Elements, Cape Town

We have just had the most awful expensive time of our lives at this place. We booked thinking it might be a reasonable place according to the details on the web site. As we were coming to South Africa, a beautiful country with beautiful people, for a period of 9 weeks. The description does not match the place at all. The location is in the middle of a housing estate and leaves a lot to be desired. We found that after having paid SRA5880 to which there is no refund forthcoming from Elements the place was very unsuitable. Make no mistake this is a backpackers for which the charge for my husband and myself we were expected to pay SRA 400per night, which was discounted to SRA280 as it was a long stay. The apartment is very underfurished, cooking utensils - sparse, cooker a 2 ring unit under the sink, toaster all frayed cabling, towels dirty and full of holes, bad smell under the sink and the bed duvet, desperate for a wash with one very thin pillow each on the bed. We found out that our bedding and towels would be changed onc a week. If we wanted our place cleaned this was possible for an additional SRA 50 per day. Not at all what we expected and felt this was definitly not for us with no privacy at all. When I stated this was not on we were asked from the Friday when we checked in until the Monday when we walked out what we were doing. At the cost of loosing a lot of money there was no way we could stay. I found that they are playing at this and not treating it as South Africans do. Be warned.