Hotel Review: VIBE North Sydney
The silly season is killing me. The drinking, the lack of sleep and the failure to eat anything larger than a 50c piece at parties means that I am turning from a normal human into a canape-eating zombie. The bags under my eyes need porters. It was an immense relief when I checked into VIBE [...]
Fraser Suites, Sydney
I love hotel rooms in the same way The Cookie Monster appreciates cookies. I really love them. The first time I ever stayed in a hotel was on a school excursion to Canberra. I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. When you grow up in the country, it’s easy to get excited about a budget motor inn [...]
Medina Grand, Adelaide
Secret tunnels, hidden courtyards and private chambers give the Medina Grand Treasury a very appealing Downton Abbey-ishness. It’s easy to succumb to flights of fancy involving Lords, wicked corsetry and French silk frocks … but I digress. This elegant sandstone hotel is situated in the cultural heartland of downtown Radelaide for maximum convenience. Rundle Mall is [...]
Yulefest at The Carrington: Best. Weekend. Ever.
There is something exciting about a girl’s weekend – the delicious promise of wine, shopping and maniacal laughter. A little while back, I was lucky enough to win a night at The Carrington for Yulefest so I decided to take two of my lady friends on a fake Christmas adventure. Arriving at the hotel, you [...]
Views with a room: Norfolk Island Accommodation Review
On my recent visit to Norfolk, I was lucky enough to get a behind-the-scenes peek at the accommodation options. The major highlight of nearly every place was the view from the rooms; verdant hills, pines and glistening blue water. The main trend on the island is toward self-catering options so the rooms come complete with [...]
Hotel Review: The Hermitage Lodge, Hunter Valley NSW
When I booked a two-night stay at The Hermitage Lodge in the Hunter Valley for a special price of $500 (it’s normally $700), my internal monologue muttered, ‘It had better be good …. mutter, mutter, mutter’. I tend to think of things in terms of rent and that’s almost a whole weeks’ worth at Chateau [...]
Pine Rose Inn, Oakhurst, CA
There are some upsides to winging it in the accommodation game. One of those upsides is Pine Rose Inn. The freshly minted First Husband and I went on a US road trip for the first part of our honeymoon. We landed in LA, drove up the Big Sur to Hearst Castle and then backtracked through [...]
Hotel Review: Crowne Plaza Melbourne
There is something to be said for reading your emails properly. My colleague sent me a hotel confirmation last week and I glanced at it and saw the word, ‘Crown’ and immediately thought, ‘Casino!’ which then lead to a whole mental soundtrack of ‘Viva Las Vegas’. Guess what? There are about four hotels in Melbourne [...]
Hotel Review: Vibe Hotel Rushcutters
There is something undeniably delicious about staying in a hotel in your hometown. It’s a bit like drinking Champagne in your pyjamas – all the pleasure without any of the inconvenience. When my very dear friend Tess asked me if I would like to stay at Vibe Hotel Rushcutters, I couldn’t accept quickly enough. I [...]
