She notes that the company is experiencing an unprecedented demand for homes that can be converted into guesthouses or B&B’s, or that have existing facilities of this type. This may well be due to the fact that a recent report on the Guest House Accommodation of South Africa (GHASA) — a company that was established in 1992 to promote the guest house industry — notes that “a huge opportunity has been presented for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the hospitality industry. For the first time in history, Fifa will contract non-hotel accommodation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.”

“There are, however,” says Steward, “two completely divergent views on the subject of Cape B&B’s and guesthouses. One view is that they can be highly profitable and offer the owners a truly pleasant lifestyle. The opposing view is that they are almost never profitable and tie down the proprietors who tend to become slaves to their business.”

Steward said that APKF’s experience is that almost any B&B will be profitable — and enjoyable — if the owners have a positive, friendly attitude towards their guests, advertise regularly, provide a good service and have a house sited in a good position.

“The most successful guesthouses that we have sold,” says Steward, “have mostly been in the Constantia Valley or in the Upper Claremont area. These, for obvious reasons, are the favoured places for this type of service.”

Last year APKF agent Marianne Price sold a six-bedroom home in Connor Close, Constantia, to a retired UK civil engineer, John Warrington and his wife, Una.

Price said that they genuinely wanted to run a guesthouse — it had always been one of their ambitions — but they had “almost no idea of whether it could be a truly viable proposition”. After considering building from scratch, they opted for the easier course of buying the property they now occupy.

Twelve months later the Warringtons are saying enthusiastically that the buying of the home, Beluga, was the best decision they ever made.

Initially they spent over R500000 on refurbishing the home (including redesigning and enlarging the kitchen) and on refurnishing it with new curtains, carpets and the like.

“It is a completely modern but very gracious home,” said John Warrington, “and it is ideally suited to a traditional rather than avant-garde décor.”

The Warringtons took in their first guests late last year, most of whom have been attracted by their advertisements in the relevant “Portfolio of Country Places” booklet.

“Beluga of Constantia (as the guesthouse is now called) has caught on so fast that in February the Warringtons had an almost 100% occupancy rate.

“Big attractions are the immaculate garden and the sunny, airy suites, a huge pool and a spacious east-facing covered terrace.”

Today 40% of their visitors are from the UK, 40% from the rest of Europe and the remainder from elsewhere, including SA. The vast majority are holidaymakers.

Steward noted that the Warrington’s success has been mirrored by that of many other purchasers of B&B’s and guesthouses.

“In all the better suburbs of Cape Town, B&B’s and guesthouses are now proliferating and it looks as if the vast majority can nevertheless still make a satisfactory living,” said Steward.

And it looks as if the potential viability of such establishments just got better — not only for the Cape, but for the country as a whole. To participate as an accommodation establishment for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Moeketsi Mosola, SA Tourism CEO, says national park accommodation, B&B’s, lodges and guesthouses need to be graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA). This is because only graded establishments will be contracted by MATCH, the Fifa-mandated company responsible for, among other things, accommodation for the world cup.

Mosola went on to say that small and medium-sized enterprises from around the country will be able to apply to the SA Tourism — Tourism Enterprise Programme for assistance, which will partially cover the grading costs. He added that this move will also provide a wider range of accommodation options for spectators.