Bet Irene

Cape Town's accommodation market has shifted dramatically in the past decade. Business travel to the city has become more seasonal, Airbnb fragmented the market, and self-catering units now compete against hotel chains and holiday rental platforms. What this means for guest houses is that location and character matter more than they used to—you can't just be a room with a bed. Bet Irene sits in this changed landscape where guests are choosing carefully, comparing online, and often staying longer than the three-night weekend break of years past. The city's appeal to remote workers and sabbatical-takers has changed the guest-house demographic; people want reliable WiFi, decent natural light for Zoom calls, and neighbourhoods where they can walk to a coffee shop. The suburbs that thrive now are ones with that mix—close enough to attractions, but liveable as a temporary home rather than a tourist pit stop.