TH E W E E K E N D BO LT H O L E S
Pretty Beach House NSW There is really only one way to arrive here: 20 minutes by
heated plunge pool, the main pool, where guests can hang
seaplane from Sydney’s Rose Bay, flying north over celeb-
over the edge on a warm night and stare into oblivion as
magnet Palm Beach. Then it’s just a few minutes’ rumble up
the heat and eucalypt fragrances drift up the hill, is the
a steep lane until you are greeted with a hot chocolate, if
most inviting. The use of natural and reclaimed materials
it’s chilly, or lemon myrtle and rosella iced tea, if it’s warm.
allows the main residence to blend into the shady hill.
A large boulder featuring indigenous carvings is where Gavi,
Sandstone and marine-grade hardwood predominate as
an indigenous local, “welcomes you to Country” with a dab
flooring, with stout timber supports from a disused bridge
of ochre. This little miracle opened for business just a few
repurposed in the lodge. Elegant Italian Busatti table linen,
weeks ago and sits atop a wooded hill, overlooking a distant
Limoges porcelain, Riedel glasses and a million dollars of art
sparkling bay. The original building was destroyed by fire in
all speak of the designer Michelle Leslie’s eye for luxury.
2012 and although, sadly, some trees never made it, a new
Super-chef Stefano Manfredi was snared to work his magic
and stellar view to the bay emerged. All four secluded one-
in the kitchen: his grilled local crayfish with zinging “salsa
bedroom pavilions can be booked together. Top pick, and
piccante” is often served in the atrium dining room, down
the largest, is called The Retreat, located within the lodge
a small flight of steps. It’s the beating heart of this
itself. The rest are located just a few minutes apart, through
eucalyptus-green beauty. 0061 2 4360 1933;
gnarly angophora woods. While each pavilion has its own
prettybeachhouse.com; doubles from £515, full-board
distance learning Pretty Beach House (above) and Angel Wing (below) offer chic respite for the bushwhacked. Remote Pumphouse Point in Tasmania (right) is in a watery wilderness
Angel Wing NSW Deep in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, this is a place where diamond-sharp luxury meets ancient wilderness. The focus here is nature. From the air, Angel Wing can’t be seen, as its flat roofs, when full of rainwater, reflect the sky. Treats include sitting in the evening around the firepit, sucking up the silence, and waking up to epic Megalong Valley views from one of the four bedrooms. This is a mini-hotel space that’s been designed for guests who don’t mind fixing their own food and whose idea of bliss is lying in a claw-footed bath looking at acres of nothing. 0061 2 9331 2881; contemporaryhotels.com.au; doubles from £515
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