So, nobody wanted to come to visit when you lived in the middle of the jungle in Borneo, but now you are in Cape Town, barbecues, sunny days at the beach, pool side parties, safari, wine farms, golf courses … and yes, a flood of guests. Your parents, your relatives (even those you did not know existed), your friends and half of your compatriots have all decided to come to visit. Of course it’s great to see your loved ones, but having to keep your guests well-fed and entertained for the entirety of their visit could drive even the most hospitable and experienced host to the verge of destruction. To keep your sanity, follow these simple rules:

Rule No.1: Try hard to restrain yourself from the temptation to become the tour guide from hell! Chances are your visitors came first and foremost to see you, not to have a 24 hours schedule filled with all sort of activities. If some of your guests find it difficult to cope with relaxing at a café, we suggest you keep a local map handy. Make sure they know exactly where your house is, give them a tourist guide and suggest some possible itineraries, including some “drive around with them excursions” and “drop them off and let them do their own things days”. We have some good suggestions in the Day Trip section that you can use to plan those days.

Rule No.2: You really do not have to cook every meal yourself! There are fantastic restaurants, wine estates, cafes, and picnic sites in Cape Town. Take full advantage of them, apart from delivering superb food they open a door into that famous South African experience! Again we have a few suggestions in the Restaurants section that are really yummy – and trust us your guests will be grateful that you sent them there.

Rule No.3: Your guests are enjoying free accommodation at your fabulous house, so you might as well get something back for it! Do not be shy to delegate some of your chores – whether it is shopping for dinner, cooking or cutting the grass.

If some of your gests are bringing their very little bundles of joy, it doesn’t mean they have to pack and carry the many bits of baby equipment they need. They can rent baby seats, prams, camps cots etc from Babylite or Baby Exchange websites, and have it delivered to the airport or at your home address.

And most importantly - enjoy your guests!

Last update: September 30, 2008