Flop House, Kyneton accommodation review: Weekend away

The Flop House, Kyneton, Victoria.

The location

Kyneton, just over an hour up the Calder Freeway from Melbourne, has reinvigorated itself as one of Victoria's best country towns for food (five of its restaurants are listed in the 2014 Age Good Food Guide) and for browsing (there are plenty of art, crafts and antique shops). Old buildings dating back to the gold rush and beautiful mid-Victorian countryside are an enticing blend.

The place

This stylishly whimsical self-contained loft-style building features a main bedroom and lounge, a mezzanine with second bed, and separate kitchen and bathroom. The north-facing deck steps down into the garden, complete with chicken coop. Breakfast is at your leisure and includes an array of fine local produce on arrival, while historic Piper Street is an easy 10-minute walk away.

The experience

The feel of these lodgings is distinctly Scandinavian and invites quiet introspection. There are beautiful books to pore over, local, artisan-produced furniture to loll in and, everywhere, the space, light and level of comfort you need to unwind, commune with nature and live on a very uncomplicated level. Kyneton is a good base from which to explore the region: just up the road is Bendigo, with the best regional art gallery in Victoria, and in the other direction is Hanging Rock, where you can stage your own disappearance.

Don't miss

Flop House hostess Genevieve has compiled a cycling guide to the town, including a riverside trundle, and brings bikes up from Melbourne for guests. Be sure to let her know how many you'll need ahead of your stay.

Need to know

Cost: $480 for two weekend nights.

Distance: 1 hour's drive (85km) north-west of Melbourne.

60 Beauchamp Street, Kyneton, Vic

PHONE: [phone]

WEB: flophouse.com.au