This archive report was first published on 18 July 2020.
Published on July 18, 2020, I had the pleasure of visiting The Social House hotel in Lavington, a place that truly lives up to its motto: '13˚ from the Equator,' and '180˚ from the Ordinary.'
As I walked into the hotel, I was immediately struck by its unorthodox interiors. A Harley Davidson motorbike hangs from the ceiling in The Living Room, one of the hotel's three restaurants, each with its own unique name and character.
My wife and I had our early brunch in The Other Room, where we found standing trousers along the pathway holding up vases of flowers rather than torsos. The Wallace and Gromit-esque humor is evident throughout the hotel, and we even caught staff rehanging vertical trays of succulents on frames set along the walls.
One of the hotel's claims to fame is its unusual cuisine, courtesy of Peruvian chef Anibal Torres. The menus of the three restaurants feature many Andean items, including the Quinoa Salad that my wife chose for brunch. I opted for the Home Brunch, which came with eggs, toast, and jam, as well as crispy but not burnt bacon.
After breakfast, we had a fascinating talk with Samuel Maina, the R&B (restaurants and bar) and events manager. He explained the hotel's guiding principles, known as ARCS: authenticity, resourcefulness, craftsmanship, and sparkle. These personality traits are what the managers look for when interviewing applicants, and they're not specific to job skills.
On Sunday, I returned to The Social House for a late lunch with friends in the top-floor Inca Restaurant and Bar. I chose the Beef Anticucho, which was tender and spicy. As Sam said, despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, The Social House chose the best time to reopen and has lived up to its principles by attracting a good number of 'uncommon people.'
