The city of Adelaide is famous for its festivals, gardens and churches. But, drive just 20-minutes out of town, and you’ll find yourself immersed in the world-class wineries, multicultural fine food offerings and luxurious lodgings of Adelaide Hills, where the experiences are as enchanting as the surroundings.
The Mount Lofty Ranges stretch for over 300 kilometres from the southernmost point of the stunning Fleurieu Peninsula at Cape Jervis, to just north the historic railway town of Peterborough.
Adelaide Hills, the part of the ranges closest to South Australia’s capital city, is home to the highest point of the entire domain. Stretching 710 metres above sea level, it’s an ideal place for visitors to stop and admire sweeping views of the city and its surroundings.
A lofty pair of lodgings
Perched atop stunning Mount Lofty, with views across the Piccadilly Valley, you will find two 5-star retreats on one incredible estate. These adults-only properties set the scene for a gastronomical getaway, enclosed by steep, terraced vineyards producing premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wines.
The 14-suite, adults-only Sequoia Lodge can be found on a 30-acre property peppered with towering sequoia trees that lend the luxury lodge its name. The world’s largest and tallest trees, these beauties only grow in California and Australia. Below them, the colourful natural setting blends seamlessly into the Adelaide Hills Botanic Gardens.
My partner and I enjoy a complimentary drink upon arrival, before being shown to our suite. Designed by the lodge’s owner David Horbelt, each room boasts bespoke wooden cabinetry made from softly textured Australian timbers, a stone-clad fireplace, and an elegant sunken lounge complete with a large leather couch and a complimentary mini-bar.
Each suite also features an original oil painting by resident artist Stephen Trebilcock, who’s renowned for capturing unique native florals in shimmering colours. Our room is graced with a canvas of arum lilies.
Our king-sized bed is framed by a warmly lit 60s-style wood panelled wall, and looks up at a large ‘moon window’ for stargazing in the evening.
The bathroom is an experience in itself, with switchable privacy windows (now you see me, now you don’t),
a multi-directional shower, and luxury, sustainably made toiletries from iconic South Australian skincare company, Jurlique.
As the sun sets across the stunning vista, we step outside onto our private east-facing balcony and relax on the daybed with a glass of bubbles.
Sequoia introduces guests to the abundance of Adelaide Hills by inviting them to partake in 32 signature offerings. We join others for morning yoga on the grass, enjoy daily breakfast in the lounge, take dips in the spring-fed artesian hot pools, sample local spirits in a mixology class, and try our hand at beekeeping on a guided tour.
There’s also plenty of exciting off-site experiences, where guests can go behind-the-scenes with luxury brands and explore untouched landscapes. Drive a supercar past gullies, creeks and vineyards, or charter a helicopter and whizz across the valley to meet award-winning winemakers at their cellar doors.
When it comes to dining, the ever-changing offerings at Sequoia celebrate the best local produce, from organic duck breast served with pomme dauphine, roasted rainbow carrot and Penfolds Grandfather jus, to house-made gnocchi with Section 28 cream cheese, roasted macadamia and pear. The wine list is as superb as the culinary delights, with friendly, incredibly knowledgeable staff always on hand to recommend perfect pairings. You can choose to enjoy dinner in the comfortable lodge lounge, on-site restaurants, or in your suite for complete privacy.
Get your Gatsby on at Mount Lofty House
At the other end of the estate is the legendary Mount Lofty House, which was built by British-born barrister, pastoralist, and politician Arthur Hardy in 1852. He was known to host many extravagant soirees for Adelaide’s elite, infamous for being wild and indulgent.
The grand house later served as a commune, before sadly burning to the ground during the fires of Ash Wednesday in 1983. Thankfully, it was rebuilt in all of its Gatsby-esque splendour, and now offers guests a luxurious experience that British royalty would readily embrace.
It would be easy to stay in our beautiful suite with its four-poster bed and 19th century furnishings, including green velvet armchairs and thick drapes, but there’s also a library, lounge room, billiard room and whisky bar to visit, as well as a gallery for more of Stephen Trebilcock’s work.
Like its sister lodge, Mount Lofty House offers 21 immersive experiences for us to choose from, including tours of the 175-year-old wine cellar, relaxing walks through the adjoining Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens, and daily drinks in the whisky bar.
The hotel is also home to Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant – a three-hat restaurant renowned for its delightful degustation. Our table looks out over the Piccadilly Valley, and we watch the sky change from blue to pink as each of our seven courses is brought out by servers who explain the chef’s vision. Think bluefin tuna with
a sorrel emulsion, roast aged duck with sour plum compote and emu bush oil, and muntari berry sorbet with ricotta and fennel pollen. Dishes can be matched with wines, but we spend our time selecting a wine from more than 1,300 bottles lining the historic 1852 wine cellar.
If you have a sweet tooth, Hardy’s Verandah also has a wonderful high tea experience, and Martha Hardy’s Restaurant offers two-or three-course dinners from an à la carte menu.
The estate is also home to Gatekeeper’s Day Spa, which is housed in a stunning heritage-listed cottage complete with a white picket fence. Guests can indulge in a full-body Swedish massage, a premium facial, or a signature full-body treatment, and then enjoy the hot and cold therapies, including ice baths, a sauna and a spa.
For those who want to get their adrenaline pumping in style, there’s an on-site tennis court, gym, and large pool to dive into.
A wine tour like no other
The Adelaide Hills wine region is home to more than 90 wine labels and 50 cellar doors. With some vineyards perched up to 650 metres above sea level, cool climate drops are a specialty in these parts. In fact, Adelaide Hills is renowned for cool climate chardonnay and pinot noir, as well as exemplary sparkling wines produced using traditional method (méthode traditionnelle) techniques.
To learn as much as we can while enjoying a tipple, we join a tour hosted by Experience SA. Owner and local wine expert, David James, picks us up from the hotel in his air-conditioned car, and takes us on a tour of the region while sharing fast facts about the winemaking process and discussing his own collection of more than 1,300 fine wines.
Each of the company’s drivers has undergone internationally recognised certification, meaning they can offer fascinating insights and behind-the-scenes details about the entire winemaking process from grape to bottle.
Experience SA has close relationships with a selection of family-owned wineries and cellar doors, thoughtfully chosen for their friendly atmospheres, top-quality wines, and exceptional hands-on experiences. No matter what varietals you prefer, the team will curate a perfect experience, including a platter of delicious local produce for lunch.
We stop at Nepenthe, Cobbs Hill, and Pike & Joyce. At each cellar door, we’re greeted by passionate staff who learn about our wine preferences and design a guided tasting to share the best drops for our palettes. We’re overwhelmed by the generosity of the locals, and leave feeling like part of the family.
With Experience SA, you can also tour the Barrosa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Eden Valley and Longhorns Creek.
Trail rides and tastings
The next morning, we drive 20 minutes from Mount Lofty House to Petaluma Wines, known for its cool-climate chardonnay and picturesque setting.
Here, amongst rows of grape vines on slopes up to 550 metres in altitude, we join a horse trail ride and wine tasting experience run in collaboration with the husband-and-wife duo from Hallmark Farm – Megan and James. Megan is a dual Olympian and Equestrian Hall of Fame member, and James and the team are also expert riders. On their farm, the couple rehabilitate and care for their many beloved horses, with a special focus on retired racing horses.
We get to know our horses on a 45-minute trail ride. I straddle a calm and gentle ex-hunting horse called Cappuccino, and my partner is on a retired polo horse known as Tiny (an apt name for his size). As we ride, James shares how he came to own each horse, and spins fascinating stories about the rides, competitions and hardships that define his career.
Guests can also sign up for a Romantic Trail Ride, where couples ride through the vineyards and then wrap up with a wine tasting and a platter of delicious treats for two, or the Morning Horse Ride & Brunch, which includes croissants and a tasting of Croser sparkling wines.
For horse fanatics, the VIP Trail Ride & Lunch includes a trail ride hosted by Megan, followed by a private lunch where you can hear all about her Olympic experiences.
At the end of our tour, we return to the cellar door for a refreshing wine tasting, a cheese platter, and a chat with other visitors in the welcoming, open-plan cellar door located inside a renovated farm shed.
As I sip on a crisp chardonnay, I look around and think – what a great way to sum up our getaway – fine food, exceptional wine, and tailored experiences that you won’t find elsewhere in the country.
To discover more must-try food and wine experiences in South Australia, click here.
Rex flies to Adelaide. For more information, head to the Rex website or check out the route map below.
