What's so special about it? Starve yourself for a week before checking in. Fine dining at Spicers Peak Lodge, a luxury retreat set in a farm surrounded by World Heritage-listed Main Range National Park, is an art form.
Where is it? This isolated property is about 130km west of Brisbane, in the Australian state of Queensland, and can be reached by road or helicopter.
What's the ambience like? It's a grand mountain hideaway with soaring ceilings, timber beams and floor-to-ceiling glass panels that provide vistas of picture-book countryside. The lodge was built three years ago using old Scottish bluestone and re-milled Blackbutt and Oregon timber, which give it an echo of times gone by.
Contemporary or historic? The overall design is contemporary: sleek black pots house dried plants, leather candle-holders decorate tables and timber floorboards contrast with a gleaming grand piano (above right). The palette of creams, caramels and chocolates complements the earthy tones of the countryside.
What about the rooms? There are only 10 suites, most with a veranda and fireplace made from Scottish stone, a king-sized bed, luxurious furnishings and CD and DVD players. Some even have a snug daybed fitted beneath a window. Bathrooms are stocked with L'Occitane products and spa rooms are equipped with circular baths.
What's there to do? Take long walks through the forest and pastures. The walk to Ryan's Lookout finishes with a spectacular wilderness view of craggy escarp-ments, magnificent peaks and a plunging valley, while the Lodge Plateau walk takes you through a 3,600-hectare working Scottish Highland cattle property. If walking is not your cup of tea, you can go mountain biking, play tennis or take a four-wheel-drive tour of the property.
