Ahhh, summer you cruel mistress!
Cape town summers are the worst, I mean, they’re the best but they suck! Okay, I’m not being very clear here!
Summer in Cape Town is amazing. We rarely get any rain and those beautiful warm days only end with the sun going down a little after 8PM. Our summer really seems to last forever, though its often over just as you settle in. The one problem with summers in Cape Town is that although we have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, they also come with some of the coldest water in the world, and I mean, dip your toe in…get hyperthermic headache kinda cold. So beach visits can be a little anticlimactic.
This is why a trip to the pool can always be a welcome reward.
See, the idea of going to a pool is a great one, but the reality of actually visiting a pool is different. If you’re lucky enough to have a pool at home give yourself a high five. If you’re lucky enough to be staying in a hotel with a pool, “Welcome to Cape Town, I hope you enjoy your stay” because if not, your only other option is fighting your way through the crowds at Sea Point pool and swim in water where the urine ratio is slightly out of kilter.
Its for that reason that Elzaan and I decided we would head to Cape Towns new hotspot Batstone pool for a day of just ‘lying by the pool’. Somewhere we could have someone bring us gin and tonics and cold beers all day long while we sit under an umbrella and stare at Table Mountain. So we did exactly that, it was blissful.
For those of you who dont know what Batstone pool is, let me give you a little update.
Batstone is a kind of office meets pool club environment. Yeah, I know, but its much less weird than it sounds, although even the guys at Batstone don’t quite know how to define it. It’s not a bar, but you can have a drink, its not an office space, but you can have a meeting there and its not a restaurant, but you can grab a delicious lunch if you need one. The first time I went there was for a birthday party, and it seemed the perfect place for that too!
We got there, grabbed some deck chairs, ordered a beer and had a dip in the pool, then repeat and repeat with some tasty snacks thrown in the mix as the day went on. The place is very beautifully laid out and the views are spectacular. The menu is small, but super healthy and seems to change frequently, the staff are super friendly and the overall vibe just really chilled – exactly what you want for lying poolside. The details however are what make it, you get a little water bottle on arrival to spritz the summer heat off of you, they also provide fluffy white towels on every deck chair and the entire place has wi-fi so you can surf in the sun. By the end of the day, we felt like we were on holiday, all be it a couple of blocks from home.
Batstone is open from 11am to sunset, if you want to book a lounger just drop them a mail at bookings@batstonepool.com or call 079 973 8368, you can also visit the website for all membership queries and other details.
Okay. Stay fancy.
Boardshorts by Tommy Hilfiger (available locally at Stuttafords)
Sunglasses by Persol
Flip Flops by Havaianas
