By Mark Chipperfield
Eat and sleep ... Thorn Park by the Vines in the Clare Valley.
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Prairie Hotel, Parachilna
Parachilna (population seven) is an outback town from central casting, with its colonial stone pub, dusty main street and views to the distant horizon. The awe-inspiring landscape has attracted many filmmakers (Holy Smoke, Rabbit-Proof Fence and Gallipoli were all filmed around here) but in more recent years the main lure as been the hotel's fabulous feral food: kangaroo, goat, camel, emu, yabbies, quandongs and bush tomatoes. And don't miss the delicious saltbush mutton, known locally as "dija". Jane Fargher's lavish "feral-food platters" go well with a glass of Coopers Pale Ale or South Australian white wine. Located 490 kilometres north of Adelaide, Parachilna is the perfect base from which to explore the Flinders Ranges.
West Terrace, Parachilna, (08) 8648 4844, see prairiehotel.com.au. Luxury suites from $225 a night. Feral tasting plate $28.
The Stirling Hotel, Adelaide Hills
A leisurely 20-minute drive from downtown Adelaide, Stirling is in the heart of the Adelaide Hills wine-growing region, within striking distance of 50 cellar doors and local landmarks such as Hahndorf and the Mount Lofty lookout. The new-look Stirling Hotel, a transformed country pub, offers five luxurious suites and two dining options: a funky bistro and the more upmarket Grill. Bistro fare is relaxed, eclectic and contemporary, with a good choice of curries, steaks, schnitzels and gourmet pizzas, while The Grill showcases fine regional seafood, duck, beef and other produce (entrees $16-$28, mains $26-$34). After dinner, guests can enjoy a drink at the beautifully restored bar, wander out on to the terrace or retreat upstairs to their rooms, which are each equipped with wide-screen TV, iPod docking station and well-stocked minibar.
52 Mount Barker Road, Stirling, (08) 8339 2345, see stirlinghotel.com.au. King rooms from $230 a night, balcony rooms from $280 a night.
Thorn Park by the Vines, Clare Valley
Every wine-growing region in Australia deserves a property such as Thorn Park by the Vines, a stylish and intimate country hideaway in the heart of the Clare Valley. The lavishly furnished contemporary building consists of just two enormous suites - the white room and the yellow room - with an ornate dining room, open kitchen and reading room. Each suite is immaculate, with beautifully restored antique furniture, rich drapes, Turkish rugs and well-chosen artworks. A third suite is due to open towards the end of the year. Hosts David Hay and Michael Speers are well-loved local identities and the cornerstone of any stay here is Hay's inventive food. The talented chef also runs cooking masterclasses (by appointment only). The setting, amid vineyards, gum trees and overlooking an ornamental lake, makes this a charming escape.
Quarry Road, Sevenhill via Clare Valley, (08) 8843 4304, see thornpark.com.au. A dinner, bed and breakfast package is $650 a person a night (white room) and $590 a person a night (yellow room). Bed and breakfast option available, two-night minimum booking.
The Louise, Barossa Valley
Surrounded by vineyards, The Louise is a small country lodge offering 15 beautifully designed suites - plus Appellation, a multi-award-winning restaurant under the direction of executive chef Mark McNamara. Many guests venture here simply to experience Appellation's signature 10-course Wine Flight Tasting Menu. McNamara is passionate about Barossa regional cuisine and his menu reflects this earthiness and seasonality. A newer addition to the property is Appellation's Wine Bar & Terrace - a delightful place to enjoy fine valley views and a glass of South Australian wine, an aperitif or cocktail. Those lucky enough to spend the night at The Louise will enjoy a handsome suite equipped with the type of comforts (high-speed internet, wide-screen televisions, Bose CD players) you might find in an international five-star city hotel; except these suites are incredibly spacious, with walk-in wardrobes, enormous bathrooms, private terraces and, in some cases, fireplaces. A well-stocked minibar and espresso machine are standard fittings. The property also contains a luxury three-bedroom private vineyard residence, the Atrium at Greenock Creek, which can sleep up to six guests. Some of the Barossa's best artisan winemakers are on the doorstep. The Louise offers a number of food-themed packages, including a chef's tour of the Barossa Farmers Market.
Corner Seppeltsfield and Stonewell roads, Marananga, (08) 8562 2722, see thelouise.com.au. Suites from $429 a night (midweek).
The Australasian
An hour's drive from Adelaide, the river port of Goolwa offers fine coastal scenery, river trips along the Murray and easy access to McLaren Vale, the Coorong and Fleurieu Peninsula. The Australasian is a five-suite boutique hotel in the heart of Goolwa. Owners Juliet Mitchell and Deborah Smalley spent six years transforming the old corner pub into a luxury getaway with a distinctly Japanese flavour. The rooms are exquisitely decorated with Asian antiques, modernist light fittings and magnificent framed kimonos. Each of the suites is individually themed and has a chic en suite bathroom, wide-screen television, DVD/CD player and minibar; some have private decks and open fireplaces. The Australasian serves delicate, Japanese-influenced dishes created by Mitchell, a talented chef - her orange and miso-marinated duck breast is brilliant. These East-meets-West evening meals are served in the hotel's bohemian downstairs dining room; during the warmer months guest can also eat outdoors on the upper deck. Three-course set menu meals (Saturday night) are $55 a person. Nightly tariffs include a bento breakfast box delivered to your room.
1 Porter Street, Goolwa, (08) 8555 1088, see australasian1858.com. Bed and breakfast from $275 (Sunday to Thursday) to $325 (Friday, Saturday, two-night minimum booking).
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