Background
The international hotel group has three Hilton properties in South Africa, in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, whilst the group’s premium 5-star brand, Conrad, is represented on the South African Garden Route, in the form of Conrad Pezula, a high-end hotel, golf and conferencing property. A DoubleTree by Hilton recently opened in Cape Town, but that’s a franchise property, with little or no Hilton involvement, besides the brand name and support.
Where is it?
It’s on the corner of Buitengracht and Wale streets on the edge of the Cape Town city centre, towards Signal Hill. Cape Town International Airport is about 25 minutes’ drive away, whilst the hotel is in close proximity to the V&A Waterfront (five minutes) and the city centre itself. There’s a Famous Butcher’s Grill across the road, whilst a recommended bar is Orphanage, which is 10-minute walk away on the corner of Bree and Orphan streets. The hotel offers both in-house and metered taxis, as well as an airport shuttle.
Room Facilities
The hotel has 137 rooms, made up of guest rooms, suites and executive rooms. We were accommodated in an enormous 120m² King suite, which opened into a large lounge featuring a three-piece lounge suite, coffee table, large flat-screen TV, DVD player, dining area with a table for eight and serving/bar area with espresso coffee machine – perfect if you need to entertain. The King suite has two bedrooms, with the main made up of a king-size bed, another flat-screen TV, work desk, walkway/cupboard area, and bathroom with separate oversized bath and rain shower. The second bedroom features twin beds, an en suite bathroom and flat-screen TV. Extreme comfort and the sort of hotel room to get lost in.
Restaurants & Bars
We had lunch at Signal Hill Terrace, the restaurant on the Executive Lounge floor, which also features a decent view, bar and deck with pool, and is open from 10h00 every day. We opted for the buffet, as opposed to the a la carte menu, and it was a good choice. I gorged myself on lamb tangine, penne arrabiata, tandoori chicken pieces, vegetables and the nicest little mini carpaccio salad, before rolling out and catching 40 winks! No surprise then that we missed dinner, whilst breakfast was served on the ground floor in Bistro 126, which also does lunch. There, the offering was fairly standard, and I dived into some scrambled eggs, bacon and croissant, washed down with fresh orange juice and a well-made decaf cappuccino. An alternative for dinner is Mezbaan, which serves North Indian cuisine and is a Halaal-friendly environment – as is Bistro 126. Neither serves alcohol, but that option is available at the Signal Hill and Executive lounges. Furthermore, if guests want to enjoy alcohol with their Mezbaan dinner, there’s the option of ordering from the Mezbaan menu at Signal Hill. Here you can also try an authentic Arabic shisha pipe, choosing from a large range of tobacco flavours.
Business & Meeting Facilities
The hotel has a serviced business centre, along with two executive boardrooms and six flexible meeting rooms, which can be combined to accommodate up to 140 people. Other features include interactive plasma TVs, complimentary Internet and Wi-Fi (throughout the hotel) and secretarial services. There’s also a dedicated meetings and events team on hand to provide assistance and support. The Executive Lounge offers complimentary breakfast and a range of snacks throughout the day.
Leisure Facilities
Along with the pool and deck at Signal Hill Terrace, there’s a fitness room with sauna and steam room.
Verdict
Smaller than the properties in Durban and Johannesburg, this Hilton has a boutique-type feel. All its features lend itself to a more intimate offering, and I found the food delicious, the suite incredibly comfortable, the location central and Signal Hill Terrace a nice little getaway.
Dylan Rogers
CONTACT
Address: 126 Buitengracht Street
Tel: +27 21 4813700
Email: hiltonCapeTown.Reservations@hilton.com
Web: www.hilton.com