Johannesburg - Joburgers love their old, iconic hotels, haunts to go for a Sunday brunch or sundowners with friends. The Sunnyside hotel in Parktown is one. Another is The Westcliff in Saxonwold. We covet these establishments as our own, to share with friends or show off to visitors.
The “secret”of your special Joburg hideaway is soon out, of course, and before you know it, you’re competing for ‘your table’ with patrons who’ve also ‘discovered’ your swanky little retreat. By now, The Westcliff ‘secret’ has spread far and wide, and today it is a very confident international hotel among the most cosmopolitan hotels on the planet. Which is exactly where its new owner, the global giant Four Seasons Hotels, is earnestly pitching it.
Fair enough, except The Westcliff has lost some of that home-away-from home feel. Today, it’s “Joburgness” is just one ingredient in a potpourri of culture… Japanese diners photographing the delicacies, a Scottish accent distinguishable from the corner table, African and American suits tippling at the bar and a vigorous nod by its Canadian-based proprietors to French cuisine and ambiance. And predictably, the prices favour a euro- or dollar-wielding patron.
But one can’t be churlish. The world moves on, the global village advances everyone, foreign investment is being generated, and our hilltop princess – no longer dressed in pink – is still very recognisably The Westcliff, overlooking the Joburg Zoo and has absolutely the best views of tree-dense Joburg from the north side.
Also, Four Seasons has done exactly what was begging to be done for years before it quietly reopened this quaint old pile in December last year after an 18-month refurbishment – it has created more spaces at various elevations to extend to make the most of the spectacular city vistas.
I was relieved to see the golf carts are still how you get around – for although you sometimes feel like just getting out of your car from the street-level parking and striding up the cobbled street and into the main lounge-restaurant terrace, trundling slowly in a small – open vehicle driven by a suited-up chap forces you to readjust your Joburg speedometer and get set for a relaxed time in elegant surrounds.
In any event, you only need to go a short distance in the golf cart, because if you like, you can step into the new glass-walled lift hugging the side of the main building and be whisked up there.
I was booked for dinner at The View, which is one of the added spaces of the hotel, a contemporary, gallery-like snuggery with floor to ceiling windows to make the most of the city view.
The dining here is a truncated version of full-on fine dining, with the menu covering tasters, starters, mains, desserts and cheeses, with wine pairings, from a kitchen directed by the talented chef, Dirk Gieselmann.
Before joining Four Seasons, Gieselmann did a 7-year stint as chef de cuisine at a three Michelin-star restaurant in France’s Alsace region, and the technical precision of his plates – using no more than three or four core elements – do show off his obvious flair for the job.
Foodies – especially those into French cuisine – will love the experience because, as you know, fine dining is more about interesting taste combinations in artful displays than about fuelling up on food.
To give you an idea, my starter was “sautéed scallops with parsnips mousseline, grilled king oyster mushrooms and kalamansi jus”.
Another option was “Du Puy lentil veloute with roasted quail, leeks, shimeji mushrooms and garlic croutons”. The main was “slow-cooked beef short rib with crispy ginger potato, Jerusalem artichoke puree and rainbow carrots”.
If this has got you going, a taste of the desserts: caramelised apple and red velvet sponge with spiced beetroot puree and poppy seed, and Chantilly with honey and Grand Marnier.
Or, dark chocolate pastille with caremelised mango and Tahitian vanilla ice cream.
Make it an occasion, though, because it costs at least a R1 000 a person, including wine pairings courtesy of a seamlessly presented woman sommelier, depending on what you choose. The full tasting menu with wine pairings is quoted at R1 390 and R2 100.
Personally, I’d be happier spending that in the new 1200m2 spa, which is right of the street-level reception area where the parking lot once was.
The therapy rooms in this light, bright space also offer great views of our forested northern suburbs through floor-to-ceiling windows, and particularly enticing is its outdoor 25m heated lap pool.
There’s also the Apres spa, a rooftop relaxation area that again makes the most of our forested city.
Four Seasons is the world’s biggest spa operator, and they like to curate spa packages that give a sense of place.
I had the signature 60-minute, full body Terres d’Afrique deep tissue massage, using baobab oil and at the end, a rather odd spray of lemon grass on my face.
Truth is, I’m not at all awed by treatments using “African” ingredients. The trick to a good treatment lies squarely in the hands of the therapist, and in my case she was good though not exceptional. The cost was R860.
A delightful touch to the new Westcliff is the French-style Westcliff Deli right next to the spa, which offers a selection of gourmet food on-the-go, or you can meet a friend there for a cup of artisanal coffee and a snack in its little courtyard.
Were I living in the area, I’d make this my favourite spot for meeting clients.
The hotel generously booked me for its popular Sunday brunch, a three-hour gastronomic affair starting at noon at the Flames restaurant on the main deck.
This indoor-outdoor eatery spreads out over where the infinity pool once was (the infinity pool is still there, but it’s much smaller), and it’s just the perfect way to laze away most of Sunday, dipping periodically into a decadent buffet offering everything from tacos and pizzas to oysters and prawns. Treat it, like the splendid indulgence it is, at R600 a person.
l Accommodation for two at Four Seasons The Westcliff starts at R3 514 per night. Call 011-481-6001 or visit http://www.fourseasons. com/johannesburg
Helen Grange, Sunday Independent