Cape Town is a gorgeous coastal city on the west coast of South Africa, known for its natural beauty and chilled vibes.

When it comes to holidays and occasional travel, the City Lodge Group not only compete with other hotel chains and Airbnb – they compete with the homes

of friends and family.

The truth is, in tight-fisted economic times, many of us end up choosing the “free” option.

But how free is it really? Finances aside, there are some undeniable emotional and (sometimes) physical costs to staying with the people you love. Looking after your aging, haggard childhood pets, the constant, unrequited company – too much information about your parents’ sexual renaissance.

When you weigh up the real cost of staying with the family, staying at a City Lodge hotel is better than free, actually.