A guide to Victoria’s spa country
The newly renovated historic Lewellyn House in Daylesford is just one reason to visit this region just 75 minutes outside Melbourne.
Such is the whimsical charm of Lewellyn House at Daylesford, northwest of Melbourne, that within minutes of arriving we’re busy creating nicknames for its bedrooms.
My friend is partial to “The Music Room”, a tranquil light-filled space with 14 pages of old sheet music neatly arranged on the wall above the bed and French doors opening to a veranda overlooking the garden.
I’m considering “The Royal Room”, where a vintage container bearing a photo of a young Princess Elizabeth and her family rests on a shelf but opt instead for the chamber we dub “The Chook Room”, featuring a large grey timber wardrobe, a soft leather armchair and three stuffed birds perched on wooden stools on an antique set of drawers.
It’s a sight that makes me smile as I open my eyes each morning to meet their glassy-eyed gaze. But my feathered friends are just one of many pleasures in Llewellyn House, a character-packed retreat.
Daylesford Convent Art Gallery. .
Built in 1861 for the town’s first parliamentarian, Henry Wheeler, the home is now part of The Houses Hotels Group, run by local couple Theresa Albioli and Tony De Marco, who own and manage a substantial portfolio of holiday rental properties.
Self-described “obsessive collectors”, Albioli and De Marco share a passion for creating stylish homes with eclectic interiors, every room layered with gorgeous textiles, antique furniture and wonderful curios.
With its dark exterior, the unassuming Lewellyn House is one of the larger holiday properties on offer in the pretty streets of Daylesford, accommodating up to 18 guests in nine bedrooms, all with ensuites, surely a prize feature for any getaway.
Albioli says the couple bought the house in 2019, attracted by its “magnificent bones and towering ceilings”.
Over a three-month period they transformed it from a three-bedroom, one-bathroom property with an odd floorplan to its current configuration, maintaining original features such as its French doors and heritage fireplaces.
The main house now incorporates a vast open living and kitchen area as well as four bedrooms, while the other five have been created in an adjacent building connected by a veranda. This was once a ballroom that Albioli says was frequented by Daylesford’s “well-to-do” in the late 19th century.
No matter where you lay your head, each chamber offers extremely comfortable king or twin beds, all dressed in chic monochromatic linens.
Crisp white walls, honey-coloured timber floors and high ceilings provide a fresh backdrop to a considered collection of antique furniture and ornaments. Ensuites are compact and modern, each offering a shower, toilet, small sink and basic toiletries.
Unquestionably it’s the bedrooms in the main house that are the winners, given their larger size and garden outlook, while the short straw award goes to the one bedroom in the reconfigured second building, which lacks external windows.
But the living area is the real drawcard at Lewellyn House. Accounting for almost half the floor plan of the main building, it’s a generous space that still manages to be disarmingly cosy thanks to Albioli’s fabulous decor choices.
On one side of the room, five large Schots cigar leather lounges surround a long coffee table in front of a very effective Ned Kelly firebox. When we arrive a bucket of kindling and wood waits beside the fireplace, but the house is already toasty warm thanks to its hydronic heating system.
Timber lampshades radiate patterns across the high ceilings, while clusters of black fishing nets hang like sculptures around the room’s edge.
Black and white Derek Erskine drawings decorate the walls and pods of grey and black cushions adorn the lounges and window seats.
On the other side of the space there’s an enormous wooden dining table surrounded by 18 chairs, and a charming kitchen area featuring timber benchtops, antique photos and jugs of utensils.
But while its decor is quaint, this is a galley with serious grunt, including two large ovens, two six-burner cooktops, substantial fridge space and cupboards brimming with crockery and glassware.
It’s hard to imagine a more convivial setting for a posse of friends or family holidaying in the Daylesford district, known for its restaurants, cafes, wineries and natural mineral baths. According to Albioli, the home is particularly popular with groups of retired couples travelling together. “They love the ability to socialise and cook together in the huge living areas,” she says.
It’s rainy during our winter stay, but it’s easy to see how the large established garden, which is a remnant of the considerable farming estate that once surrounded the home, would be a key attraction during warmer months.
With the sun shining, you could fling open the French doors, settle into a chair on the veranda or enjoy a meal at the table under the towering magnolia.
Across the road you’ll find the quirky Daylesford Convent art gallery and a gateway leading into the glorious Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens. Cliffy’s Emporium and Beppe Bar and Kitchen are also within a short saunter.
Both offer lovely settings for a meal but also have takeaway options, which is perhaps the perfect compromise for those who can’t bear to leave Lewellyn House’s charms for too long.
Where to eat
For breakfast try culinary legend Alla Wolf-Tasker’s Wombat Hill House cafe in the Botanic Gardens or Cliffy’s Emporium. Nip into the magical Enki apothecary for an afternoon cocktail and for dinner try Beppe Bar and Kitchen, Bar Merenda, The Virgin Kitchen or the stylish restaurant at Wolf-Tasker’s Lake House.
Where to shop
Daylesford is home to a myriad of shops showcasing homewares, fashion, craft and art. Albioli says she loves fossicking for special finds at The Mill Markets. Regional produce and artisan products are on offer at the Sunday markets held at the local railway station.
Where to walk
Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens offer glorious district views. A stroll around lovely Lake Daylesford also provides a chance to sample local mineral water fresh from the pump.
Where to stay
Daylesford is a 75-minute drive northwest of Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport. The nine-bedroom Lewellyn House is from $930 a night for the entire home, with a minimum two-night stay.
Libby Moffet was a guest of Llewellyn House.
