NEW LUXURY CLOSE TO HOME
New Luxury Close to Home - Luxury Travel Magazine
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New Luxury Close to Home | |||||
| By: Claire Cassey, Megan Cuthbert, Michael Gebicki and Jane O’Sullivan, Issue 40 – Spring 2009 | |||||
| (Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa - Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia, The Diamant Hotel Penthouse - Potts Point, NSW, Australia, Citigate Mount Panorama - Bathurst, NSW, Australia, The Miro - Brisbane, QLD, Australia, The Plantation Resort At Rainbow - Rainbow Beach, QLD, Australia, Paradise Palms Resort And Country Club – Cairns, QLD, Australia, Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel And Spa Resort – Stradbroke Island, QLD, Australia, Ala Moana - Hamilton Island, QLD, Australia, Spicers Clovelly Estate - Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia, Medina Grand Darwin Waterfront - NT, Australia, Pinctada Cable Beach Resort & Spa - Cable Beach, WA, Australia, Amsara Luxury Retreat - Cable Beach, WA, Australia, Eco Beach - Broome, WA, Australia, The Cullen - Melbourne, VIC, Australia, Quay West Resort And Spa - Falls Creek, VIC, Australia, The Pavilions - Moorilla, VIC, Australia, Saffire Freycinet - Coles Bay, TAS, Australia, Arkaba Station - Flinders Ranges, SA, Australia, The Australasian Circa 1858 - Fleurieu Peninsula, SA, Australia, Thorn Park By The Vines - Clare Valley, SA, Australia) | |||||
| AUSTRALIA | |||||
| We take you to Australia’s newest five-star resort, emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa and survey 19 other new luxury properties across Australia. | |||||
| NEW SOUTH WALES | |||||
| Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Blue Mountains | |||||
| Unveiled in October, this is the most anticipated new arrival on Australia’s luxury accommodation scene since Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge opened in 2008. Spread out on a valley floor on the western side of the Blue Mountains a short drive from Sydney, overshadowed by virgin forest and the bare stone ramparts of a World Heritage Area, Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa brings new vigour to the bush classic. Wallabies graze on the grassy margins of the valley, the stone walls of the escarpment draw fire from the sun at dawn and dusk and the air rings with the sound of kookaburras. | |||||
| Ecological sensitivity was a high priority for the resort’s owners, Emirates airline, and it occupies just two per cent of its 1,600 hectare conservancy reserve. All buildings harvest rainwater, and most of the hot water comes from solar panels. Emirates says that it spent $125 million on the resort, which takes its architectural cues from the long, low lines of the classic Australian bush home. The 40 individual guest suites are large and sumptuous with understated décor: this is the Wow! factor spoken with a whisper. Each suite has its own walk-in wardrobe, a full complement of techno add-ons, an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, a private verandah, separate living and sleeping areas, a plush en suite bathroom and a double-sided fireplace. Bringing 15 years of expertise in the kitchens of international resorts to the task, Executive Chef Dwane Goodman’s menus are based on the superb array of fresh, seasonal, organic produce available from local growers. The inspiration for the resort’s Timeless Spa comes direct from its proving ground at Al Maha, Dubai’s famed tented desert resort. Activity options include tennis, a 25-metre infinity swimming pool, gymnasium, steam room and sauna, and a Jacuzzi or guests can throw a leg over a horse, take a 4wd wildlife safari, take a lesson in Aboriginal culture, picnic beside the creek or hop on the mountain bikes that come with each suite and head off to explore. | |||||
| Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa | |||||
| The Diamant Hotel Penthouse, Potts Point | |||||
| The new penthouse is nestled into the lofty city skyline, overlooking Sydney Harbour. There’s butler service on request. | |||||
| Citigate Mount Panorama, Bathurst | |||||
| This hotel’s furnished balconies face straight onto Mount Panorama, eliminating the need to bustle through race-day crowds. | |||||
| QUEENSLAND | |||||
| The Miro, Brisbane | |||||
| Centrally located in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, The Miro offers both short- and longterm accommodation a stone’s throw from cinemas, museums and bars. | |||||
| The Plantation Resort At Rainbow, Rainbow Beach | |||||
| This resort was opened in December last year. All fully equipped apartments lie 50 metres from the patrolled surf beach. | |||||
| Paradise Palms Resort And Country Club, Cairns | |||||
| This new 4.5 star resort is set among tropical gardens and swimming pools with easy access to the Paradise Palms Golf Course. | |||||
| Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel And Spa Resort | |||||
| Built upon the site of the old ‘Straddie Pub’, this is a luxury development in a folkloric Stradbroke location. Designed in the shape of a manta ray, the complex includes a lively bar and fine dining. | |||||
| Ala Moana, Hamilton Island | |||||
| Originally intended as a private holiday house, Ala Moana is a reef-side getaway available for exclusive rental with an optional private chef and massage therapist. | |||||
| Spicers Clovelly Estate, Sunshine Coast | |||||
| Just outside Montville, this hotel draws upon its French provincial architecture to provide a country escape atmosphere with Parisian-style breakfasts and European linens. | |||||
| NORTHERN TERRITORY | |||||
| Medina Grand Darwin Waterfront | |||||
| The Medina Grand is just one feature of Darwin’s new foreshore development which comprises new restaurants, shopping and more. | |||||
| WESTERN AUSTRALIA | |||||
| Pinctada Cable Beach Resort & Spa, Cable Beach | |||||
| Set just back from the incandescent swathe of Broome’s Cable Beach, this stunning new resort is infused with the invigorating blend of cultures that is the essence of this warm, amiable and relaxed town. Named after the Pinctada maxima, the pearl oyster that first made Broome a boomtown, the resort is the creation of Marilynne Paspaley, a member of Broome’s pearling aristocracy. Paspaley cut her hotelier’s teeth with the town’s small, stylish and sensational boutique guesthouse, McAlpine House, and the brand new resort is every bit as unique. The 72 guest rooms are large and luxurious with a clean, minimalist design enhanced by a generous dose of creature comforts. Each has a private balcony or courtyard, a marble bathroom, LCD TV with 150 movies on demand and an iPod dock. Some big names have been conscripted to apply the full-gloss treatment to the resort. Garden landscaping is by Jamie Durie’s Patio and the menu was tailored by Greg Malouf of the celebrated MoMo Restaurant in Melbourne’s Grand Hyatt. There’s also a strong accent on the environment. Hot water comes from a generous sun, there’s an energy efficient intelligent lighting system that uses daylight harvesting technology and room air conditioning that switches on only when guests are present. | |||||
| Pinctada Cable Beach Resort & Spa | |||||
| Amsara Luxury Retreat, Cable Beach | |||||
| An eco-friendly property located 20 minutes from Broome, this resort is about nature and seclusion – it accepts only six guests at a time. | |||||
| Eco Beach, Broome | |||||
| This resort is so serious about combining sustainability with luxury that it has patented the Eco Tent, which is big enough to house a king-size bed and the space to walk around it. | |||||
| VICTORIA | |||||
| The Cullen, Melbourne | |||||
| The Cullen draws its inspiration from controversial contemporary artist Adam Cullen. Proudly boutique, its offerings include a rooftop bar with views over Melbourne’s CBD. | |||||
| Quay West Resort And Spa, Falls Creek | |||||
| Fully accessible by both road and snow, this five-star resort has an après-ski bar and private balcony hot tubs. | |||||
| TASMANIA | |||||
| The Pavilions, Moorilla | |||||
| Each of these four luxury residences has a private cellar and sweeping views of the Derwent River. | |||||
| Saffire Freycinet, Coles Bay | |||||
| Opening in December, the Saffire Freycinet is bordered by forest and the Great Oyster Bay. Luxury transfers from Hobart to the resort are provided. | |||||
| SOUTH AUSTRALIA | |||||
| Arkaba Station, Flinders Ranges | |||||
| This 60,000-acre outback sheep station, built in 1851, has been revamped to incorporate luxury accommodation. | |||||
| The Australasian Circa 1858, Fleurieu Peninsula | |||||
| This South Australian hotel comes in the form of a grand old manor with five guest rooms. | |||||
| Thorn Park By The Vines, Clare Valley | |||||
| This is the third residence by chef David Hay and artist Michael Speers. Surrounded by bush, dam and vineyard scenery, there are two guest rooms that can house four guests at a time. Suppose you were to draw a circle on the map to include only destinations within 10 hours flight time from the east coast of Australia. And then suppose you were to scan that area for five-star resorts that have just appeared in the last few months. Here we’ve surveyed the pick of the new crop and have included only the resorts sporting the latest high end accoutrements: private pools and techno toys including high-spec flat screen televisions with wide channel choices, dvds, iPod docks and wifi internet. And given the sun-struck locales of all of these resorts, they are able to demonstrate at least some eco-credentials. | |||||
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