It’s winter specials time in Cape Town and, for the next few months, in addition to listing them on a summarised winter specials page, I’ll be posting short articles with the details of these awesome specials that allow us ordinary folk to indulge in some extravagance for a much lower price.

This week’s special comes from Monkey Valley Beach Nature Resort in Noordhoek.

Monkey Valley overlooks the beautiful Noordhoek Beach, and is far enough from town to make a weekend there a very relaxing experience…

The resort offers a blend of old world log and thatched cottages and bedrooms. Each is hidden in private alcoves within the rare milkwood forest, ensuring complete seclusion. The range of units have a peaceful ambience with uninterrupted vistas across the Atlantic ocean or the mountainous magic of Chapman’s Peak.

They’re currently running a 2-for-1 accommodation special on en suite rooms and cottages.

En Suite Rooms: Book for 2 nights – and get one of those nights free.  Rates range from R880 (forest-facing) to R1,100 (sea-facing)  per room per night.  This is bed only, and excludes breakfast.

That’s R880/R1,100 for two nights, which works out to R220pppn/R275pppn (assuming there are two of you).

Cottages: Book 2 nights – get one night free.  Rate is R295 per adult / R195 per child (if more than 4 persons per unit) Maximum of 8 persons per unit – including children.  Excludes breakfast.

For both specials, guests are required to book dinner for one of the nights.  Their restaurant, Thorfynns, has a spectacular sunset view and, if I recall correctly, a roaring fire in the winter time.  Thorfynns also, I gather, serves free range and organic food wherever possible and is running a special winter menu of R135 for a 3-course meal.

This offer runs until the end of August 2009.

Visit www.monkeyvalleyresort.com to find out more.