Cape Town - Some of my favourite places were or are in Woodstock, Cape Town. The house where my husband was living when we met, the old Don Pedro’s, Indian restaurant Chandani, the Neighbourgoods Market at Old Biscuit Mill and now the Doubletree by Hilton Cape Town - Upper Eastside.
The hotel is a spot of glamour in the grime of the rather industrial Brickfield Road.
I would really like to congratulate the person who looked at that location and had the vision to see a luxury hotel there.
But somehow it works.
Our stay at DoubleTree by Hilton started on a sweet note with a warm chocolate chip cookie upon arrival. Apparently the cookie has been the signature “Welcome” of the hotel group for 25 years.
Part of the Hilton group (yes Paris Hilton’s family), which has over 90 years in the industry, of course I expected a certain standard and of course it was delivered.
Staff at reception were friendly and knowledgeable, and when we had a small problem getting the lift to work, we were promptly escorted right into our loft suite. The hotel was recently refurbished and is modern and luxurious but not ostentatious.
The duplex suite situated on the top floor was spacious and well-equipped with an upstairs bedroom/bathroom combo which makes good use of the space available, and a living area, dining table and kitchenette downstairs.
While as a Capetonian I’ve had better views of the city, it was still great to stand on the balcony and see the city lights, the harbour and a bit of mountain while the rain poured down.
The bad weather scrapped any plans of taking the hotel shuttle to the Cape Town city centre less than 10 minutes away, or the more touristy Waterfront about 15 minutes away. Instead, we opted to have dinner at the hotel’s Liberty”s Restaurant. And boy, we were happy with our choice. From start to scrumptious finish, it was fabulous.
As usual, my partner’s choices of a starter of Cuban-styled baby squid starter and chargrilled fillet of beef with roast garlic mash mains looked better than mine. And his clean plates spoke volumes about how it tasted. Not that I could complain. My thyme and wild mushroom risotto starter and main course of Spicy Szechuan Chicken were delicious - and pretty - too.
With some excellent local wine, an attentive waiter and great surroundings, we enjoyed every mouthful that executive chef Simon Kemp served up.
But the cherry on top - and oh what a cherry it is - was our dessert: chocolate and almond fondant tartlet with Cachaca flambeed strawberries and vanilla pod mascarpone. I have promised myself a trip back just for that.
We were told, the restaurant also has live music on occasion - all the more reason to go back.
My one bad note of the stay , and I am entirely to blame for this is - do not ever let anyone else choose your cocktail. Overwhelmed by the choices of cocktails on offer at the hotel’s estreet bar. I asked our waiter to surprise me. He came back with a rather sour apple concoction. I won’t make that mistake again.
Anyway, the estreet bar is a fun place to hang out and work your way through the previously mentioned cocktail menu.
There is also a stylish mezzanine area for bigger functions.
An above average buffet breakfast, also served at Liberty’s Restaurant, rounded off our visit the next morning.
Woodstock is undergoing a bit of a metamorphosis and right now it’s a great mixture of old and new.
The DoubleTree by Hilton is the poster child of what lies ahead for this dynamic suburb. - IOL
Visit http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/south-africa/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-cape-town-upper-eastside-CPTUEDI/index.html for more info and booking enquires