Checking in: Spicers Peak Lodge | Maryvale, AUSTRALIA
“Are you ready for this?” The other travel bunnie asked as he changed the car’s driving mode to off-road gravel. I nervously nodded, with butterflies fluttering in my stomach. We slowly navigated the long and winding unsealed road which eventually lead us to a lush mountain top. We had left Minibun George with the grandparents for a weekend getaway at Spicers Peak Lodge, a place that had been on our travel list, but we had delayed our visit for a long time due to their child-free policy.
As we pulled up into the driveway and stepped into the main lodge, straight away I was embraced by the homely warmth generated from the towering bluestone fireplace that was gently crackling away. We were offered some drinks before being lead out onto the terrace for a three-course lunch. The three-course lunch is only available on the weekends, in addition to the gourmet picnic hampers that guests receive at lunch, but before you frown, it’s far from an ordinary picnic hamper. That and you’ll be able to enjoy your lunch overlooking the vast World Heritage-listed Main Range National Park, one of Australia’s most scenic wilderness areas, with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot - cheers to that!
Lunch was absolutely delicious, and I wouldn’t expect less from The Peak Restaurant, a two chef hatted restaurant. Eating our lunch on the terrace under the cover of a lush creeping ivy canopy, overlooking the vast landscape in front of us was just such a peaceful moment to experience. The produce was fresh and the chefs in the kitchen had done a wonderful job at bringing out the best elements of each of the fresh ingredients. The Tillari pork, prunes, cauliflower, hazelnut for one, was so delicious; the tender, juicy meat paired perfectly with the sweetness of the plump prunes.
After lunch, we checked out our room, a Lodge Spa Suite. The decor of the suite was simple, nothing over the top but embraced everything Australian with great detail; think dark woods and timber flooring with a fireplace in the centre of the room. The king size bed was facing a sitting area overlooking Queensland’s idyllic Scenic Rim, I believe they wanted the views to do all the talking. We grabbed the soft Bemboka throw and a few drinks from the well stocked mini bar and headed out onto our terrace just to take in all the crisp fresh air.
We freshened up a little after taking a bike ride (well, attempted bike ride up to the top of a hill where a random red London telephone box is perched, until I ran out of breath a less than a hundred meters in…), and went to the pre—dinner drinks held in the lounge. We were just in time for sunset, so we took our wine glasses, walked upstairs and watched the sun go down on the upper balcony. That burnt orange colour of the skies took me back to the nights the other travel bunnie and I spent together in Santorini.
Dinner that night was a five-course affair paired with wines and I couldn’t have been more impressed. Hell, I was even impressed with the way our bread was presented! It came with burning Eucalyptus leaves and the butter was dee-lish. By the end of dinner, the other travel bunnie almost had to half-carry me out as I was that full I could have rolled all the way to our room. That night we fell asleep watching the flames curl and sway after a spot of stargazing in what was a magical, clear night’s sky…
When this place states all-inclusive, they really meant it. No need to take your credit card out during your stay as all food and drinks are included with the bar in the main lounge basically self-serve (if you can’t have a helpful staff member there trying to entice you with a top shelf tipple). Oh and Spa Anise is something that you don’t want to miss during your stay at the Spicers Peak Lodge and is worth getting your credit card back out.
The exceptional service that we received from the staff was the cherry on top of what was already a delightful, no - perfect experience! We were so happy with our stay here, we booked two more Spicers’ escapes when we got home. Now let the countdowns begin!
Bunnies’ Travel Notes
Bunnies’ Room Number: 10 – Lodge Spa Suite
Bath products: Appelles Apothecary & Lab
Perks that we loved: umm… it’s all inclusive!
Check-in/check-out times: 2pm - 11am
Time of stay: August 2016
What we paid: $1,299AUD
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