DoubleTree by Hilton-Upper East side. Cape Town

Tucked away in a side street in Woodstock, Cape Town,
this hotel is unfortunately not front of mind for tourists.
Which is a real pity, as it offers good service, friendly staff
and accommodation that is on par with the more “touristy ”
hotels in the Mother City.
A first for me…
Instead of a welcome drink, I was offered this cookie.
A rather novel idea.
The main reception area reminded me of the interior of a cruise ship.
This hotel caters predominately for the conference industry
and as such there are a variety of seating and meeting areas
to be found on the ground floor.
The main conference rooms can be accessed via the elevators
or this rather stunning staircase.

The décor is colourful and bright.
This is an extension of the dining room and can be converted into
a meeting area if required.

Looking down from the staircase into the reception area.
For me, this vantage point only increased my perception
of  being on a cruise ship.

A quiet corner for some negotiations?
Or just to relax and watch the passing parade?

This whole area can be converted into smaller spaces by
use of the drapes and changing the seating arrangements.

Time for a pre-conference breakfast for me.
The conference that I was in Cape Town to speak at
was being held at this hotel
It was MOST convenient as a delegate to be able to enjoy
the hotel hospitality before heading to “work”.

The breakfast buffet served the “usual”, but it was presented well.
On offer were also “healthy” options, like fruit, yoghurt and cheeses.
And what would a hotel breakfast be without croissants
and a Danish or two?

I  ate dinner at the Liberty Restaurant at the hotel.
It served great steak and the steamed vegetables were not overcooked.
The staff were attentive but not intrusive and the prices very reasonable

The hotel was recently awarded a certificate for its greening project.
This is one of the areas that  helped them win the award.
It seems that more hotels are becoming aware of how “simple”
it is to grow some of their own produce.

Primary colours outside the conference venue.

My accommodation.
When I was told that I had been booked
into a “standard single” room, I was concerned.
I had visions of a poky room with a single bed and bad lighting.
When I opened my door and discovered this, I was amazed.

There is a fridge(hidden in the cupboard) as well as a proper desk
for people like myself to work at.
If I have a complaint, it is about the speed of the Internet,
which left a lot to be desired.

For once there were MORE than enough socket outlets.
These will accommodate both local and International plugs.

This is a MUST…
Especially when I was working late at night and
did not want to get dressed and go downstairs.

One of the more interesting seating arrangements.
Perhaps there could be more of a selection of magazines?

The view from my window was out over the car park.
In the daytime, it might not seem like much,
but at night when the city lights turned on, it became magical.
The view of the mountain is from the street in front of the hotel.

Megan, myself, Pete ( conference videographer)
and Karen( one of the conference organizers)
at the presentation ceremony of the
5 Star Green Star Award
to the Double Tree by Hilton hotel.
Well done and congratulations to all concerned.

I was a speaker at this conference, held at the hotel.
What was I tasked with talking about?
Why Blogging, of course…
This was the basis of my presentation:
http://www.davidbatzofin.com/2016/06/do-bloggers-get-recognition-they.html