Checking in for the evening, our reception was warm and friendly, with a full yet brief explanation of all the hotel has to offer and where to find everything. Amenities include a choice of three restaurants (including a rooftop restaurant, bar, and pool), gym (with a spa opening in August) and complimentary scheduled shuttle services to V&A Waterfront and CTICC, to name a few.
Located on the first floor of the hotel you’ll find the Gin & Snooker Lounge – a secluded area for kicking back and socialising, complete with bar and snooker table. The most striking part of this lounge is the dramatic artwork by Freddy Sam stretching right through the levels of the hotel, as well as the contemporary art-deco lighting. Our room was located on this floor.
My first impression of the room was one of elegance and luxury – the Superior Studio that is room 109 boasts a fully-functional modern kitchen as well as a Nespresso machine (standard with every room), comfortable living area, semi-private bedroom area (with a super cosy and cloud-like king-size bed), a bathroom that open up to onto a beautifully furnished balcony, extensive satellite stations and a DVD player. It’s useful to note that there are two rooms with a balcony – both of which do not include a bath, so in the colder winter months it might be a good idea to check when making your reservation. The décor is warm and inviting, with a grey and white theme, accented by hints of turquoise. With the winter afternoon setting in, a cuppa on the balcony was the order of the day – nestling into the comfy cushion-adorned balcony couch we enjoyed the last of warmth the day had to offer as the sun began to sink in the sky.
After venturing up to The Vue - which evidently becomes very busy on a Friday night - to take in the panoramic view of Cape Town and beautiful sunset, we opted for dinner at the Cattle Baron conveniently located on the ground floor near the entrance of the hotel (also available for in-room dining). The well-known restaurant bids a menu perfect for a cold evening – offering perfectly cooked steaks and delectable deserts.
Starters consisted of the stuffed mushrooms and deep-fried camembert - both were good, but the mushrooms were better. For mains, we had steak – the Carpetbagger (with chorizo, jalapenos and camembert) and the Sirloin Nevada (with grilled bacon, avocado, camembert and toasted onions) – both we equally delicious, perfectly cooked and very satisfying portion-wise. Dessert was in the form of crème brullee and chocolate fondant – the crème brullee took the lead here.
After our dinner, feeling sufficiently stuffed, we headed back to the warmth and comfort of our room to settle in for the night. As I mentioned, our room was bath-less because we had a room with a balcony, so I enjoyed a lovely shower (after noticing a thoughtful memo to let guests no that SA is a water scarce country), followed by another Nespresso and a movie in bed.
The tranquillity of the room and the soft touches that the cushy carpet, blissfully comfy bed and fluffy blanket offer makes for a snug and peaceful night’s sleep. I slept like a baby.
The Vue skybar, located on the 15th floor of the Captial Mirage, offers incomparable views of both the city and mountains of Cape Town and is the breakfast spot of choice for guests. The buffet-style breakfast includes everything you’d ever need in a breakfast menu, from cereals, fruits, yoghurts, and an assortment of pastries to omelettes with fillings of your choice – and friendly, smiling faces to make your morning a happy one.
We ordered our omelettes with bacon, mushrooms, onions and avo along with a cappuccino and chocolate croissant. That’s the other benefit of the buffet – you are welcome to relax and eat as much (or as little) as you like up until 11.30am. The omelettes were perfect and the croissant was slightly toasted and buttery, just the way it should be.
After breakfast, sadly, came to check out. Although our time was up for this visit, returning for another stay is a real likelihood for me and the affordable rates (check out the winter special) give me all the more reason to do so.
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