Looking for a family suite suitable for a junior Goddess? Canberra’s East Hotel fits the description perfectly. As we enter the 2-bedroom suite, the kids are greeted with board games (about a dozen), books, Lego, Xbox and popcorn as they run into their “cubby house” to stake their claim on the bunk beds.
- Spacious family suite, East Hotel
We’re greeted with a spacious living room, king-size bed, bottle of Shiraz and a few bars of chocolate. (Maybe they were meant for the kids?) The East Hotel in Canberra is possibly the most family friendly hotel I’ve ever seen. The kids are definitely impressed. And the Shiraz is a damn fine choice too.
- The kids Cubby House, East Hotel.
In the kids’ room (or cubby house as it is called) miniature bean bag chairs are placed on a brightly coloured fluffy circular rug next to the bunks (facing the large flat screen tv), with a couple of activity tables littered with drawing paper, crayons and board games. The xbox sits next to a pile of suitably PG games and a bucket full of Lego.
- The Kids Mini Bar.
The kid-friendly minibar has a few staples like popcorn, Kit Kats, cookies and Rice Bubbles and the cupboards are stocked with brightly coloured melamine crockery. As soon as beds have been claimed we head out for dinner, a short walk down the road in Kingston. Kingston is a rather delightful little part of Canberra that has a great selection of eateries, appears to be in the ‘burbs but is actually a 5-minute drive to Parliament House.
- The National Zoo, Canberra.
East Hotel, as well as having fantastic Family Suites, have family packages that include a choice of family passes to either the National Zoo or Questacon, cookies and popcorn for the kids and a half bottle of wine for us grown ups. Questacon is our first stop the next morning after managing to drag the kids out of their Cubby House.
- Questacon is always a hit with the kids.
After a day full of adventures (or certainly exertion) the evening is a treat for the grown ups, and possibly just as big a treat for the kids.
- Room service – sliders and chips (and a sneaky piece of cheesecake after we’d left).
They get room service, popcorn and a movie, we get dine at Ox, East’s gourmet restaurant. The food at Ox is simple, yet prepared and cooked to perfection from the finest local ingredients.
- Ox Restaurant’s Spit Roast.
The main feature on the menu (and indeed it’s a major feature of the restaurant) is the spit roasted cut of the day (today it happens to be lamb, seasoned with fresh rosemary).
- Ox Restaurant’s spit roast of the day: lamb.Spit roast of the day: lamb.
After an equally delicious dessert we’re in for a serious treat. The Restaurant manager is fluent in whisky. He teaches us a thing or two. In fact, he’s a fountain of knowledge – not just about whiskey – about life in general. So a very pleasant hour or so is spent sampling and learning about whisky.
- Ox restaurant’s extensive range of whisky.
Here’s what we learned: Highland whisky should be served with ice (makes perfect sense being distilled in colder climes) and an Isley, with an ever so tiny droplet of water. And it really does make a remarkable difference to the taste. For more information: Easthotel.com.au
