Status: Diamond
Property: Doubletree Upper Eastside - Cape Town
Dates: February 23 to March 4
Rate: 775 Rand (AUD80) Govt Rate
Booked: King Deluxe Loft Suite
Received: King Deluxe Loft Suite. The usual benefits and copious complimentary water.
It is hard to be critical of an $80 per night room. And this room was one of the best suites I've had. It was spacious, modern, well furnished and comfortable. I was lucky to come across the deal and it was unbelievable value for money. The hotel itself is in an ordinary light industrial area about a 70 rand taxi ride from the V+A waterfront. It would not be everybody's choice but it suited us as we had a car and it was accessible to Newlands for the cricket. You could rely on the shuttle they run about 4 times a day to the waterfront but that proved a little hit and miss when the keys got locked in the van.
You really need to have a car or use taxis which are cheap.The area wasn't too bad and we walked without problem the 1.3 k to The Test Kitchen, an unbelievable restaurant experience. The staff were universally friendly but not always efficient. The restaurant for breakfast was a shambles but that was a management issue. Breakfast food, apart from the good freshly cooked egg choices, were very poor. Everything tasted metallic. We had room services a couple of nights and that was fine. Aware of the restrictions and limitations, I'd gladly stay there again.