We all have those bucket list hotels. The hotels you dream of staying at one day in your life.
From The Ritz in London to The Plaza in New York and Atlantis in Dubai, the world is full of amazing places to spend the night.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to finally tick off one of my many bucket list hotels… and believe it or not… it was in our very backyard!
Located just under an hour from Penrith in historic Katoomba, Lilianfels has been on my hotel bucket list for about a decade.
I’ve visited there a few times over the years – whether it be for my father-in-law’s 60th or my nana’s 80th birthday, Lilianfels was the location for many family celebrations.
But while I’ve enjoyed a very fancy dinner at their multi-hatted restaurant Darley’s as well as traditional high tea in The Lounge of Lilianfels, I’ve never stayed the night.
Earlier this year, Lilianfels marked the start of a new chapter in its renowned history when it was rebranded to Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains.
Originally built in 1889 as the grand summer residence of Sir Frederick Darley, the heritage listed estate, near Echo Point, holds a storied history as a high-society icon, long celebrated for its late Victorian-early Federation architecture, immaculate English gardens and serene atmosphere overlooking the famous Jamison Valley.
In case you weren’t aware, the residence was named Lilianfels in honour of Darley’s daughter Lilian, with ‘fels’ meaning high ground in German – talk about a fun fact!
By the early 20th century, Lilianfels had become one of the Mountains’ most desirable private retreats, known for long lunches, summer gatherings and discreet escapes for Sydney’s social and political elite.
In 1901, it welcomed Queen Mary, then Duchess of York, during the royal tour celebrating Federation, and Australia’s first Prime Minister, Sir Edmund Barton, was also known to frequent the property during this period.
With so much history attached to this one-of-a-kind, heritage-listed accommodation, I couldn’t wait to finally be welcomed to the all-new Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains myself.
There’s never a bad time to stay in the Mountains, but I particularly enjoy it when it’s cool outside, kind of like it was when I visited there last month.
Top hotels have impeccable service, and this couldn’t have been more evident than at Lilianfels. Upon arrival, my wife and I were greeted by the friendly front desk staff and given a cup of tea before venturing up to our stunning suite on the top floor.
When I opened the door to our room, we were hoping for two things – a gorgeous King bed and a view of the picturesque Jamison Valley… and we got both!
I recently discovered that all 89 guest rooms and suites at Lilianfels have been completely redesigned since the takeover – think bespoke bedheads, custom textiles, unique patterns, statement furniture and marble-topped joinery.
Our suite was so mega that we even had a two-seater lounge, huge TV, coffee table, full-size bath and separate shower!
After getting acquainted with our room, the next thing on my list was to pop on my boardies, bathrobe and slippers, and experience the hotel’s all-new contemporary luxury day spa and wellness offering known as Èliva Blue Mountains.
The new spa brings an experience-led wellness offering to the Blue Mountains region, featuring soft, contemporary interiors across four treatment rooms, a recovery lounge with vibroacoustic bed, traditional saunas, steam rooms and mineral pools.
While the steam room was a touch too hot for me on this occasion, I particularly enjoyed jumping between the sauna and the mineral pool during my 45-minute thermal experience.
There’s nothing like a good sauna session to relax, unwind and sweat, of course!
Following my short but sweet stint at Èliva, I swung by The Lounge in the heart of the hotel to collect my wife, who was enjoying a giant chocolate brownie and a pot of tea while she waited for me – fancy!
Later that evening, we had a reservation for two at the much-talked about Darley’s Restaurant, which is located next door to the hotel.
Darley’s is the Blue Mountains’ signature fine dining destination, renowned for its fresh, local produce and fine wines.
For $150 per person, we were treated to three courses of fine contemporary Australian cooking, underpinned by classic French technique.
There were four entrées, four mains and four desserts to select from and you couldn’t go wrong with any of them, in my opinion. My wife and I shared half of the menu, and we considered it one of the best dining experiences of the year.
Not only were the food and cocktails first-class, but the service was gold standard and the restaurant itself – magnificent and steeped in history. Please dine here even if you don’t have a hotel reservation, you won’t be disappointed!
The following morning, after an awesome night’s sleep, we got out of our pyjamas and put on our activewear for a quick walk to The Three Sisters, just five to 10 minutes away by foot from Lilianfels.
Visiting this world famous landmark before the array of tourist busses arrive can only be achieved when staying somewhere as close as Lilianfels, and it was certainly worth the early wake up.
My wife and I then returned to the hotel just in time for one of the best buffet breakfasts we’ve ever had. We’ve had breakfast at many hotels around the world, but the selection that was on offer at Lilianfels’ new Orangery Restaurant knocked our socks off! It was honestly the ultimate way to start the new day and finish what was this dream stay.
If Ardour Lilianfels Blue Mountains has been on your hotel bucket list for a while, like it was ours, do yourself a favour and get that bloody thing ticked off!
Following the hotel’s recent multi-million dollar refurbishment, it’s now more appealing than ever, so go on… treat yourself!
Bookings can be made at www.worldsapart.club/ardour/lilianfels.
