Hotel Vera review: Where to stay in Ballarat
The owners of this heritage beauty drew on the surrounding countryside to create a luxurious bolthole with a period vibe.
The new Hotel Vera in Ballarat is the fourth example of the boutique finesse of David Cook-Doulton and Martin Shew in regional Victoria. And while it’s a major step forward in style and delivery, they’ve not lost sight of where they started. Cook-Doulton can point to it from the first-floor landing.
“That roof across there, with the chimneys – that was Lascelles,” he says of two terraces they transformed before turning their attention to Lyon House a few blocks away, in both instances creating cutting-edge, short-stay residences. But those projects were mere testing grounds for the pair’s concepts and ideas, and now, after almost three years of fastidious reimagination – in the middle of which they detoured via Bendigo to turn an old bank into the bright Hotel Ernest – their vision has evolved into Vera.
Built in the 1880s as home and surgery for noted doctor Stanislaus Woinarski, the property is not on the Victorian Heritage Register, so Shew and Cook-Doulton were required to be careful about maintaining only the red-brick facade. Fortunately, the building was structurally sound, so the main task for Melbourne’s Pitch Architecture + Design was internal, producing seven luxurious suites, dealing with some below-par additions and creating a landscaped al fresco space. The 5m ceilings, original fireplaces, fancy architraves and recessed windows maintain the period feel, but its look has been lifted by Cook-Doulton, an experienced and astute designer guiding a team of trusted collaborators.
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Art consultant Julie McLaren helped to source works from mainly Victorian artists. “The art told us what to do,” says Shew, and it spoke the local lingo, because the suites, named for localities around Ballarat, display tones redolent of their namesakes. For instance, Kingston, a village known for potatoes, is a deep, rich green, the colour of the tuber’s leaf, and sets off the room’s artwork, a pair of vibrant oils by Ember Fairbairn.
The conversation around our upstairs suite is being led by Maryann Hulbert, Vera’s head of guest experience, and it places us in Sandon, north of Daylesford, where the summer skies must be dazzling to inspire this rich blue. Hulbert highlights a pair of delicate pots, by ceramic artist Neville French from nearby Buninyong. “They’re part of a cloud series to mimic the sky,” she says, advising us to keep observing them as the light changes during the day.
The king-sized bed looks even bigger, because it sits in a broad frame in cream boucle, which matches the suite’s seating. Inspiration for this design is perhaps Fletcher, the resident Airedale terrier; his coat’s likeness to the boucle is uncanny. The bedding also echoes the suite’s tones, and it all ties in to the ink-and-paper artwork, Waterfall, by Heather B. Swann. A pop of fresh colour comes from a tall vase of Australian natives via Ballarat florist Windflower.
In each suite, the grand bathroom isn’t an add-on but a flow-on, part of one cohesive space. They’re all in white, offset by brass fittings and fluted glass framed in black to screen the toilet. Four suites have walk-in double showers whereas Sandon is one of three with a dominant oval tub in a tiled plinth. A single showerhead sits over the bath, and it’s spotlit to create a decadent mood. That carries through with lotions from Melbourne brand Salus and into the opulent bathrobes. The owners couldn’t find a suitable ethically made Australian brand, so we’re wrapped in Tekla, an embryonic Danish label. “Putting this on,” says my contented companion, “is like being given a hug.” The minibar comprises local sweet slices and chocolate, spicy Spanish almonds and new-age soft drinks by Victorian brand Bobby. The owners are working on other offerings, including cocktails from hip Melbourne bar Byrdi.
Two of Vera’s three downstairs suites cater to specific needs: Tourello, an accessible option (in sunset pink) served by a roll-in entrance from the driveway; and brick-red Lonarch, a pet suite with enclosed courtyard and luxurious canine bed. Vera has an air of classic European pension-style hostelry elevated to lofty heights, and no pension can match what sits in the revamped rear addition. It’s the new home for chef Derek Boath’s acclaimed degustation destination, Underbar, which also serves as the hotel’s breakfast room. Boath lays out “healthy continental along European lines”, which means house-made granola and muesli, cured meats, poached and fresh fruit, and bread from champion local bakery 1816.
The two businesses connected because, says Cook-Doulton. “We have a shared passion for beautiful quality.”
Vera guests get insider access to Underbar’s sought-after 14 seats for Boath’s tasting menu of nine to 11 courses on Friday and Saturday nights. The focus is on small producers, especially family-run outfits operating on biodynamic principles. “We’ll maybe source from someone who only has six lambs or three bunches of beetroot,” Boath says. “We’re not tied to signature dishes.” The matched drinks are the domain of Tony Schuurs, the “happy wine guy” from the original Underbar (see More to the Story).
In contrast to Victoriana Vera, Underbar resides in a black-and-white pod offset with oak fixtures and colourful seating, the light streaming in through Chicago-style windows. It’s even more modern outside, with a six-vehicle car-stacker in the old garage – parking is tight – and an EV charger. There are plans for a bee chimney, so stay tuned for Vera honey and wax candles, possibly with the signature scent that’s infused in the hotel lounge.
Cook-Doulton and Shew won’t rest. An events venue is planned for an old Ballarat hotel, and there’s more to be done at Ernest in Bendigo, including a second venue for Underbar. Wunderbar!
More to the story
Vera is the latest in a swag of new openings in Ballarat. The original Underbar space in the CBD is now home to Boath and Schuurs’ more casual Pencilmark, offering dozens of boutique wines to sample alongside local and imported tapas items. Another new wine-and-nibbles site is Ellington’s, with a jazzy drinks list covering Australia’s best regions plus styles from Greece and Austria.
Feted Thai eatery Mr Jones has performed the Covid pivot to present a set menu with paired wine options. A new entrant on the craft gin scene is Kilderkin under its Larrikin label, with flights, cheese platters and tours.
The Art Gallery of Ballarat stands on the strength of its permanent collection, currently showcased in Beating Around the Bush (until February 19), where female photographers re-examine Australian Impressionism through a modern lens.
And Sovereign Hill has launched the Australian Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades, where you can take courses in anything from knife-making and dry stone walling to creating whips or armour.
In the know
Hotel Vera is at 710 Sturt St, Ballarat; from $399 a night week nights, $499 on weekends, including breakfast. Bookings for Underbar open on the first of each month for the following month.
Jeremy Bourke was a guest of Hotel Vera and Visit Ballarat.