Champagne lifestyle on the Sunshine Coast
No more sparkling setting than Noosa could lend itself to the heady experience of Veuve Clicquot’s latest pop-up hotel.
There are some things in life that immediately evoke pure joy: a mouthwatering meal you are just about to devour; the aroma of a perfectly prepared coffee awaiting your first sip, sitting in the sun and opening up a new book; and being handed a glass of French champagne.
All of these sensory experiences come together in the new Veuve Clicquot hotel in Noosa. The luxurious pop-up property, located in the stunning holiday home of international hemp tycoon Evgeny Skigin, is only open for 11 days in November offering two-day indulgent packages for couples.
This is the second iteration of Hotel Clicquot in Australia. The first, in Byron Bay in 2021, provided a sneak peek into what a hotel would look like if it was transformed into the living embodiment of the iconic French champagne house. And having been to both of them, I can report that it is a very, very nice place to be.
The experience starts with being picked up at the airport by a Veuve Clicquot branded Tesla. Sitting inside, doors up like the DeLorean in Back to the Future, snacking on locally roasted macadamia nuts, you draw envious glances from those dragging their bags to the regular taxi queue. The drive takes about 20 minutes, with the road snaking up through bushland until the house appears with its spectacular views overlooking Noosa National Park and the sea.
Upon arrival, you are greeted with your first glass of Clicquot and a private butler who will cater to your every whim 24 hours a day. There are five large dome-roofed suites and they are spectacular and spacious, each with a balcony and a view over the headland and the ocean. The biggest dilemma you will face over the next few hours is whether to continue drinking champagne in your room while relaxing on the king-size bed, or head outside to do the same thing on a sun lounge beside the heated infinity pool and spa.
Just as I am lingering over this decision (I did have to get changed after all), I am summoned for lunch. Prepared by chef Tom Morrison, it starts with a Moreton Bay bug slider inspired by Veuve Clicquot’s 250th anniversary, with a glass of Yellow Label, on the balcony of the extraordinary house. We move in to the dining room, where we are served salmon, pancetta-wrapped chicken, heirloom tomato, basil and burrata salad, roasted cauliflower with chickpeas, and delicious sourdough bread with olive oil.
Our afternoon gets even better once lunch is over as we head downstairs to the bar area, where we spend the next hour sampling different types of champagne. Guided by experienced sommelier Seamus Brandt and Dean O’Reilly, Moët Hennessy Champagne Ambassador, we get to taste the brand’s Cave Privée Blanc 1990 and the Cave Privée Rosé 1990.
A quick change of scenery sees us on a vintage private boat enjoying more Veuve Clicquot while watching the sun set on Noosa’s waterways. Again we are met with envious looks, this time from a few mates fishing from a tinnie as we fly by on the 1940s handcrafted wooden speed boat, and from exhausted participants of an aerobics class breathlessly sprinting by on their kayaks. More champagne please, I say, as I watch, more than happy to be where I am at that moment.
Dinner is perhaps the highlight of the Hotel Clicquot experience, as chef David Moyle has worked his magic with local and regional produce for a degustation menu matched with some very rare Clicquot champagnes. And when I say magic, I mean he takes the most superb fresh fish, vegetables, herbs and fruit and allows them to shine.
Moyle, who works as a creative director at Harvest Newrybar outside Byron Bay after having run restaurants around the country, starts dinner with native oysters and local vegetables fermented in shio koji, followed by rain-fed brown rice with seaweed, confit mushrooms and glazed Ballina leader prawns. The kelp-wrapped tuna is as delicious as the La Grande Dame 1990 champagne served with it from a jeroboam (a joy-evoking three litre bottle).
At this point, I have four glasses of different champagnes lined up in front of me (including a rare rosé), another joy to behold – especially when Brandt and O’Reilly keep refilling them.
The next morning, all that champagne comes back to haunt me a little when I agree to an early yoga class. But the spectacular view of the ocean as the sun rises offsets the slightly disoriented feeling I have while attempting downward-facing dog.
The after-effects are completely banished by the breakfast prepared by Morrison – poached eggs, avocado and salsa verde on toast, and a number of really good coffees. One last look out over the balcony at the stunning view and a sneaky glass of champagne while standing in the Noosa sunshine and I reluctantly leave Hotel Clicquot for the airport and the reality of wintry Sydney.
Hotel Clicquot runs from November 3-13 and packages start from $7000 a couple for two nights, and include transfers, meals and most activities. The vintage speed boat ride and picnic is extra.