch the sunset over the ocean in front of you. In fact, a lot of your time in Talia will probably be spent on the patio - because it's so magical.

Value: In the area of self-catering holiday apartment in Cape Town there's a huge choice and variation in quality. The trick is to find the right price-value ratio, which is far from easy. When you find the right location, the price may be well outside your capabilities. If you keep within your price range, many places may be a large compromise in terms of position and views. "What, have I come all this way just to settle for THIS?" you'll be asking yourself.

Here's a strong point in Talia's favour. It is modestly priced yet has all the advantages of a prime Cape Town holiday location. You even get your own parking space on the roof of the apartment block, which is a great asset because parking space in Clifton is difficult and for convenience you may well want to rent a car.

Professional Advice: Many people who book into hotels ask the hotel staff for advice about places to visit and recommended restaurants. Why should visitors to a self-catering Cape Town holiday apartment not enjoy the same benefits? The Talia Apartment's owner has anticipated that question by including on his website many pages of recommendations in the Tourism and Gastronomy sections. The web site also includes a lexicon about special South African expressions.

So even if you decide to book another place to stay than Talia Apartment in Clifton, you're still welcome to pick up tips about what to do during your holiday break in Cape Town. Have a great time!