I was recently invited to spend an afternoon at the Southern Sun Cullinan hotel , which is just outside the V&A Waterfront, in Cape Town. My excitement for the day was twofold, not only was I eventually getting to meet Twitter friend Jodene Shaer, aka @Jodenecoza, for the first time but there was also the treat of a tour, of the Southern Sun {SS} Cullinan Hotel.
For those of you who have not visited the SS Cullinan before, it is a truly grandiose hotel, situated in the heart of the Cape Town CBD. It is part of the award-winning, Tsogo Sun, hotel group – well known for world-class luxury.The SS Cullinan is perfectly situated and a stones throw away from many Cape Town attractions, as well as the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town International Convention Centre and Long Street.
To start off our tour we were treated to a show of Sabrage by the hotel Sommelier. Sabrage, for those of you who do not know, is a rather impressive technique, of opening a Champagne bottle with a saber! This technique is usually used for ceremonial occasions. The force of the blunt side of the blade hitting the lip of the bottle neck, breaks the glass to separate the collar from the neck of the bottle. I have seen it done before but I must admit it impresses every time!
We were then treated to a selection of sushi and oysters, served outside in the stunning pool area – what a treat for a Tuesday afternoon! After merrily munching on these decadent treats and sipping heavenly Graham Beck bubbles{my favourite}, we were then whisked off for a behind the scenes tour of the hotel.
Our first stop was a peek into the Laundry area, which services the entire hotel. What a hive of activity – I must admit the sheer amount of laundry scared me! I will never complain about doing laundry again! The majority of local hotels, out source their laundry, having an in-house laundry is something rather unique to the SS Cullinan.
Next on the agenda was a Masterchef style, “team building” exercise! This is something, which the hotel offers to companies, as part of a corporate event. As our challenge we had to whisk egg whites, by hand, to stiff peaks and when we felt confident, hold the bowl over our head, to test our skill! Needless to say there was much hilarity, dotted with the expletive, while we all whisked our arms off! I am proud to say I won the speed test – I am not sure how, seen as whipping meringue is not my strongest suit!
Our next stop was a visit to one of the hotels suites and catch a glimpse of the luxury, which guests can expect, when they stay at the SS Cullinan. The suite was indeed 4 Star luxury at its best!
The bed was beautifully adorned with red rose petals in the shape of a heart and the bath was also filled with rose petals – so romantic! Not to mention the bubbly chilling in the bathroom – I wished I could have stayed the night!
Suites at the SS Cullinan include a butler station with tea and coffee-making facilities, a fully stocked mini-bar, television with DStv, a digital safe, complimentary WiFi, as well as a complimentary bath and pillow menu and a butler service.
The last stop on our tour was the hotel bar area, where the staff had a surprise in store for us. All we were told, was it would be like taking a step back in time 🙂 We were so curious to find out exactly what lay in store.
The surprise did not disappoint! They had created a Secret Treats experience for us – you really were transported back in time – just like a kid in a candy store! 🙂
It is truly evident that nothing at the hotel is too much trouble! The staff are prepared to go the extra mile and create a memorable experience for their guests. No detail is too small or insignificant! if you are thinking of travelling to Cape Town and in need of a hotel, I would highly recommend you try the SS Cullinan Hotel!
Thank you to both Jodene and the SS Cullinan, for a memorable and fun-filled afternoon!
For more information on the SS Cullinan and online booking visit the Tsogo Sun Website.
