Winery accommodation Australia
From the provincial to the unexpected and ultramodern, these vineyard estates are top drops.
It’s tempting to lump winery accommodation into the same predictable basket of historical estates, replete with liberty print furnishings, mahogany armoires, and vintage tapware.
But some of Australia’s most luxurious stays can be found among the vines of some of our top wine producers.
They’re also as diverse as the drops offered. Whether you’re after bold, Syrah-style lodging with notes of leather and wood, a space as elegant and bright as an Adelaide Hills sauv blanc or a place as aesthetically cool as a crown-capped organic pét-nat, you’ll find it.
If South Australia is on your winery radar for 2023, book a vineyard stay during Tasting Australia, a week of events, masterclasses and wine experiences taking place around the state between April 28 and May 7.
MONA Pavilions, Moorilla
Hobart, TAS
You’re more likely to associate MONA Pavilions with the acclaimed private art museum of the same name, but in a hedonistic twist the property also boasts one of Tasmania’s oldest vineyards, Moorilla. Wine, art and room service makes a very enticing trifecta, further enhanced by the fact each pavilion is incredibly luxe and nods to a great of the Australian art or design world. Roy, a three-storey, two-bedroom penthouse named after architect Sir Roy Grounds, comes complete with kitchen, laundry, outdoor bath and a mini bar brimming with the vineyard’s top drops. You’ll also have access to a communal pool and sauna, and of course the beautiful vineyard and cellar door. For the complete MONA experience, it’s worth booking a stay on a weekend and doing the ‘A Posh-As Day Out’, which, as its name suggests, is a decadent day of wining, dining and art viewing. Skip the included ferry ride, though, in favour of a sleepover at Roy’s.
One bedroom pavilions priced from $800 per night.
Cape Lodge
Margaret River, WA
This region boasts some of Australia’s best wines, but you won’t find a glut of vineyard stays in Margaret River. Despite its lack of competition, Yallingup’s 16ha estate Cape Lodge is not complacent when it comes to guest experiences. The lawns are immaculately kept, rooms are well furnished with classic, comfortable decor and there is of course, 3ha of sauvignon blanc and Shiraz vines to wander around. With a tennis court, pool, cooking school and acclaimed riverside restaurant, there are few reasons to leave the property. But with Moss Wood, Vasse Felix and Pierro nearby, it would be remiss of you not to venture out at least once to sample some of the region’s best drops.
Prices start at $765 per night.
Spicers Vineyards Estate
Pokolbin, NSW
There are few better ways to enjoy a glass of bold Hunter Valley shiraz than while lounging in front of a roaring fireplace in the midst of winter. And with each of this 9ha estate’s 12 suites boasting its own fireplace, you don’t have to even change out of your fluffy white robe to do so. The estate, one of three Spicers properties in the area, is also worth a visit in the warmer months too. Spend the morning relaxing by the outdoor pool, explore the nearby cellar doors or grab a pre-packed picnic basket, lay out a blanket and watch the kangaroos grazing among the vines.
Midweek stays from $699 per night, breakfast included. *prices are subject to change.
Jackalope Hotel
Mornington Peninsula, VIC
There’s not a speck of chintz to be found at Jackalope; a contemporary 45-room property located within Willow Creek vineyard in Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula. The architecturally designed hotel, named after the mythical antlered jackrabbit, is clean, minimal and serene, interspersed with unexpected furniture and bold art pieces. Their names might imply something dingy and underground, but each of Jackalope’s ‘lairs’ are surprisingly light filled and serene, overlooking the symmetrical rows of lush green pinot noir and chardonnay vines. You will also get a fabulous view of the grapes from the hotel’s 30m infinity pool, but if you’d like more bathing options, you’re in luck this year. Jackalope has teamed up with the newly opened Alba Thermal Springs and Spa, and is currently offering a two-day accommodation special until March including day trips to the restorative geothermal pools. You needn’t leave the property to eat either, with acclaimed in-house restaurant Doot Doot Doot a destination in itself. There’s also the option of picnicking among the vines, with casual eatery Rare Hare offering a hands-friendly selection of prawn-filled brioche rolls, salumi, terrine and cheeses and of course, a bottle of Willow Creek to wash it down.
Terrace rooms priced from $1,670 throughout February.
The Vineyard Retreat
McLaren Vale, SA
If you’re a stickler for the so Frenchy so chic interiors of a Bordeaux chateau but your travel companions prefer a more contemporary winery experience, it’s hard to go past The Vineyard Retreat at McLaren Vale. There are six separate guesthouses within the picturesque 6ha Marmont Wine Estate, each with their own unique design aesthetic and catering to different sized groups. Less than an hour’s drive from Adelaide, the property is neighboured by the best of South Australia’s cellar doors – Primo Estate, Mitolo and of course d’Arenberg and its famous ‘cube’ (which can be seen from the estate). And if you’re blessed with good weather, don’t skip a sunset dip in the vineyard’s jacuzzi, which offers an incredible view of the grape vines.
Guest houses priced from $610 per night.
Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill
Mornington Peninsula VIC
The statuesque conical cypress and white rose gardens make a very good first impression when you arrive at this hotel winery, located an hour from Melbourne. Sometimes you need to choose between beautiful accommodation or fantastic wine, but both are exceptional here. “The wines now being made by Barney Flanders are the best yet,” says James Halliday of Lindenderry Estate and its winemaker. There are 40 rooms in the hotel, each offering views of either the nearby lake, vineyards or manicured gardens. Dinner in The Dining Room is a must. The five or seven course degustation is designed by executive chef Diego Cossio and features an ever-changing menu championing sustainable ingredients and locally sourced produce.
Courtyard rooms priced from $459 twin share. *Minimum three night stay.
The Louise
Barossa Valley, SA
Part of the Baillie Lodges group, The Louise is one of The Barossa Valley’s most luxurious and exclusive stays. The property’s 15 spacious villas are all exceptionally appointed, and it’s also home to Appellation, headed by Asher Blackford and considered one of South Australia’s most celebrated restaurants.
One of the biggest drawcards of this estate however, is the variety of experiences which can be arranged – from bushland breakfasts with the local wildlife, private wine tastings with winemakers and personalised tours through the region’s top vineyards.
Rooms priced from $1600 per night from April 2023 (minimum two-night stay).
