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Nov 10, 2009: Rediscovering The Vineyard
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Nov 10, 2009:
I love girls' nights in. When you can eat junk without being judged, unashamedly watch the Sex and the City movie and ditch the make up (and sorry boys, no pillow fights are ever actually involved).
So when my best friend and I were invited to spend a night at the Vineyard Hotel we were beyond excited. Girls night in, a spa treatment, fully stocked mini-bar AND not having to clean up the next morning - perfect.
On the day we were ridiculously, excitedly early, which turned out to be a very good thing as we couldn't actually find reception. After parking in the underground lot, you pop out near the spa at the rear of the hotel and soon find out how deceptively big the Vineyard really is.
We wandered past the spa, gym, indoor pool, outdoor pool, health cafe, conference centre, the Liesbeeck River, three restaurants, two shops and even a tortoise before we finally asked for directions.
The hotel is undergoing some construction to increase its room count before 2010, so hopefully the path from the new parking lot to reception will be more clearly marked soon (hint hint).
After running around our suite, squealing in excitement and possibly even jumping on the bed, we decided that we needed to explore. I don't think I would normally feel the need to explore my accommodation, but the Vineyard just has so much going on that it could be a day out in itself.
The Vineyard is 115 years old this year and was once inhabited by the famous Lady Anne Barnard - and the hotel has taken full advantage of this history. Walking around there are cabinets of antiques everywhere and whole walls dedicated to the writings of Lady Anne. Besides snapping photos of ourselves looking regal in the historical areas, we didn't actually take too much time taking in antiques - there were just too many other things to see.
The garden seems to go on forever and just demanded exploring. Sadly, it wasn't the nicest of days and we were soon deeply regretting our choice of shoes. However, even a high-heeled stroll does reveal some beautiful spots. The Liesbeeck River flows at the bottom of the garden and picturesque lamps and a bridge make for some lovely pictures (Best Friend didn't really appreciate being made to swing around a lamppost while doing a rendition of Singing in the Rain, but it did make for an awesome photo).
Our next stop was the Angsana Spa where quiet music, herbal tea and pot pourri awaited us. We even got to choose our style of massage, Best Friend choosing based on her preferred style and me on the prettiest name - Ayurvedic in case you were wondering.
I can honestly say that it was the best massage treatment I have ever had thanks to the ideal setting, attention to detail and experienced staff - I was thoroughly put out when it ended.
The rest of our afternoon was spent lounging in front of DSTV (the Sex and the City movie even came on) and Best Friend marvelling over the white leather couches (awesome, but highly impractical apparently).
Our whole suite was quite a surprise. Walking through the corridors to your room, the Vineyard feels very much like a hotel - very closed in, a little dark and impersonal. But then you enter your room - huge windows take full advantage of the views and the decor is far more modern and up to date than you would expect from an old hotel. The white leather couches are balanced by an antique desk chair and thick, traditional draped curtains - creating a cosy yet luxurious atmosphere, perfect for a luxury hotel with such a rich history.
I had wondered how the Vineyard would maintain its historical edge with all modern amenities required by 4-star hotels, but somehow they have just gotten it right. Older pieces like Cadbury chocolate stands are repurposed to house shop items and somehow hold their own next to flat screen TVs.
When we had finally had enough of the white leather couches, we ventured out for High Tea in the Garden Lounge. Our cake stand was filled with all sorts of yummy delights from scones to finger sandwiches and cheese cake and came with an impressive range of infusion teas - we went for the very adventurous ceylon variety.
Tea was so impressive that we almost missed dinner as for a while we thought that we would honestly never be able to eat again. Luckily we rallied, because dinner at The Square Restaurant was outstanding. I am not one for fussy food (you know, the kind where it looks better than you do) - but everything we chose was delicious, it didn't even matter that most of the time I had no idea what I was eating.
Sadly though, this left us with a serious dinner hangover the next day, meaning that we couldn't fully appreciate the gloriousness that was breakfast. Think everything from doughnuts to omelettes and bubble and squeak.
After breakfast we reluctantly packed up our meagre belongings and Best Friend said goodbye to the white leather couches. We had an amazing girls' night in and were horrendously disappointed to be leaving, but soon realised that we had actually gained a whole new 'going out spot'. The Vineyard does regular wine tastings, the restaurants are incredible and the High Tea comes complete with a fabulous garden to explore.
We both resolved to stop simply driving by what we thought was an old relic of a hotel and come in and enjoy what it has to offer. We may not be able to camp out in a suite again, but there is plenty more to do. We might even let the boys come next time.Source: News24.com - www.news24.com
Tags: the vineyard hotel western cape western cape hotels cape town hotels . boutique hotels western cape the liesbeeck river liesbeeck river the vineyard lady anne barnard
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