The EASIEST way to book accommodation is with Afristay!

Have you ever planned a trip and then started putting out urgent pleas on Facebook for recommendations for accommodation? Or perhaps you send 10 online enquiries after you’ve spent an hour Googling for recommendations? Usually nothing really comes from the recommendations and those online enquiries, I end up forgetting who I even sent a query too.

I find it incredibly frustrating looking for accommodation. This usually ends up happening every single time I need to book accommodation for either hubby and I, or for the family. I end up not having any of those recommendations saved…. I mean I can’t even count how many times I’ve asked for recommendations for places in Cape Town. Yet every time I go to Cape Town….I start from scratch looking for accommodation.

Add to this that half of the time I also find out only after enquiring that kids are not welcome. So I then have to start all over again…. I keep thinking to myself…there has to be an easier way?? Apparently there is….and it’s been around since 2007. Oops. I recently discovered a website called Afristay.  Afristay boasts:

• 20,000 listings in
• 2,000 locations with
• 10,000 reviews

CEO Rupert Bryant says – The idea was to offer a great travel service for the local industry, because – at the time, and it still is – the industry is very fractured and I felt there was a lot of opportunity to try and compete with where a lot of the market share was going which was to the international guys like Airbnb and Booking.com. (More from the interview HERE if you’d like to read more. )

Let me tell you what I love about the website:

1. The site is really easy to use and navigate. You enter where you want to go, your dates, and it gives you a list of recommendations.
2. Once you’ve got a list of suggestions, you can sort via price and you can further narrow the list down by being very specific with what you require for your accommodation. (i.e. Must have: a swimming pool, laundry, WIFI, etc.) 
3. You’re also able to add the number of guests and kids. Once you add kids, the site requests the kids ages and I’m sure whatever discounts may be available to kids of a certain age is applied to your quotation.
4. Another feature I really love is that I can add places that catch my eye to a wishlist! You are able to accumulate a list of places you’re interested in visiting and have it all in one place when you do eventually choose to have a little (or a large) getaway. No more starting from scratch every single time you go away.
5. There are reviews on many of the listings, so you should be able to get a feel for a place before you request a quote.

Afristay arranged a voucher for me to actually try out the website and I must say that the booking process was SUPER easy! When you submit an enquiry, there’s an option to ask any additional queries you may have. I asked if breakfast was included, and when I received a quotation from the establishment, I also received an answer to my query (and yes, breakfast is included!!).

Once I received the emailed quotation, I then had the option to accept and pay my deposit (within 48hrs). Once the deposit was paid, I received a booking notification. Honestly, the easiest process I have ever undergone. I have ‘wishlisted’ some family friendly spots for our next vacation already.

Gals they have accommodation to honestly suit all pockets and budgets! Whether you’re looking for something for the family, or a romantic weekend away, you’ll find it on the website. I definitely recommend that you check Afristay out. I thank Afristay for treating my husband and I to a little getaway! Heaven knows we need it after the last few months we’ve had 🙁 I will let you all know what we thought of the place we’ve chosen and I’ll add the review to the site.

Have you ever booked with Afristay before? Have I been living under a rock to only discover this website now?

Disclaimer: Even though I received a voucher, all opinions expressed are my own.