We recently spent our 15th Anniversary at our beloved Chateau Yering. Here’s my review from Trip Advisor.
During Melbourne’s cold and wet winters there’s only one place to be – Chateau Yering. For Melbournians this winter wonderland is a great escape, less than an hour from the CBD (unless you hit outbound traffic), it’s a short hop to venture back into a bygone era of elegance and sophistication.
The historic house (formerly a member of Relais & Châteaux) is set amongst heritage listed gardens and has been lovingly restored by Len Evans and team into a glorious boutique hotel of only 32 suites, each one generously furnished by Sue O’Brien with overstuffed beds and fine European antiques. The hotel boats several lounges and private dining spaces as well as a large function wing which is a popular place for wedding receptions.
Whilst we are regular guests and well known to the management and staff, I am constantly impressed with their desire to make every guest’s stay a memorable experience. This means that the well-trained staff often go well beyond their normal duty to facilitate almost any request. As food and beverage manager Cameron Hogarth says “We’re not always aware why people have chosen to stay with us. Staying in a luxury hotel could be something they do regularly or they may have saved up for months to be here. So it’s important that we make every guest feel special, that we treat them like royalty.” And that management philosophy really does permeate the organisation.
When you come to Chateau Yering, whether it be for lunch at Sweetwater with its breathtaking Atrium, dinner in the elegant surrounds of Eleonore’s, or to stay for a night or two, special is exactly what you feel. It starts with the hotel’s grand entrance and oversized portico which makes you feeling a little like Alice in Wonderland who partook of the ‘drink me’ bottle and has shrunk slightly. The abundant wood features and understated opulence of the furnishings and window treatments do make you feel as though you’re in a grand country estate – and that’s exactly the aim.
I have to admit there’s nothing quite as soul nurturing on a cold wet winters day as grabbing a good book and relaxing into one of the overstuffed armchairs or chesterfields in one of the lounges and feeling the radiant warmth of the roaring fire. It’s the perfect winter escape made only better by a glass or two of local Yarra Valley wine or even a fine Tokay or Muscat.
If you are staying overnight then whichever suite you’re in is sure to delight and even invoke a feeling of romance with its fine furnishings and floral touches, and well-appointed marble bathroom where you can take a long leisurely soak in the claw-foot bathtub. When you come to stay in a place like Chateau Yering the television is virtually redundant so it may be cleverly hidden in an armoire, which is exactly where it should stay. The rooms could benefit from the addition of a carefully placed digital radio tuned to SBS Chill or ABC Jazz, which would be a nice welcoming gesture. However there are a number of little touches in the room that make up for this omission, and part of the joy is discovering each one for yourself.
There really is something refreshing about good clean country air, so you’re sure to sleep soundly in the very comfortable bed. And in the morning you’re in for a treat with an abundant complimentary breakfast at Sweetwater Café. The buffet of fresh and poached fruits, bircher muesli, cereals, smoked salmon, cold cuts and cheeses are accompanied by a selection of fresh baked breads and croissant and Danish. But wait – there’s more – a full cooked to order breakfast also awaits even the most hearty appetite and will leave you well satisfied and ready to face the day ahead, whatever it may have in store.
Chateau Yering is the perfect base from which to go wine tasting in the Yarra Valley. Whilst Yering Station is staggering distance away, it’s best to venture further afield to discover some hidden gems and give your palate a work out. We recommend members of the Small Wineries of the Yarra Valley association – a group of boutique wineries in the valley whose wines are generally more reflective of vintage, terroir, and the valley’s sub regions than the bigger more well-known mass producers.
When venturing out there are also a number of other restaurants to try in the area, most offering fine cuisine. In house, Sweetwater Café does a superb lunch and has an extensive wine list to match. However if you’re wanting to dine somewhere particularly special, then Eleonore’s at Chateau Yering is the only choice for dinner – it rates a chef’s hat from the Good Food Guide and is led by executive chef Mathew Macartney whose food constantly rivals that of the world’s best.
Whatever you have planned in the Valley, including an experience at Chateau Yering as a part of your visit will instil happy memories that I am sure you will cherish for a lifetime.