Thank you for the suggestion. She suggested the same property for me. Haven't booked just yet - but it is definitely at the top of my list thus far. From what I took from conversation with her, that property is offering transportation to/from the "pick up points" in Sandton for the various games. Anyone have any details on these "pick up points"? Is it something that I'll have to book ahead of time? Will I be able to use this transportation to get to Rustenburg or will this only get me to/from Soccer City and Ellis Park? She also mentioned that this particular property will be offering day tours for days that you're not attending games, which is very enticing!
Hi Just a quick straw poll, for your guys will FIFAs Match Service be the 'weapon of choice' with regards to booking of hotel?
As this is the same company who had planned to let people know five weeks ago on another 'first come first served basis' having hijacked all the accommodation for themselves and have failed to do so I like many others have made other arrangements. They decided on the arrangements and if they change them so greatly the least they could do is actually communicate that information. So far the organisation rather forgets people are spending many £1,000s and coming from all four corners of the world to a country which is far from straightforward. So No then.
I don't think we'll have a choice. Most people will find it difficult if not impossible to book accomodation. We'll have to wait for MATCH. I know some people have been really proactive and have already booked, but this is beyond minority, im guessing 5% and lower. I'm waiting for MATCH myself, but I have a nice back up plan. Im already in talks to rent a house there. We decided on a price and everything, I just would prefer a nice hotel, so i'm waiting for MATCH.
Front-page of the MATCH website has a giant picture of a baseball stadium. Not a good indication that they have their shit together. I'm looking into backup plans too.
"We are compiling news articles at present, please revisit soon. ". I have been revisiting soon for six months. You would have thought a little message about accommodation being delayed 4 months to October might be useful news. Still I heard from a couple of people who received a negative response from their first round written ticket applications just last week!! So we should not rush these things.
And then in October, would we book our accommodation through the MATCH services website or will we be able to book through the normal methods (apartment websites, hotel websites, Expedia, etc.) with the MATCH deal simply operating behind the scenes? Anybody know? Also will we be able to choose our own toilet paper while in South Africa, or do we have to buy that through FIFA as well? Any help would be much appreciated.
I think FIFA have bought up all the toilet paper, for the exclusive use of "the FIFA family". Take your own, otherwise you might end up having to buy it at inflated prices.
bring wet wipes - i bring a box with me on all my travels; besides i hear they only have single-ply in south africa!! LOL i wouldn't be surprised if you have make reservations for any meal 6 months in advance with any restaurant or street vendor through FIFA or MATCH!!
I'm not going unfortunately. Can't afford it. I did go to Germany however and got reasonably priced flights and had a German friend who I stayed with.
I just checked Delta.com and Delta Airlines is absolutely smoking crack with $3100 USD for the cheapest flights to Jo-burg! 18 June to 12 July. Wow...maybe I will have to use my skymiles on this trip!
I think even the price of SkyMiles will be inflated. If they're not then definitely use them. There will never be a better time to use your SkyMiles.
Lots of places in Jo'burg jacking up their prices as high as 700%. Got a quote from a backpacker joint, normally 350 rand, next June 1250 rand, freaking unbelieavable. We are fools just to give our hard earned money away to these frigging greedy bastards. So I am thinking of camping. average June temperature 16C day time 5C night time. I think i can handle the cold, i am from Canada Going to South Africa for the month need to cut on accomodation expenses. First 2 week in Jo'burg then south and hopefully to score ticket for the final
Yup, I'm starting to regret buying the six pairs of tickets that I did. FIFA knows they can screw us up the ass too because we won't even be able to sell our tickets unless we fly to South Africa a month beforehand to pick them up. Actually that's starting to sound like a good idea: Pick-up the tickets in SA, sell them on eBay, then kick back and spend the profits at a safari in Namibia where I won't have Budweiser and Nathan's hot dogs forced down my throat.
Johannesburg is a monster in size. Sandton is by no means one of the only safer places. Roodepoort, Krugersdorp and Alberton should have some cheaper accomodation than Sandton and I'd easily walk around there....also, it is not ridiculously far from the stadiums in soweto. (Soccer City etc) A option for people trying to go to both Johannesburg and Pretoria matches, is to be situated in either midrand or Centurion. They are mid way and quite modern and safe. I prefer Centurion to Midrand when it comes to safety though. But either is very well situated. There are also Tons of relatively safe and cheap "safari like resorts" North of Pretoria. So one could go to matches either in Rustenburg, Polokwane or Pretoria from there. I would imagine the traffic being better North of Pretoria, than lets say between Pretoria and Johannesburg. So even though some distances may be further, it may still be faster.
If you can afford it, it is well worth it to do it this way. You will realise that all the stress was probably unneeded and you will come to SA with a much clearer concience. This will also give you a better idea how to plan and maybe even save costs when coming later for the matches themselves.... Media is killing SA....we have lots of problems, yet many people live happy joyful lives here. The media is only telling the one part... If possible, stay at least one day to ask around and plan as much as possible
Try and clear your cache memory on your pc...i believe online sites track our searches, so it adapts prices that way. Conspiracy? Do it anyway
Wasn't the idea that people are not allowed to sell their tickets? As far as i know the ticket buyers are the only ones who can use them...won't you need proof of identity when entering stadiums? I don't like the idea. It Invades privacy...But they are apparently trying to limit the black market with ticket sales, preventing some people from getting tickets in the first place, because prices go too high....In essence, they are trying to distribute the tickets fairly. Won't make sense for SA citizens, who get their tickets cheaper, to just sell it to foreigners. Nor would it make sense to charge the same rates for SA people, cause they would never be able to afford tickets because of the exchange rate....
It's not about greed. Its about business and making it worthwile. If you cannot afford it, someone else will. Should they charge less because not everyone can afford it? No...they should charge what they can. A lot of companies spend a lot to invest in ventures for the world cup. They can only make up for it by charging more... Whats the point of having an expensive world cup, and giving away the accomodation at the same rates as locals? Foreigners have a much better exchange rate than SA. One of the reasons of the wc being in Africa, is for development. Now if a foreigner pays the same amount that a local would, there is no gain for the locals is there? The demand will push the prices up...and so it should. Not all hotels/places will have the same demand for rooms, so their prices will drop.
The problem is though that the WC is meant to establish SA as being a first world nation, and exposing it to a number of people who would never normally go there. If the locals want to rip off the visitors there is a real chance that this is going to backfire. People were already concerned about the security and the ability of the organisers to deliver on time. The word coming out of the Confederations Cup is that petty crime was rife, even extending to the players parties. Now we are facing hugely inflated air-fares to get over there, and accomodation being charged at 4 x the standard price which is excerbated by the fear of crime which leads people to seek out secure accomodation in the first place. Plus we are paying prices for tickets which are far higher than the locals. The tournament was meant to be an opportunity to help develop football in Africa, not for locals to get rich at our expense. The onus should have been on the organisers to resolve these issues well in advance, given that they have had years to prepare for this.
Emmex. You make a lot of good and valid points in all your posts. I am from Edinburgh, Scotland. I have a friend who emigrated to SA about 20 years ago and I keep in contact with him. He has never had a problem in all the time he has been there. Well no more than he would have had here or anywhere else. He has told me to meet up with him ( he lives in Pretoria) and he will show us around, and tell us the best places to go and also where to avoid. I am coming for the last 2 weeks. I have tickets fro the final in Joburg. With regard to prices, although at first I thought they were going to be vastly inflated, I have had replies from a few places now, and the prices although higher than normal ( which would happen in any country) they are not at all bad. Flights seem to be the main cost, but I think I have flights from London for about £550. I am really looking forward to my time in SA and intend to forget about all the anti SA propoganda and give myself the chance to embrace SA and its culture and hopefully have a fantastic holiday.
If i owned a hotel...and had two people willing to rent a room. One willing to pay $10 and the other $1000, i would be stupid not to accomodate the one willing to pay more. If i have the chance to employ people with that money, who cares if i charged a million dollars? The rates are to those who can afford it. There will be more affordable places elsewhere...but the ones online who can afford advertising, are probably gonna be the more expensive ones as well. This is not true. Egypt had an incident. Incidents are in every country. One incident will be seen as a national disaster when it comes to the media. I can't help but feel there was some kind of bitterness in the camp of Egypt regarding matches in the Confed cup as well as losing their bid to for the world cup. http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/media/newsid=92544.html So making more of a fuss is quite normal... For us to fly from SA to other countries like UK or US, would be just as expensive. I checked. Again...its about demand. The more demand, the higher the price. If no one buys tickets, the prices will lower. Your dollar is worth seven times what our Rand is right? Is it fair for locals to pay 7 times what they would normally pay for a soccer match? Remember that most of our soccer watchers here are of lower income. Who is the greedy ones now? I think fifa planned well to be honest.... The other world cups had no issues? No one will just "instantly "get rich because of this. It's very short term. So to make it worthwile, they have to charge more and build a base for the future - only then the true profit will come. I'm considering renting out a basic room in my flat...I would have to consider getting new duvet covers and curtains to make it seem less modest etc. I'd consider getting the visitor from the airport...and other costs. I'd not consider this if it wasn't worth my while. At least so far it isn't