12 Decades Young
GAUTENG | GUIDE
12 decades young Iga Motylska finds a rare gem in downtown Jo’burg.
pictures: supplied
W
ith six floors of residential apartments sandwiched between the reception and the seventh ‘hotel’ floor, the 12 Decades Art Hotel in Maboneng has somewhat of a mature digs vibe to it. The privately owned bar on the courtyard side of the building adds to the student-come-youngprofessional atmosphere, so ask for a room facing Fox Street, the side with outlines of the Ponte and Telkom Towers along the horizon. The reception is fairly chilled, although helpful, and that’s exactly the kind of unpretentious feeling this boutique art hotel is after. Although the internet vouchers sold at reception aren’t expensive (R60 for 1GB), these days I expect hotel internet to be free – and most millennials will agree. The name is derived from the 12 decades that span Jo’burg’s history from 1886 to 2006, and the rooms are named rather than numbered. This is no
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cookie-cutter hotel, as none of the 16 double rooms share any resemblance. Each is designed by one of the country’s top designers, such as LoveJozi and Black Coffee. One room has historic figures painted in red on the ceiling and walls, while another is designed like a movie set. Besides my room, named The House that Jack Built and decorated in gold spray-painted memorabilia with wooden panels and furniture, the highlight of my stay was vibey Maboneng, the rejuvenated part of downtown Jo’burg. The Pop Art Theatre is found on the hotel building’s ground floor, next to an independent cinema called the Bioscope. It’s deliberate that the 12 Decades is self-catering (although they serve breakfast at a separate charge) as there are many culinary options to choose from downstairs. There’s Blackanese, the African sushi bar, where you can order braaied angel fish; the eclectic African diner Pata Pata; and Mama Mexicana
to name a few of the restaurants that stand shoulder to shoulder along Fox and Kruger Streets. I savoured the beyaynetu – a vegan dish of several kinds of spiced vegetables served with injera, an Ethiopian sourdough flatbread – from the Little Addis Cafe neighbouring the hotel. And the made-before-my-eyes raspberry frozen yoghurt from Yogiberry across the street had me return for round two. If you’re in Maboneng on a Sunday, don’t miss the Arts on Main Market; join us for a rooftop weekly salsa social – I’m the brunette with the mojito. I wanted to experience Jo’burg as a tourist might, so the following morning I hopped on – and off again – the red City Sightseeing bus. Even if you’re only going for the ride to the 12 stops along the way, it’s an opportunity to learn a thing or two about the city’s beginnings – after all, it’s only around 12 decades young. 286 Fox Street, 011 026 5601, urbanhiphotels.com.
JUNE 2015
33
2015/05/19 3:29 PM
12 decades young Iga Motylska finds a rare gem in downtown Jo’burg.
pictures: supplied
W
ith six floors of residential apartments sandwiched between the reception and the seventh ‘hotel’ floor, the 12 Decades Art Hotel in Maboneng has somewhat of a mature digs vibe to it. The privately owned bar on the courtyard side of the building adds to the student-come-youngprofessional atmosphere, so ask for a room facing Fox Street, the side with outlines of the Ponte and Telkom Towers along the horizon. The reception is fairly chilled, although helpful, and that’s exactly the kind of unpretentious feeling this boutique art hotel is after. Although the internet vouchers sold at reception aren’t expensive (R60 for 1GB), these days I expect hotel internet to be free – and most millennials will agree. The name is derived from the 12 decades that span Jo’burg’s history from 1886 to 2006, and the rooms are named rather than numbered. This is no
kulula.com
sleep gauteng_41.indd 33
cookie-cutter hotel, as none of the 16 double rooms share any resemblance. Each is designed by one of the country’s top designers, such as LoveJozi and Black Coffee. One room has historic figures painted in red on the ceiling and walls, while another is designed like a movie set. Besides my room, named The House that Jack Built and decorated in gold spray-painted memorabilia with wooden panels and furniture, the highlight of my stay was vibey Maboneng, the rejuvenated part of downtown Jo’burg. The Pop Art Theatre is found on the hotel building’s ground floor, next to an independent cinema called the Bioscope. It’s deliberate that the 12 Decades is self-catering (although they serve breakfast at a separate charge) as there are many culinary options to choose from downstairs. There’s Blackanese, the African sushi bar, where you can order braaied angel fish; the eclectic African diner Pata Pata; and Mama Mexicana
to name a few of the restaurants that stand shoulder to shoulder along Fox and Kruger Streets. I savoured the beyaynetu – a vegan dish of several kinds of spiced vegetables served with injera, an Ethiopian sourdough flatbread – from the Little Addis Cafe neighbouring the hotel. And the made-before-my-eyes raspberry frozen yoghurt from Yogiberry across the street had me return for round two. If you’re in Maboneng on a Sunday, don’t miss the Arts on Main Market; join us for a rooftop weekly salsa social – I’m the brunette with the mojito. I wanted to experience Jo’burg as a tourist might, so the following morning I hopped on – and off again – the red City Sightseeing bus. Even if you’re only going for the ride to the 12 stops along the way, it’s an opportunity to learn a thing or two about the city’s beginnings – after all, it’s only around 12 decades young. 286 Fox Street, 011 026 5601, urbanhiphotels.com.
JUNE 2015
33
2015/05/19 3:29 PM
