UCT becomes world cup hotel

Are you looking for affordable accommodation in Cape Town during the 2010 FIFA Wold Cup, but struggling to find what you are looking for? Are the high rates charged by some hotels and B&Bs a bit too much to handle? One of Africa’s premier universities, the University of Cape Town (UCT), might be the answer to your problem: the university, with residences situated a mere 10km from Cape Town’s city centre, will be opening its doors as Africa’s largest accommodation hub during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

“We will provide comfortable, affordable and secure accommodation to visitors from Africa and further afield over the six weeks during the Soccer World Cup tournament,” said head of UCT’s 2010 task team Professor John Simpson.

“We are fortunate at the University of Cape Town to have a campus which boasts unsurpassed scenic beauty and world-class residence and leisure facilities. In addition to that the University is situated close to the heart of Cape Town’s city centre and has long played an integral part of the city’s history and heritage. We will be able to offer visitors an opportunity to enjoy a fun and relaxing World Cup experience by giving  them access to the University’s extensive shuttle system which will ferry guests between UCT and the airport, World Cup fixtures, as well as to its prime entertainment and shopping districts.”

Simpson added that UCT as a signatory to Cape Town Tourism’s Tourism Code of Responsible Pricing firmly believes in the Code’s principles of fostering visitor confidence in our city. “This means providing accommodation that offers excellent value at fair prices at our University.”

To put people’s minds to rest, UCT’s already comprehensive campus security system will be beefed up during the world cup, to ensure the safety of its guests.

Urban Hip Hotels will be assisting the UCT in making the transition from academic institution to accommodation hub. This hotel management company will also be marketing and managing world cup accommodation at the Universities of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal.

In short, the world cup accommodation offered by UCT means:

• Unlimited access to several on-campus facilities including a fully equipped gym, a major theatre complex, a number of pubs and restaurants, a FIFA-accredited artificial soccer pitch, as well as conveniently placed foreign exchange and ATM facilities.
• Affordable rates: a single rooms start at 550 rand per room per night excluding VAT.
• Transport made easy: 35 buses will be driving to and from all residences and airport, and will serve as match day transfers to and from the stadium. The buses will also travel to the V&A Waterfront and local shopping centers.

For more information about Campus Accommodation 2010 visit www.uct.ac.za or www.campus2010.co.za