What is striking is the beautifully consistent décor of grey with splashes of yellow that follow you everywhere. The walls and halls serve as a gallery for artist Michaela Rinaldi, which only further enhances the BLISS vibe.
We met up with the owner of BLISS Boutique Hotel, Brian Winston, who was infectiously enthusiastic about the décor (and the Shakshouka - see below) and dynamic general manager Michelle who gave us a tour of the hotel and rooms where everything was custom made and handpicked. The sheer elegance and exquisite attention to detail did not go unnoticed.
We had the pleasure of staying in two different rooms – regular and suite - which gave us the full scope of living the BLISS life. What both rooms have in common? Blissful colours to help you relax, a bed that wants to make you nap all day long, a TV, a quaint working desk, room service, beautiful bathrooms and a mini-fridge and drawer filled with goodies to keep you going throughout the day.
BLISS can be a bit of a maze, but once you figure it out after the first wrong turn, you get to enjoy all the access points to what BLISS has to offer – the pool, the lounge, the various decks, and the restaurant and bar.
The pool is almost too pretty to use – almost. Unfortunately, it was a bit on the cold side when we got there and I only got in as far as one big toe, but that did not stop us from lazily lounging on the deck chairs, in the sun, with a good book.
All the decks offer stunning views – whether you decide to lounge in the hanging chairs on the front deck by the bar or choose the more sheltered deck looking out on the pool and a pristine piece of conserved land and beach - BLISS is right by the beach and provides easy access to it. But above all that, on the sun deck, is the view par excellence – sit back, relax, have a cocktail or dinner while enjoying the sunset with this view:
To the bar! Here you’ll find Bevan and he’ll set you up with the famous BLISS Martini (don’t ask him his secret ingredients, you have to guess). I pretty much had drinks only on his recommendations – besides the martini, you can choose from classic cocktails, a great selection of beers and an impressive wine list – my favourite was Warwick’s The Three Cape Ladies - Cape Blend.
To the dining table (with a view of the kitchen)! Here is where it gets dangerous… dangerously good. Ex Chefs Warehouse chef Dean Correia will try to kill you with the amount of good food he feeds you. Ok, no… nothing that dramatic, but he will happily send you into a food coma.
Me: When was this bread baked?
Chef Correia: Just now…
That little conversation pretty much sums up the level of dining experience you will have here. Everything is fresh!
Some of our favourites include:
You don’t have to be a guest to enjoy the culinary delights chef Correia cooks up. The Restaurant will be open to public – all you need to do is make a reservation.
Whether you are looking for a break away from work or a romantic weekend getaway for two – BLISS will tick all your boxes. What makes it even more impressive is the way it lends itself to “bleisure travel” (mixing business with leisure). Based on articles from The Points Guy and CWT Savvy Traveler, I came up with a list of must haves for business travel accommodation. Let’s put BLISS to the test:
I highly recommend spending down time here. The food, the comfort, the attentive and personal service, and the views are all the makings of good break away.
