 Image property of BACK IN TOWN As summer is slowly coming to a close, we embrace the changes of the seasons and hopeful welcoming some much needed rain to the Western Cape very soon. But although things may be 'winding down' from our festive summer season, we still have lots of exciting things happening in and around the Mother city this April, so read on if you're like us and like to be kept in the loop ;)
 1 March - The Royal Opening of The Silo HotelWe have been anticipating the opening of this unique and exciting hotel for quite some time, the brand new Silo Hotel, part of the Royal Portfolio, is set to open it's doors to the public on the 1st March 2017. With just 28 rooms, hand designed by the own, Liz Biden herself, this is sure to be a luxury experience like no other in the Mother City. The Silo boasts a luxurious, modern vibe, as well as the perfect location in the V&A Waterfront. To read more about this exciting property or to enquire for your upcoming trip to Cape Town click HERE.
 Ellerman House, image provided. Trying to come up with superlatives to describe Ellerman House is like taking a picture of the very best view you’ve ever seen and realising how it just never does the landscape justice (at least when I take photos) and the descriptions I give for Ellerman House will wain in comparison to experiencing it first hand.
 5-7 Aug - Robertson Slow Food FestivalTime to head out to the country and enjoy the simple pleasures in life at the Robertson Wine Valley Slow food & wine festival from 5-7 August 2016. Experience the charm of country life in an intimate setting characterised by each farm’s unique personal touch.
And an exclusive look inside one of our Private Villa Dinners. It's a question that we often get asked "What exactly do we do at BACK IN TOWN?" So we decided to show you! We recently hosted a fabulous and exclusive dinner party at one of our favourite Villas in Cape Town, Hamilton House, a beautiful 7-bedroom villa in the affluent, wind protected area of Fresnaye, on the Atlantic Seaboard. We arranged this evening to showcase a small aspect of what we do and to create a platform where we could meet our guests and have the opportunity for them to get to know us better and experience first hand the type of service standards we consistently provide to our clients.
Eco-luxurious hideaway just outside Stanford Harry and Steyn have a vision. To live a life where they have no impact on the planet. But they don’t just want to promote this lifestyle; they wish to show people what it feels like. Their passion, vision and incredible attitudes have allowed them to create an Eden, paradise on a 40 acre piece of land where everyone originally told them it would be “impossible” to complete this dream design. All of their critics thought that they were crazy, but piece by piece an eco-lodge began to appear.
Restaurant Review Every local in Cape Town knows Kloof Street House. And for good reason too, this restaurant, on Kloof Street funnily enough, is an eclectic collection of artefacts, influences, styles and food. It’s also the perfect place for a variety of different occasions, whether it’s just meeting up with friends (their bar is also a great atmosphere), celebrating a birthday, just pure food love, 2 of our friends even got engaged here. It’s versatile in every sense of the word.
Restaurant Review & Interview with Co-Owner Nigel PaceA brand new (version 2.0 due to a fire) French brasserie and Members Club has opened in Cape Town. Located in Gardens in the historic Leinster Hall, The Stack inspires with décor, style, service and food! We've asked one of the owners Nigel a few questions about their testing journey, from building to despair to rebirth and now the realisation of a dream.  The beautifully decorated Dining Room at The Stack. "Everybody always warned me that running your own business was about taking risks. Well, we certainly feel that we have now faced and overcome the most extreme adversity and that is certainly a good feeling. Every minor glitch will probably pale in comparison from here on.” Nigel Pace, one of the brains behind the Stack, has had quite the journey to bring his dream to fruition.  Clashing yet perfectly balanced colours at the Bar. But what is The Stack you may be asking? Well, simply it is the latest restaurant & Members Club to grace the streets of Cape Town. Boasting fabulous décor by the very distinguished interior designer and co-owner, Sarah Ord, plus exemplary service, delicious French brasserie cuisine. Situated in Gardens, at the old home of the Cape Town Club (behind The Mount Nelson Hotel), “The historic Leinster Hall is a unique building, and one of Cape Town's only remaining Georgian buildings of its kind. It is the perfect place to run a vibrant brasserie/bar, and the garden space is a very rare luxury in and around Cape Town city centre. The first floor of the building is ideal for The Stack’s private members’ club, with wonderful seating space in the lounge and on the balcony, and three meeting rooms which are extremely comfortable and versatile.”
This, however, is The Stack 2.0. The original stack opened briefly last year, as Nigel says “In July 2015 we opened our doors quietly and we were extremely proud of what we had achieved. When a fire broke out and spread out of control, all we could do is watch our dreams go up in smoke - literally. We had to lay-off 23 team members who had become like family to us and the tedious task of picking up the pieces is something I hope nobody else ever has to go through. Although we vowed to rebuild (even as the building was burning down), there were times when The Stack’s future was in the balance and the process of getting our hands back on the building was extremely tedious. Today we feel that we have come back even stronger. The place is looking fabulous, the food and service are getting rave reviews and The Stackers (which is how we affectionately call the team) are an absolute pleasure to be around.” A heart wrenching yet inspiring story, that proves one can overcome the odds and come back stronger just as Nigel and Sarah and their Stackers have.
We were proud to be The Stack’s first lunch guests. Parking in their designated and private bays at the front of Lenister Hall, we saw the Grandeur of this classic Georgian building standing before us. A stark contrast is visible, with a white façade and the classic lines, being marked against splashes of vibrant colour schemes and the modern classy tables out on the verandas. Worship, the Maître D greeted us with a beaming smile and genuine warm hospitality, excited almost to show us what the whole team of ‘Stackers’ are most proud of. Everything was just perfect; every detail thoroughly thought out, the fireplaces, the light fittings, and the table decorations all fit together as one and gives a fantastic, luxurious feeling. But whilst it is luxurious and stylish, it is not pretentious and one truly feels at home the minute you walk through their doors. The waiters, wearing bright orange blazers, are all fantastic; everyone is smiling and happy to help with anything.
But we haven’t even gotten to the food! Well it’s a turn out for the books, no words that I could write would be able to portray the menu, the presentation let alone the taste. Quite simply, Sarah (Director at BACK IN TOWN) said, “This is the best fish I’ve ever had in my life”, I hope that provides some insight into the flavour! The dish was, grilled Atlantic line fish (Kingkilp) with aubergine purée, garlic roasted tomatoes and beurre blanc au citron. I went with a French classic Steak Frites with Béarnaise Sauce which was also exceptional. But wait there’s more! Not just great food, but also dazzling cocktails, made fresh ingredients and delicious home-made syrups. The bar area is bright with different colours but everything somehow clashing beautifully, which is Sarah Ord’s signature style. Take a look at the cocktail menu and choose your favourite (maybe you’ll have to try all of them to make sure, like we vow to do).  "The Best Fish I've Ever Had!" Then there’s the Members Club. The top floor, dedicated to Members of The Stack, with its own bar, a beautiful lounge area and a balcony perfect for an evening drink. The Members Club also has 3 meeting/function rooms that are highly adaptable, it feels like they’ve thought of everything here. Not surprising as Nigel was the General Manager at some of the top hotels worldwide, as he puts it “As a hotel General Manager, I always treated the property I was managing as if it were my own. But ultimately it wasn’t, and not all aspects of running the business were within my control. The Stack is the realisation of a dream Sarah and I have had for a while - to create a space which taps into all the things we love in life - great food, beautiful decor and warm, slick hospitality.” So head on down to The Stack, Cape Town and see what all the fuss is about. You can even make a booking online, view the menus and get more information about the history, membership and meeting rooms at thestack.co.za Also find them on: The Stack kindly hosted us for a complimentary lunch  Image courtesy of Grootbos, all rights reserved. June marks the beginning of the Whale Season here in South Africa, lasting until November. Why not make the most of this time of year with all the hotel specials and head to the Whale Coast to marvel at these majestic mammals. Contact us to find out more about our Winter Specials.
Escapism is to imagine a break from reality or routine. For those of you who picture an incredible landscape of mountains, wildlife, a lagoon, a beach and the ocean all in one place, look no further than Mosaic Private Sanctuary. This is no exaggeration, Mosaic’s position in Stanford, a short trip from Hermanus, is right next to the Hermanus Lagoon. The Kleinrivier Mountains provide an impressive backdrop and reflection across the water. If you venture this way when there is a little rain, this mountain range provides great waterfall viewing. Opposite the mountain range, you will find a SAN Park (South African National Park) where fynbos and wildlife take presedence. Huge white sand dunes rise up in front of you straight out of the bush and lead to the sea, where whales can be spotted during the season. You might find all of that difficult to imagine, so the only way to experience it properly, is to visit.
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Disclaimer
All opinions within this blog are our own and any hosted stays will be disclosed in the relevant blog posts. We do not trade off complimentary stays for a positive reflection of any kind, and we will only give credit where credit is due. We put in a lot of time and effort researching the properties we visit, we want to build a long standing trust with you, our readers, with honesty and integrity being incredibly important to us. If you would like to submit a guest post please contact us and we will gladly consider any ideas you may have. |
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© SK Travel (Pty) Ltd t/a BACK IN TOWN
All rights reserved 2020
All rights reserved 2020