I have stayed in many spectacular places thanks to Airbnb, but none that captured a sense of being a real home for me like this one. I am also a four-time visitor to Cape Town, staying an average of six weeks each time, and getting to know the city by living in several neighborhoods as I work as a resident artist and coach at the opera company. The mountainside village of Vredehoek has excellent bus connections to the city centre as well as a top supermarket, good wine/liquor shop, upscale coffee shop, and a laundry all clustered together round the corner from Lisa's place. So it has been also easily my favorite area to come back to after a busy day's work.
The place itself is designed so brilliantly to be a spacious living room, an atmospheric high-ceilinged dining area, an open, sociable kitchen, a luxury bedroom with view, and a sundeck, all in one room. When the sun is shining there are deckchairs and a barbecue steps from the kitchen with the entire downtown spread out in front, Signal Hill (with its sunsets!!!) and the ocean as backdrop. When the rain and wind come, the wood fireplace keeps the space warm and cosy. I had several nights with very impressed friends coming for dinner and others where it was fun to just read by the fire. I hope to stay again when I next work in Cape Town and have recommended this place to so many of my professional contacts in the area.
Lisa was always fast and extremely keen to help with communication. The inevitable loadshedding power cuts came quite frequently, often disrupting my evening plans, but this is something city-wide, and Lisa had a range of solutions depending on how much notice we were given. She went out of her way to ensure I had a very pleasant and private stay while being available downstairs whenever I needed guidance. Her dogs are fun to greet as you come and go in the yard. The area is safe as any I've stayed in Cape Town and the people in the excellent supermarket and coffee shop are as friendly as any I've met! Plus the walking trail just up the hill is perfect for sunsets and a little exercise.
If you like your airbnb practical, soulful, and gifted with a spectacular view, this gets it all into perfect balance. I didn't want to leave!