Capital Ideas Canberra’s charms.
The seat of the nation is an inspiring destination packed with boutique hotels, wonderful eateries and fun things to do for the whole family, writes
Driving into Canberra is like entering an architect’s drawing. Everything is placed as designed. Happily, this blueprint is changing and hotels have been leading the way to make the ACT warmer and more tempting.
From the minute you enter the Modernist lobby of East Hotel (easthotel.com.au) in Kingston, you feel relaxed. Snippets of Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita are projected onto a big screen, recycled timber
lines the high ceilings and complimentary bicycles are lined up for leisurely rides around the city. Our double family suite is laid out like a well-organised apartment with heart. Photography by local artists adorns the walls and the adjoining kids’ ‘cubby room’ thrills them with bean chairs, bunk beds and an Xbox. We have booked a Weekend In Canberra package, which includes tickets to the Monet exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA)
(nga.gov.au), cocktails, dinner and free wifi. We indulge in a pizza night at Agostinis, the pumping Italian restaurant just off the lobby. Snuggled into our leopardskin booth we devour the Gamberi pizza with prawns, cherry tomatoes, chilli, parsley and fior di latte, accompanied by a bottle of local Collector Wines shiraz.
Food amnesia is the condition needed for a winter weekend at East, because by morning we are all ravenous again and devour the spiced plum brioche French toast at Muse, the hotel’s bookshop/cafe combo. By night this space converts into a cool wine bar.
After breakfast, we head out to explore the city. There is handy educational signage everywhere – just like an outdoor museum. First stop is the magnificent ‘Monet: Impression Sunrise’ exhibition at the NGA. Then we swap Impressionist waterlilies for the excellent carrot cake at the National
Portrait Gallery cafe (portrait.gov.au). Family travel is often about compromise, but Canberra doesn’t feel like one at all.
It’s so walkable and cheerful that everyone is thoroughly enjoying themselves.
We begin day two by fuelling up at Mocan and Green Grout
(mocanandgreengroutcom.wordpress. com), a New Acton cafe that serves the best baked eggs with sumac and chevre. This was the first cafe in Canberra to look like a 1970s potter’s shed, full of plants and lovely ceramics. It’s not at all cynically hipster – this place has soul. Caffeineated, we pounce on the incredible Pod Playground at the
National Arboretum (nationalarboretum. act.gov.au), an adventure playground in the middle of a botanical garden devoted to growing trees for conservation and scientific research. Next is geek paradise Questacon (questacon.edu.au), the iconic hands-on museum where science is interactive and outrageously amusing.
On our last night at East we book in for the A Tavola feast, a menu with something for everyone, from the seven-year-old’s love of french fries to the husband’s need for an aged rump. The wine list is heavy-hitting. There are several rock-star barolos, but to get a real taste of the region we also sample grape varietals from nearby Collector and Murrumbateman. Canberra! Who knew you could be so sensual?