You can even run your hands over the mortar of the convict-cut sandstone and see where it was plugged with ground oyster shells, taken from the Aboriginal middens that lined the island’s shores at the time of European settlement. But the bit that made my eyes widen to the size of jam jar lids? When my guide, Greg Ball, leads me into an upstairs conference room and points out a dark, viscous...
With hotels in a handful of cities including Brooklyn, Kyoto and Toronto, Ace Hotel is a global American hotel chain with a boutique and distinctly cosmopolitan feel. Distinguished by its hip decor, city-specific styling and chic dining options, the Ace Hotel’s first location in the southern hemisphere is a welcome addition to Sydney’s Surry Hills. Located on Wentworth Avenue, the newly opened...
As I step foot through to the eccentric entrance, it feels as though I’m in a different, albeit more glamorous time. This is no doubt thanks to the intriguing decor choices and crackling jazz music played over the speaker. Old dial-up telephones, red velvet curtains, taxidermy butterflies in jars, and staff dressed in silk robes, poised and ready for their close-up set the scene and I’m...
Hotel pools have become one of the top requirements for Australian holidaymakers. “We’re seeing many Aussies come to expect a pool offering, particularly when staying at well-rated, reputable hotels,” Wotif managing director Daniel Finch says. “The size of the pool is one of the most important factors for Aussies, followed by a view.” Other key considerations: whether there’s a separate kids’...
As we entered our Deluxe Double Room at the Hilton Sydney, I stopped to take in the room, tastefully decorated in rich forest greens against stark, crisp white linens thanks to a recent $25m refurbishment. But it’s immediately obvious space is at a premium. There’s a king bed – tick; comfy armchair for reading or watching TV – tick; large windows overlooking the city – tick; and a luxurious...
Known for its idyllic beaches, Hindu temples, and lush rainforests, Bali attracts millions of tourists each year. And after pandemic-related tourism disruptions, the popular travel destination is now officially welcoming back pre-pandemic tourism to the island, with the Indonesian government announcing quarantine-free travel to Bali yesterday. Effective immediately, the announcement means...
If there’s one ingrained, albeit positive, experience from the first lockdown of 2020, it would be gaining a new appreciation of the art of bread making. Like many others during the great panic buying of flour and yeast (let’s not go there with toilet paper), I also dabbled in making my own sourdough, more often than not with mixed results. So it’s no surprise that I find myself thinking of bread...
Cupitt’s Winery is a craft brewery, fromagerie and restaurant, just minutes from Milton and the coastal preciousness of Mollymook on NSW’s South Coast and a three and a half-hour drive from Sydney. It has been a hugely successful, open-to-all ‘destination’ venue for weddings, parties, anything (and many long lunches) for 18 years. So, it was only time the Cupitt (pronounced ‘cupid’ but with ‘tt’...
According to the latest Travel Trends Forecast for 2022, most of us plan to head outdoors opting for wellness and relaxation experiences out in nature in favour of inner-city stays. And if you’re looking to hike through rolling hills, sip coffee in quaint courtyards and catch up on some much-needed R&R, there are few places as perfect and picturesque as the Cotswolds in England. Located...
It’s our first weekend away after yet another Victorian lockdown and my children’s wishes are remarkably simple. “I want to sit in the sun and read,” says my eight-year-old son while my daughter, who is five, wants to watch birds through her new binoculars. Their wishlist takes a back seat when we pull up at our accommodation for the next two nights. Amid the blanket of green fields and grazing...