New South Wales - Australia 2004 - page 195

while a gentle 30-minute trail winds through the bush. There's a pleasant guest
lounge with an open fireplace and a bar. The inn's restaurant, Chez Pok, is an
upscale establishment with mismatched china and pretty good country food.
Ekerts Rd., Pokolbin, NSW 2321. & 02/4998 7596. Fax [phone]. www.peppers.com.au. 47 units, 1 cot-
tage. Weekend rates (minimum 2-night stay): A$277 (US$180) colonial double; A$303 (US$197) classic dou-
ble; A$315 (US$205) vintage double; A$347 (US$225) heritage suite. Weekday rates (including buffet
breakfast): A$273 (US$177) colonial double; A$283 (US$184) classic double; A$292 (US$190) vintage dou-
ble; A$327 (US$213) heritage suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; small heated indoor pool; outdoor
lighted tennis court; bike rental; laundry service; nonsmoking rooms. In room:A/C, TV, minibar, coffeemaker,
hair dryer, iron.
Expensive
Carriages Guest House Tucked away on 15 hectares (37 acres), a kilo-
meter off the main road, Carriages is a secluded retreat in the heart of Pokolbin.
A two-suite cottage called the Gatehouse is on a separate part of the grounds. In
the main two-story house, a veranda circles downstairs rooms, which are fur-
nished with antique country pine. Upstairs, the two lofty gable suites are centered
around huge fireplaces. The Gatehouse suites offer five-star luxury; although rel-
atively new, the stained-glass windows and rescued timber give them a rustic feel
(these two Jacuzzi rooms share a lounge with a full kitchen and an open fire).
There are open fires in six of the rooms. (The two standard doubles don't have
them.) Breakfast is served in your room, and Robert's Restaurant is next door.
The friendly owner, Ben Dawson, assures me he'll take Frommer's readers up to
the top of a nearby hill where they can see plenty of wild kangaroos.
Halls Rd., Pokolbin, NSW 2321. & 02/4998 7591. Fax [phone]. www.thecarriages.com.au. 10 units.
A$185 (US$120) double; A$240-A$265 (US$156-US$172) suite; A$285 (US$185) Jacuzzi suite. Rates
include breakfast. Minimum 2-night stay on weekends. Ask about 10%-20% discounts midweek. AE, MC,
V. Amenities: Large heated outdoor pool; outdoor lighted tennis court; Jacuzzi; massage; babysitting, laun-
dry service; nonsmoking rooms. In room:A/C, TV, kitchenette, fridge, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
Hermitage Lodge If you want to be in the heart of vineyard country, stay at
this property, which is surrounded by vineyards. Standard rooms are large,
sunny, and nicely decorated, and come with a queen-size bed and a double sofa
bed. The spa suites are larger with queen-size beds and double sofas, cathedral
ceilings, Jacuzzis, and separate showers. The more expensive suites have a sepa-
rate bedroom and bathrobes. Breakfast is served in all rooms. Il Cacciatore
restaurant is one of the best in the region.
At Gillards and McDonalds roads, Pokolbin, NSW 2320. & 02/4998 7639. Fax [phone]. www.ozemail.
com.au/~hlodge. 10 units. Weekend rates A$220 (US$143) standard double; A$240 (US$156) spa suite. Mid-
week rates A$145 (US$94) standard double; A$165 (US$107) spa suites. Extra person A$15 (US$9.75). Min-
imum 2-night stay on weekends. Rates include continental breakfast. Ask about midweek packages. AE, MC,
V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; medium-size outdoor pool; golf course nearby; Jacuzzi; bike hire (free for
Frommer's readers); limited room service; babysitting; free self-service laundry; nonsmoking rooms. In room:
A/C, TV, fridge, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
Moderate
Vineyard Hill Country Motel Motel is a bit of a misnomer for this place;
it's more aptly described as a “fully self-contained chalet.” Units are modern,
with a separate bedroom, lounge and dining area, a full kitchen, and a balcony
with views across a valley of vineyards to the Brokenback Ranges in the distance.
It's all terrifically rural, with cows wandering about and kangaroos and possums
creeping around at dusk. There's no restaurant, but there is a gourmet deli on
the premises. In the garden are a large swimming pool and a Jacuzzi.
Lovedale Rd., Pokolbin, NSW 2321. & 02/4990 4166. Fax [phone]. www.vineyardhill.com.au. 8 units.
Weekend rates A$155 (US$100) 1-bedroom unit; A$218 (US$142) 2-bedroom unit (for 4 people). Midweek