What is it? In the mid 19th century, for wealthy farmer Andrew Chirnside and his family, this stately pile was simply 'home'. Smart renovations and additions have since transformed this grand 'English' country house into a 91-room boutique retreat with a spa, a restaurant and a winery, all amid bucolic splendour a mere 30 minutes from Melbourne Airport. Hotel guests can wander through the house and its manicured grounds, in which British aristocrats visiting the 'colonies' were once lavishly entertained. Polo tournaments are still played on Chirnside Oval, which saw its first game in 1877. Dappled pathways descend to a picturesque river aflutter with bird life, and century-old orchards supply the hotel's kitchen with quinces, apples, pears and stone fruit. Overhead, sparse gum trees and faded eucalyptus leaves paint a classic Australian landscape against a brilliant blue sky.
What are the rooms like? Plump white duvets are the last word in comfort in rooms that echo the subtle hues of the Australian bush. Taupe carpet, espresso-tinted timber and pale eucalypt-green walls are hung with botanical prints. Behind frosted-glass doorways are sleekly modern bath- rooms with stainless-steel vanities, white baths and pale green tiles. In each room, there's a chocolate 'card' inscribed with, 'Welcome to the Mansion' alongside polished strawberries and chocolate dipping sauce. Fluffy white toweling robes and slippers hang ready for spa visits while, downstairs, the library is designed for fireside contemplation and there's a computer for those who simply must stay in the loop.
What about dining? Seasonality is the name of the game. Guests dine on produce from the Mansion's market gardens and a prolific kitchen garden planted with heirloom tomatoes, rhubarb, zucchini and a multitude of herbs. Joseph's Restaurant and Bar serves balanced, authentic flavours with flair in dishes such as confit duck, passion-fruit-dressed leaves, peppered figs with yogurt and smoked eel with radicchio. Open for breakfast and dinner, Joseph's barista beverages run from macchiatos to hot chocolates and guests are encouraged to gather herbs from the kitchen garden as fragrant reminders of their visit.
What else is there to do? In this aesthetically calming environment, there's a sculpture park to amble around and a day spa in a raw concrete building of minimalist modernity that complements the Mansion's neoclassic architecture. A dramatic 17-metre rectangle indoor pool precedes the spa. The neighbours include zebras, rhinoceros, giraffes and lions, which roam Werribee Open Range Zoo.