#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Southern Sun: The Cullinan

Who doesn't like to have lunch by the pool? And even better if it is at the pool deck at Tsogo Sun's Southern Sun The Cullinan in Cape Town.

Chef Lindsay Venn treated #WineRoutingWithLloyd to a great lunch when we arrived in Cape Town.

Kicking off lunch with some fresh salmon sashimi & west coast oysters. And well, remember that bottle of Benguela Cove Cuvee MCC that we tried with Georgio in The Cellar? Well we finished off that bottle whilst indulging on the fresh seafood. (I won't be lying if I said that was probably the freshest salmon that I've ever had.)

Then a salad. A salad with LOTS of avocado. I was in heaven. Real good butter avo that is light, creamy & full of flavour & doesn't give you that watery taste & texutre. Served alongside a bed of fresh julienne style string beans, butter lettuce, peas & thinly sliced baby radish. Simple & delicious for a light lunch when you are not hungry, but when you are more than just peckish.

Add calamari in a spicy Italian tomato based sauce & sticky beef short rib to the table & you've got me hooked. I'd stay there all day just eating, not because I was hungry, but purely because it was that good that I wouldn't stop. 

Not only is Chef Lindsay the Executive Chef, but he was also the Food & Beverage Manager at Southern Sun The Cullinan hotel for a while. He has been working his way up in a real 'Bruce Lee' story as he puts it. Gaining experience & mastering crafts of tops chefs he wanted to learn from & being paid a minimal wage whilst absorbing their knowledge & skill. It's definitely paid off over the years.

This man has cooked for quite the list of big names, including Leonardo DiCaprio, ex USA President Bill Clinton, UB40, Roxette, Sam Smith & Ed Sheeran. Oh, & add a few big sports teams from SA, England & Austrailia to that list too. So sitting down, knowing that this is the man that is cooking my lunch, got me feeling like one of these big names too.

You can see that he really does live by his personal mantra - Always stay humble, be kind, stay positive & persevere for the stars!

Oh! And then, my Dad & I finished lunch off with a slice of lemon tart & a tequila as we watched the rugby in Stella Café & Bar. Definitely not a bad way to end off your 1st day in Cape Town right?

Check out Southern Sun The Cullinan here. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Driven by the #KiaSportage

#SSCullinan

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Southern Sun: The Cullinan

#WineRoutingWithLloyd was spoilt quite the bit this year by Tsogo Sun with a stay at the Southern Sun The Cullinan. A premier destination with grand accommodation right in the heart of Cape Town.

With a choice of 394 en-suite rooms that are tastefully furnished & believe me designed for the maximum comfort. Imagine indulgent & classically styles whilst incorporating amenities & services with a contemporary emphasis. The building itself boasts classical architecture that is reflected throughout the hotel with its high ceilings & the soaring columns around the pool area.

From the moment you arrive, you feel like you are in the lap of luxury & the attention to detail is just on point. You can see that this is where you want to spend as much time as possible & at the end of your visit you won't want to leave either. A friendly warm welcome from every person that came across my path stood out immediately & already you feel like you are at home. So bonus points to the staff for that.

Spacious is an understatement when I describe the rooms. Being lucky enough to be experience one of the suites for my stay, gave me enough opportunity to enjoy the classical contemporary furnished room to the max.

Check out my video tour of the room here. (You really want to see this!)

It really is comfort to the next level & nothing was too much to ask. So I had surprised my Dad with tickets to Monster Jam at the stadium & the hotel offers a chauffeur driven service that dropped us off & picked us up at the stadium. Not even 5 minutes later we were back at the hotel after the event. (So yes, it's that close & centrally located.)

In the morning you can choose to enjoy breakfast down at The Peach Tree Restaurant or opt for the in room dining for those mornings that you just don't want to leave the room & enjoy a fresh hot breakfast in your robe looking out at the lights as the city wakes up in the mornings. 

The view from my suite was enough to have me mesmerised sitting there just absorbing the beauty that is Cape Town.

Other comfort amenities include the large outdoor heated pool & spacious deck for those relaxing afternoon lunches. A fully equipped fitness centre, which was occupied by the Blue Bulls team most of the days we were there. Technologically advanced conference facilities. And amazing dining choices, whether you're in for dinner or lunch at The Peach Tree Restaurant or just light meals & cocktails next to the pool.

So in other words, Southern Sun The Cullinan has you covered for everything you could want or need when staying in Cape Town!

Check out Southern Sun The Cullinan here. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd driven by the #KiaSportage.

#SSCullinan