Art Series Hotel, Melboune

Last weekend, Chris and I were up and away on our travels again! This time, we took the hour flight from Sydney to Melbourne for a much needed chilled weekend. After our snowboarding trip the week before it was nice to melt into a comfy hotel room and experience some of the eateries the city had to offer. I’ve only been to Melbourne one time before and loved the diversity of brunch options and European feel to the city. I’ve been eyeing up The Art Series Hotels for a while and personally enjoy staying at a boutique style establishment over a large hotel chain. I love flicking through a hotels online gallery when each room is designed uniquely. 

So what makes The Art Series different? Each hotel takes design inspiration from a well known artist from a different creative background. The first hotel we had the pleasure of staying was The Olsen, which has 229 rooms located on Chapel Street. The hotel is inspired by abstract artist, John Olsen. He redefines the Australian Landscape from an aerial perspective. We arrived at the hotel at dusk, and being in a penthouse room we were lucky to crack open a bottle of bubbles to admire the city scape. We were so tired from a busy week we decided to order sushi to the room, enjoying a cosy night in before seeing more of the hotel in the morning. The alarm was set early for a quick caffeine fix and a meet up with a Melbourne blogger (all to be revealed in a few days). I was intrigued by the artwork and to explore the design aspect more. The pool is amazing! And being half inside half out, the heated pool was definitely inviting, especially with the steam escaping through the beams up through the roof terrace. They also have a cute coffee stand outside reception with Parisian inspired wicker furniture! Definitely got snapped for my Instagram!

We decided to grab a cab over to the next Art Series Hotel, The Blackman which is located on St Kilda Road. Inspired by artist, Charles Blackman, his art is poetic and probes the delicate world of human relationships. We were a little early for check in so dined in the restaurant downstairs for a hearty brunch and chai latte. Thankfully our room was ready in quick time so enjoyed some complimentary fudge (yum!) and got cracking on shooting my editorial style post that was published earlier this week. The room was a fashion dream, the furnishings and decor complimented my outfit perfectly! Clean crisp white sheets with golden notes throughout, it oozed European style and class. We also had a great view of Albert Park and Port Phillip Bay. It would be a perfect place to stay if visiting Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. That evening we spoilt ourselves with Babu Burger where you design your own meal. Definitely a cheat day, I could no way finish mine! I think Chris was in hotel heaven being able to watch Fox Footy and his favourite team play in the comfort of our king sized bed! It’s so easy to have an early night in these hotels with the comfort of the beds and the quiet surroundings.

A visit to Melbourne wouldn’t be complete without a trip to H&M and breakfast at The Grain Store. I love trying new places to eat, but discovered this little gem when I visited for Fashion Week, and was thoroughly impressed. Although the weather is a little colder than Sydney, it was nice to get away for a chilled weekend after the snow. Make sure you check out one of their hotels next time you are there! 

Here’s the link to their website:

http://www.artserieshotels.com.au

Alpine Review: Trackers Mountain Lodge

Mountain life.....

Even though I’m from the UK, and mountains are a stones throw away, I have never actually been to an alpine resort! It’s been on my wish list since I was sixteen.  I remember forfeiting my first ski trip with the school to The Pyrenees in France to attend a National dance competition. The whole time I was showing off my Jazz hands I wanted to be throwing myself down a mountain, trying something new! Fourteen years have passed (don’t count my age!) and skiing was back on my mind. I honestly didn’t know that Australia had ski resorts until last year. Us Brits are brainwashed with parched fields, kangaroos and  TV show Neighbours, so this is a girl that moved to Australia with no coat.  No exaggeration! After researching the slopes here it was an easy decision to choose Falls Creek in Victoria., and Trackers Mountain Resort. The village is in the mountain and you can literally ski to your door. White snow and serene views. Definitely an Instagram dream!

After five snowboarding classes at In2Ski in Sydney, it was time to experience the REAL slopes, so ventured on a road trip this weekend to one of the most quaint, welcoming, family run hotels I’ve experienced in a long time. Our Honda HR-V got us there in one piece and always opt to travel with a bigger car for these kind of road trips. This new model isn’t as big as the CR-V that we took to the Blue Mountains recently but it was just as comfortable for the seven hour drive. 

When we pulled up to Falls Creek, Janette (the owner of Trackers) came to meet us with the snow buggy (puppy tagging along in the back). I knew after meeting Pup Pup the dog this weekend was going to be good! After a backy to the hotel door, a nice hot drink was in order and we arrived just at the right time! Afternoon tea is served daily between 3-5pm so it was nice to meet some of the other guests and take in the magnificent view of The Summit, which you could see from the dining room and also from our room! The sun was shining so didn’t want to miss a minute of photography in the glistening village. Chris and I took a walk around to familiarise ourselves with the surroundings. We must have struck gold, as by 6:30pm dinner was served back at our hotel. ALL 7 COURSES! We didn’t work up an appetite as much as our fellow guests, but gave the menu a good go. Janette and some of the other staff joined us for dinner and it was great sitting with the people that live and breath skiing for the winter season. That’s one thing I rate in a small hotel: personable owners. When I used to manage a small hotel after graduating university, I used to try and get to know the guests a bit at breakfast. That’s why people choose the small hotels, to get that extra special customer service from the heart. I have most certainly experienced excellent customer service at bigger chains (such as Pier One Sydney a few months back) but this hotel was a little different: It made me want to go back, and that’s the reason most of the guests are returning for their 3rd and 4th season. 

The mountain air is dry, so woke up on the second day with a terrible cold. That didn’t stop us from our first snowboarding experience in the real snow though!! A good hearty breakfast at the hotel consisted of homemade pancakes with maple syrup, bacon, eggs and fresh fruit. Was a fan go the fresh T2 teas available. We kind of chose the worst day in the year to head out to the slopes, it rained! After two hours with our instructor we were soaked to the bone! We called it a day and decided to pick up from where we left off on day three. After numerous Snapchats on the ski lift consisting of jingles and breathtaking views, we were pumped to try the mountains in the snow instead of rain! A couple of hours smashing the mountains we felt good to finally get the hang of it! 

I definitely recommend Falls Creek for beginner snowboarders and skiers, even intermediate or advanced level individuals who are looking for a resort within Australia. Trackers Mountain Lodge is the perfect spot that’s only a healthy ten minute walk to the lifts and bars. Plus you are fed and watered the whole time with friendly service and good homemade cuisine.  What more could you ask for! Did I mention endless tea and coffee too? Added bonus! And if you love dogs, you can make 2 new canine friends in the process. Heads up for all you bendy lot,  they are offering a yoga retreat this September! More info on their website here: 

http://www.trackers.com.au/contact-us/

Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains Review

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I ventured out of Sydney on a two hour drive to the Blue Mountains. Thankfully, Honda Australia helped out with their new CR-V 4x4. Don’t tell Honda this, but I rarely drive in Sydney so this was a bit of a treat for me despite the massiveness of the vehicle! It was a comfortable drive in luxury and style and the white car even matched my Instagram feed and love of white lol.

When arriving at Hydro Majestic the first eye opener was the location of the resort. Easily accessible with the train station opposite if travelling by public transport and the view:....BREATHTAKING. The hotel sits on the edge of a cliff, with an unobstructed view of open space and pure natural beauty. I honestly have never seen anything like it, and was eager to check out the rest of the grounds.

All white buildings: remind me of two things -  home, and Paris. Two places that have a place in my heart. For me, white architecture oozes class, elegance and aristocracy. I was already jotting down the spots to photograph my look for the evening which you can see in my previous post here. The resort spans over a kilometre atop a breathtaking escarpment in Australia’s World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park. When I said the resort sits on the edge of a cliff I wasn’t exaggerating! It makes you think that the architect had a lot of guts to build such a massive high risk structure, but over 100 years on the building is as beautiful and well maintained as ever.

The hotel opened it’s doors in the bitter winter of 1903, and that’s exactly the weather that we experienced when pulling up! For a Brit, I was definitely not dressed warm enough, but this didn’t stop us wondering around the grounds to grab a cup of coffee and a light lunch before a quick relaxing hour before photographing. 

The view from our room was spectacular, and I couldn’t help take it all in. The wind was whistling through the trees and I couldn’t help grab the throw off the bed to warm me up whilst watching darkness roll on in over the mountains. For dinner, we ventured to Darley’s restaurant for a three course meal. The dessert taster was scrumptious, but for a girl who loves chocolate fondant that was always going to win me over, obviously! 

Breakfast was an early affair in the lobby of the hotel. I liked the set up was relaxed dining, with a mix of continental and traditional Aussie breakfast. There were options to sit near the log fire, on sofa’s for a lazy approach, or at a table overlooking the heritage. FYI…..They had the best selection of pastries, just saying! 

All in all the trip was comfortable and relaxing, which is exactly what Chris and I like on our weekends. I definitely need another trip to this part of New South Wales but next time I will definitely rug up to venture into the wilderness. Our trip was short this time, but an extended stay will be on the cards in the near future.

More information and bookings can be made on their website:

http://www.hydromajestic.com.au

All photography is my own. To use this imagery, please email me and I will be more than happy to share the imagery with you. Thanks!