With an estimated 16,000 beds, Cape Town has a plethora of accommodation options, from cheap and cheerful hostels to quaint guesthouses and upscale hotels. Most of them are situated in the City Bowl area, along the Atlantic Seaboard and throughout the Southern Suburbs. New, upmarket hotels are clustered in the business district and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, offering easy access to commercial attractions.
In summer (December-February), the city is jam-packed with tourists and film crews, so rooms are scarce. Book in advance if you're visiting at that time. Other peak periods coincide with holidays, especially Easter. Foreign travelers tend to favor the late summer and early autumn months, when the weather is temperate and the crowds have dissipated somewhat. Accommodations are more readily available (and cheaper) during the autumn and winter months (June-August), often promoted as the Secret Season.
