Why Our Camps Bay Villas Run on Solar and Rainwater
Cape Town has taught its residents a hard lesson over the years: never take power or water for granted. That lesson shaped how we run every villa and apartment we manage in Camps Bay.
It started as necessity
Load shedding and water restrictions pushed many Cape Town homeowners toward solar and rainwater systems out of need, not choice. We were no different. But once we saw the benefits firsthand, reliable power, lower water use, less strain on the grid, we kept the systems in place and built them into every property, not just as a backup, but as standard.
What this means for guests
- Solar power keeps the lights, wifi, and appliances running, even during load shedding.
- Rainwater tanks collect and store rain, reducing pressure on municipal water supply, especially useful during Cape Town’s dry summer months.
- Recycling and composting are part of daily operations at each villa, not an afterthought.
None of this changes your stay. The villa still feels like a luxury home. It just runs a little lighter on the environment behind the scenes.
Why it matters more this year
South Africa is heading into an El Niño pattern for the 2026/27 summer, and some forecasters have warned it could be a strong one. El Niño tends to hit South Africa’s summer-rainfall interior hardest, and its effect on the Western Cape’s winter-rainfall pattern is usually smaller. Even so, Cape Town’s summers are dry by nature, which is exactly why the rain we collect over winter matters for the months ahead. Saving water isn’t a seasonal talking point for us. It’s part of how we plan for every summer, this one included.
Why we stick with it
Many villa companies chase volume, filling as many beds as possible without much thought to how each property runs. We’d rather manage fewer properties well. Solar and rainwater systems cost more to install and maintain than doing nothing. We keep them because they’re the right thing to do, and because more guests are telling us it matters to them too.
Planting as we go
We also put a portion of our profits back into planting trees in our own gardens. It’s a small habit, not a big programme, but it adds up over time.
Choosing where you stay
If sustainability matters to you when choosing accommodation, it’s worth asking any villa company directly what they do about power, water, and waste. We’re always happy to answer. Read more about our approach to sustainability, or get in touch if you’d like to book a stay.
