The Golden Door, Hunter Valley, Australia

January 2014

For my mothers birthday this year I took her for the long weekend to The Golden Door Health Retreat - Elysia in the Hunter Valley.

Locating a dry retreat in one of Australia's top wine regions is a bit strange, but it was a stunning spot for it.

As soon as you enter the Golden Door you relax, it might be the sound of the running water, it might be the crisp white tiles.

Stay

Mum and I stayed in a two bedroom villa, overlooking the Hunter Valley. The biggest surprise was that it had a full kitchen (oven and microwave!) and both rooms had a full bath.

Eat
This was my biggest concern, the food. Would I enjoy it, would there be enough of it (I thought about packing contraband i.e. anything food related but decided that would defeat the point, but I needn't have worried. The food was fresh, it was flavoursome and it was just enough to make you feel full but not overloaded.

Breakfast dishes...

Omelettes

Rice porridge with orange and coconut

Yogurt with fruit and muesli

Lunch dishes....

Turkey salad

Fish curry

Dinner dishes....

Vegetable soup with...

Thai fish cakes

Barramundi with...

Coconut ice cream..yes ice cream!

Hungry yet?

Do

You can do as much or as little as you want here. There are plenty of new things to try and if you don't like it don't do it again. We tried:

• Tai Chi at 6:30 am on Meditation hill

• Deep water running at 7 am before breakfast in the indoor pool
  
• 10K hike, which had a spectacular view
  
• Indoor cycle (aka spin)
• Pilates
• Yoga
• Stretch
• Some downtime in the lounge area
  

 So would I recommend a stay at the Golden Door. Absolutely. We had three days and for me that was a good length of time (most stay between 5 - 7 days, some over 2 weeks!). But watch for specials.

Restaurant Botanica, Spicers, Hunter Valley

July 2013

Since we were arriving late we thought we'd try the onsite restaurant Botanica.

They have their own garden and I have to say the highlight of the meal was the fresh herbs and heirloom vegetables, as well as the freshly baked bread.

They have a two course for $63 or 3 course of $75 pp. We went for the two courses and everyone ordered something different.

SEARED SCALLOPS

Cauliflower velouté, crisp pancetta and shaved fennel 
Two of us ordered this one...

ROBARTA GRILLED CALAMARI

Filled with pork and caramelised ginger, with a tomato, kaffir lime and coriander sambal

BEEF FILLET

Horseradish butter, kipflers, celeriac cream

SLOW ROASTED LAMB

Blackened eschallots, heirloom carrots, chestnut cream

CARAMELISED PORK BELLY

Soy, ginger, shallot and Botanica's garden greens

Emersons at Pokolbin, Hunter Valley

July 2013

Emerson's was only down the road from our hotel, and since we'd spent most of the day eating all we had was mains! The food was delicious, but a little bit more fussy.

All mains were $39 and servings were generous.

The bread was warm and the butter delicious

They had a gin and elderflower cocktail that caught my eye so I ordered it minus the gin 

They provided a "sip" of pumpkin soup to start 

Roasted Black Angus Sirloin

Baked Ash Coated Pork Fillet & Slow Roasted Pork Belly 

Slow cooked lamb rump

Spicers, Hunter Valley

July 2013

For a girls weekend away my sister, mother and I stayed at Spicers Vineyards Estate in the Hunter Valley. The service was great, the food was fantastic and it was a great place just to relax.

There was three of us in the same room, and with the pull out bed there was more than enough room.

The bathroom was also spacious, with the spa bath ready and waiting....

 Breakfast was included, and was full of variety and scrumptious.

Weekend in the Hunter, NSW, Australia

July 2013

This was a girls weekend, with me, my sister and my mum leaving Sydney early afternoon of the Friday. The weather held out all weekend and although it was fresh (cool), it was sunny, allowing us to make the most of the outdoors. There's always plenty to do and it was hard to narrow it down, especially with the Chocolate festival on....


Stay
Spicers Vineyard - highly recommended, great service and a great atmosphere for a quiet get away, breakfast was an added bonus.

Eat
Botanica - the onsite restaurant for Spicers had fabulous food, fresh, tasty and just the right portion sizes

Emersons - another favourite in the Hunter, and the degustation menu seemed to be popular (we didn't have it)

We also had lunch at Taste of the Country in the Hunter Valley Gardens Village. Mum and I shared the cheese platter for 2, and it could have easily feed all three of us.

Do
Hunter Valley Gardens - the chocolate festival was on this weekend for an added bonus

Peppers Creek Antiques

Tempus Two Cellar Door

Hunter Valley Cheese Shop

Pukara Estate Olive Tasting Room

Run down Hermitage Road, the weather was perfect for a nice 13Km from the hotel, just watch out for cars as there's not a lot of room on the side of the road