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Most Beautiful Blue Mountains Accommodation from Grand Hotels to Luxury Lodges. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia.

Most Beautiful Blue Mountains Accommodation from Grand Hotels to Luxury Lodges

Most beautiful Blue Mountains accommodation includes grand Art Deco hotels on clifftop escarpments overlooking vast valleys, remote eco-friendly lodges serving Australian cuisine from fresh local produce and garden cottages on sprawling estates.

Encompassing a whopping 11,400 km² of native Australian bushland, rocky escarpments, dramatic rock formations, stupendous valleys, pockets of rainforest, spectacular caves, and quaint towns and villages, the Blue Mountains west of Sydney in New South Wales is one of Australia’s main tourist destinations. And it’s a magic part of the country.

While Sydneysiders see the Blue Mountains as a year-round escape, typically for weekends, but also retreating for longer stays for gourmet getaways, hiking trips, family holidays, and honeymoons, foreign visitors can spend as little as a day and night at the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park, despite the fact that it’s a must-do for most travellers.

It’s a shame, as the pristine Blue Mountains are home to lodgings of the kind you want to settle into for a while, offering wonderful food and wine from the region, magnificent gardens, gob-smacking views, and a sense of history. The most beautiful Blue Mountains accommodation ranges from everything from eco-friendly luxury lodges in wildlife reserves to grand hotels perched on the edge of cliffs with breathtaking valley views.

These are our picks of the most beautiful Blue Mountains accommodation.

Most Beautiful Blue Mountains Accommodation – from Luxury Lodges to Grand Hotels

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley

The most beautiful Blue Mountains accommodation is to be found at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Australia’s first conservation-driven luxury lodge, dedicated to sustainable practices and protection, regeneration and conservation of surrounding pristine wilderness and its flora and wildlife.

Set on 7,000 acres of reserve in remote Wolgan Valley in the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park, 3 hours from Sydney, the drive here is as breathtaking as the destination. Crossing the Blue Mountains you can punctuate your journey with stops at sights such as the magnificent Three Sisters rock formation.

Then there’s the picturesque driving to Lithgow, after which you travel along Wolgan Road, which winds it’s way through The Gap as gobsmacking views of the rugged escarpment and forested valley unfurl. The resort is at the southern end of the valley, at the base of Mount Wolgan and Donkey Mountain.

Consisting of 40 sumptuous villa suites, each with a big stone fireplace, four-poster bed, spa bathroom, terrace, and private pool, the resort offers plenty of activities including guided bush walks, 4WD safaris, horse riding, stargazing, archery, mountain biking, and conservation activities. There are also history tours of the property, which include the original homestead built in 1832.

The exquisite contemporary Australian cuisine served in the Wolgan Dining Room and the providore-inspired Country Kitchen is based on the finest seasonal and, where possible organic, regional produce, sourced from within 160km of the property, including local Blue Mountains boutique farms, private growers, and vintners.

Book Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley with our booking partner Booking.com

Psst… Luxury Escapes has an incredible offer at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley – ending in 9 days! – for 3 nights from AUD $4,499 (valued up to AUD $8,100) for two adults in a Heritage Villa with private swimming pool, all-inclusive dining including daily breakfast, daily three-course lunch, nightly three-course dinner, local wines and beers with meals, non-alcoholic beverages, complimentary in-villa snack bar, and two on-site nature activities per day. 

Spicers Sangoma Retreat

More of the most beautiful Blue Mountains accommodation can be found at Spicers Sangoma Retreat on ten hectares of pristine native bushland at Bowen Mountain in the Blue Mountains foothills on the Sydney side, so only a 90-minute drive from the city. With just eight suites, Spicers is intimate and exclusive.

The two-level Chief Suite has a spacious lounge-dining area, kitchenette, private deck with pool, and the upstairs bedroom boasts panoramic views as far as Sydney, 80kms away, on a clear day. The luxurious Tent Suite has timber flooring, a chandelier and freestanding bathtub overlooking the forest canopy.

The Luxury Bush Suites feel embraced by the forest of Angophora gums; look out for the lyrebirds. There are wood-burning fireplaces for winter and wraparound verandas with a swing chair. When you feel like socialising, there’s a communal lounge with a bar and board games.

Outside there’s a gorgeous green infinity pool, sun-beds and umbrellas. The serene spa offers bush views and when you want to get active, there are walking tracks, horse riding, bike rides, kayaking, seasonal fruit picking, and sunset-watching with champagne and cheese at nearby Avoca Vale lookout.

The contemporary Australian cuisine by chef Matt Ostrenski (formerly of Melbourne’s Vue du Monde) is crafted from fresh, organic, seasonal produce from the Hawkesbury region. The all-inclusive package includes all gourmet meals and beverages and the in-suite mini-bar is replenished daily.

Book Spicers Sangoma Retreat with our booking partner Booking.com

Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains

Reopening a few years ago after a $35 million facelift, the magnificent Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains hotel is more sumptuous than ever, now offering some of the most beautiful Blue Mountains accommodation in its restored heritage rooms and suites.

Located an hour and 45 minutes’ drive from Sydney’s city centre, in Medlow Bath, which is part of Katoomba, the historic Hydro Majestic Blue Mountains sprawls for a kilometre along the edge of the escarpment, overlooking the glorious Megalong Valley.

Built in 1904 by visionary retail magnate Mark Foy, the Hydro Majestic was a spa until 1909, when it became a luxury lodge and Foy’s own private playground, filled with art and sculpture and furnished extravagantly, it was a site for glamorous costume parties. 

Run down when purchased by the current owners, the hotel has now been restored to its former glory. Daily guided history tours take guests through Casino lobby, which has a domed roof, the Salon Due Thé and Cat’s Alley, which give a nod to their decadent past, the opulent Majestic Ballroom and Hydro Majestic Pavilion.

There are too many room categories to mention here, with different styles across three buildings, but make sure to book a room with valley views, as well as high tea in the elegant Winter Garden over looking Megalong Valley.

Book Hydro Majestic with our booking partner Booking.com

Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort and Spa

You’ll find more of the most beautiful Blue Mountains accommodation, and quite possibly the most romantic, at Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort and Spa at Katoomba, just a 90-minute drive from Sydney CBD and a few minutes walk to the Blue Mountains’ main attraction, The Three Sisters.

Boasting magic views over the Jamison Valley, not far from Echo Point, and set amidst two acres of gorgeous gardens, Lilianfels is located on the former estate of Sir Frederick Darley, the sixth Chief Justice of New South Wales, and the historic homestead that served as his summer residence now houses Darleys, one of the state’s most awarded regional restaurants.

In keeping with the style of the era in which the property was established, the 85 rooms and suites are decorated with brass beds, and handcrafted wallpapers and matching drapes and cushions, often in pretty floral patterns. The Victorian-era lounge serves a traditional high tea with scones, jam and clotted cream.

There’s a comfy library, billiards room and crackling fireplaces. There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an impressive spa with a long list of treatments, individually tailored to guests, along with a gym and tennis courts, although most guests are content just to saunter the gardens and relax on the terraces.

Book Lilianfels Resort and Spa with our booking partner Booking.com

Parklands Country Gardens and Lodges

As the name suggests, the highlight at Parklands Country Garden and Lodges, an hour and 45 minutes’ drive from Sydney city and a kilometre from the town of Blackheath and the gob-smacking views of Grose Valley from Govetts Leap Lookout, are the 28 acres of gardens.

Immediately after you enter the estate’s gates you’ll be gobsmacked by greenery, from the driveway, lined with towering pines and cypress trees planted over a century ago, to the vibrant flowerbeds, sweeping lawns, and the private lake. The pines that still line the boundary, providing a windbreak, were planted in the 1880s.

The property and its gardens were established by its original owner, John Pope, a wealthy Sydney businessman who was one of the first buyers of land in Blackheath in the late 1870s. The current owners have restored them to their former glory, including developing a rose garden, 4000 sqm kitchen garden, fruit orchards, a dedicated compost area, and a workshop for packaging the fresh seasonal produce, not only for use at Parklands, but other hotels and lodges.

As you’d expect, some of the most beautiful Blue Mountains accommodation is to be found here also. Pope’s grand manor house was destroyed by fire in the 1980s and while the current weatherboard cottages were built in the Nineties, they tip a hat to the traditional Blue Mountains style popularised as summer holiday houses, with classic, comfortable interiors.

When you’re not seeing the sights, you can stroll the gardens, picnic under the pines, feed the ducks, or indulge at the day spa.

Book Parklands Country Gardens and Lodges with our booking partner Booking.com

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About Lara Dunston

A travel and food writer who has experienced over 70 countries and written for The Guardian, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, DestinAsian, TIME, CNN, The Independent, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, AFAR, Wanderlust, International Traveller, Get Lost, Four Seasons Magazine, Fah Thai, Sawasdee, and more, as well as authored more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Fodors, Thomas Cook, and AA Guides.

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About Grantourismo

Lara and Terence are an Australian-born, Southeast Asia-based travel and food writers and photographers who have authored scores of guidebooks, produced countless travel and food stories, are currently developing cookbooks and guidebooks, and host culinary tours and writing and photography retreats in Southeast Asia.
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Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check o Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check out our seafood recipe collection, especially if you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a fish focused meal in the Southern Italian tradition, transformed by Italian-Americans into the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or like Australians, who celebrate Christmas in the sweltering summer, feast on seafood for Christmas Day lunch, we’ve got lots of easy seafood recipes for you.

Our recipes include a classic prawn cocktail, blini with smoked salmon, a ceviche-style appetiser, and devilled eggs with caviar. We’ve also got recipes for fish soup, seafood pies and pastas, salmon tray bake, and crispy salmon with creamy mashed potatoes.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/seafood-recipes-for-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-menus/
(Link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating!! 

#christmas #christmasfood #seafood #fish #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #grantourismo #grantourismotravels #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you’re still looking for food inspo for Chris If you’re still looking for food inspo for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meals, my smoked salmon ‘carpaccio’ recipe is one of dozens of recipes in this compilation of our best Christmas recipes (link below). 

The Christmas recipe compilation includes collections of our best Christmas breakfast recipes, best Christmas brunch recipes, best Christmas starter recipes, best Christmas cocktails, best Christmas dessert recipes, and homemade edible Christmas gifts and more.

My smoked salmon carpaccio recipe makes an easy elegant appetiser that’s made in minutes. If you’re having guests over, you can make the dish ahead by assembling the salmon, capers and pickled onions, and refrigerate it, then pour on the dressing just before serving. 

Provide toasted baguette slices and bowls of additional capers, pickles and dressing, so guests can customise their carpaccio. And open the bubbly!

You’ll find that recipe and many more Christmas recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/best-christmas-recipes/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas!! X

#christmas #christmasfood #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #salmon #smokedsalmon #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels 
#xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I sh If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I shared a collection of recipes for homemade edible Christmas gifts — for condiments, hot sauces, chilli oils, a whole array of pickles, spice blends, chilli salt, furakake seasoning, and spicy snacks, such as our Cambodian and Vietnamese roasted peanuts. 

I love giving homemade edibles as gifts as much as I love receiving them. Who wouldn’t appreciate jars filled with their favourite chilli oils, hot sauces, piquant pickles, and spicy peanuts that loved-ones have taken the time to make? 

Aside from the gesture and affordability of gifting homemade edibles, you’re minimising waste. You can use recycled jars or if buying new mason jars or clip-top Kilner jars, you know they’ll get repurposed.

No need for wrapping, just attach some Christmas baubles or tinsel to the lid. I used squares of Cambodian kramas (cotton scarves), which can be repurposed as napkins or drink coasters, and tied a ribbon or two around the lids, and attached last year’s Christmas tree decorations to some.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/homemade-edible-christmas-gifts/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Yes, that’s Pepper... every time there’s a camera around... 

#christmasgiftideas #ediblegifts ##christmasfoodgifts #foodgifts #giftideas #homemadegifts #christmasfood #ediblegiftideas #hotsauce #chillisauce #sriracha #pickles #homemadepickles #recipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood 
#blackcat #blackcatsofinstagram #picoftheday 
#christmas #christmastree #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas #cambodia #siemreap
This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’ This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’s perfect if you’re just back from the fish markets armed with luxurious fresh crab meat. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and very, very moreish.

Our crab omelette recipe was one of our 22 most popular egg recipes of 2022 on our website Grantourismo and it’s no surprise. It’s appeared more times than any other egg recipes on our annual round-ups of most popular recipes since Terence launched Weekend Eggs when we launched Grantourismo in 2010.

If you’re an eggs lover, do check out the recipe collection. It includes egg recipes from right around the world, from recipes for classic kopitiam eggs from Singapore and Malaysia and egg curries from India and Myanmar to all kinds of egg recipes from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, USA, Australia, UK, and Ireland.

And do browse our Weekend Eggs archives for further eggspiration (sorry). We have hundreds of egg recipes from the 13 year-old series of recipes for quintessential egg dishes from around the world, which we started on our 2010 year-long global grand tour focused on slow, local and experiential travel. 

We’re hoping 2023 will be the year we can finally publish the Weekend Eggs cookbook we’ve talked about for years based on that series. After we can find a publisher for the Cambodia cookbook of course... :( 

Recipe collection here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio):
https://grantourismotravels.com/22-most-popular-egg-recipes-of-2022-from-weekend-eggs/

If you cook the recipe and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either in the comments at the end of the recipe or share a pic with us here.

#recipe #recipes #eggs #eggslover #breakfasteggs #WeekendEggs #egg #breakfast #brunch #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #lookingforapublisher #writingacookbook  #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angko I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angkor Archaeological Park, home to stupendous Angkor Wat, pictured, celebrated 30 years of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

That’s as good an excuse as any to put this magnificent, sprawling archaeological site on your travel list this year.

While riverside Siem Reap, your base for exploring Angkor is bustling once more, there are still nowhere near the visitors of the last busy high season months of December-January 2018-2019 when there were 290,000 visitors. 

Last month there were just 55,000 visitors and December feels a little quieter. A tour guide friend said there were about 150 people at Angkor Wat for sunrise a few days ago.

If you’re looking for tips to visiting Angkor, Siem Reap and Cambodia, just ask us a question in the comments below or check Grantourismo as we’ve got loads of info on our site. Click through to the link in the bio and explore our Cambodia guide or search for ‘Angkor’. 

And please do let us know if you’re coming to Siem Reap. We’d love to see you here x

#siemreap #cambodia #asia #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #slowtravel #localtravel #experientialtravel #exploremore #neverstopexploring #goexplore #igtravel #angkorwat #angkor #temple #temples #angkorwithoutcrowds #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #archaeology #archaeologicalsite #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #travelgram #wanderlust #picoftheday📷 #grantourismotravels.
Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or a salad, such as a Southeast Asian slaw. 

The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue or in a pan.

Terence’s soy ginger chicken recipe is one of our favourite recipes for a quick and easy meal. I love the sound of the sizzling thighs in the pan, and the warming aromas wafting through the apartment. 

It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.

Recipe here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio): https://grantourismotravels.com/soy-ginger-chicken-recipe/

If you cook it and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either here or in the comments at the end of the recipe on the site or share a pic with us x 

#recipe #recipes #chicken #soygingerchicken #asianfood #southeastasianfood #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #cookingtime #recipe #recipes #comfortfood #foodblog #food #foodstagram #healthyfood #instafood #healthy #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re mak Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re making with my market haul from Psar Samaki in Siem Reap — all for a whopping 10,000 riel (US$2.50)?! 

Birds-eye chillies thrown in for free! They were on my list but the seller I spent most at (5,000 riel!) scooped up a handful and slipped them into my bag. She was my last stop and knew what I was making.

My Khmer is poor, even after all our years in Cambodia, as I don’t learn languages with the ease I did in my 20s, plus I’m mentally exhausted after researching and writing all day. I have a better vocabulary of Old and Middle Khmer than modern Khmer from studying the ancient inscriptions for the Cambodian culinary history component of our cookbook I’m writing.

So when one seller totalled my purchases I thought she said 5,000 riel but she handed back 4,500 riel! The sum total of two huge bunches of herbs and kaffir lime leaves was 500 riel.

Tip: if visiting Siem Reap, use Khmer riel for local shopping. We’ve mainly used riel since the pandemic started— rarely use US$ now as market sellers quote prices in riels, as do local shops and bakeries, and I tip tuk tuk drivers in riels. I find prices quoted in riels are lower.

Psar Samaki is cheaper than Psar Leu, which is cheaper than Psar Chas, as it’s a wholesale market, which means the produce is fresher. I see veggies arriving, piled high in the back of vehicles, with dirt still on them — as I did on this trip. 

The scent of a mountain of incredibly aromatic pineapples offloaded from the back of a dusty ute was so heady they smelt like they’d just been cut. More exotic European style veggies arrive by big trucks in boxes labelled in Vietnamese (from Dalat) and Mandarin (from China), such as beautiful snow-white cauliflower I spotted.

Note: the freshest produce is sold on the dirt road at the back of the market.

#cambodia #siemreap #foodwriter #foodblogger #foodphotography #igfood #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #instadaily #picoftheday #market #siemreapmarket #psarsamaki #marketfresh #vegetables #healthyfood #marketshopping #traveltips #foodtravel #culinarytravel #localtravel #cooking #cookingtime #curry #homemade #currypaste #grantourismotravels
My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recip My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recipe makes tender meatballs doused in a delightfully tangy-sweet sauce, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, with carrot-daikon, crunchy cucumber and fragrant herbs. 

The dish is inspired by bún chả, a Hanoi specialty, but it’s not bún chả. No matter what Google or food bloggers tell you. Names are important, especially when cooking and writing about cuisines not our own.

This is an authentic bún chả recipe:  https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-bun-cha-recipe/ You’ll need to get the outdoor BBQ/grill going to do proper smoky bún chả meat patties (not meatballs).

My meatball noodle bowl is perhaps more closely related to dishes such as a Central Vietnam cousin bún thịt nướng (pork skewers on rice noodles in a bowl) and a Southern relation bún bò Nam Bộ (beef atop rice noodles, sprinkled with fried shallots (Nam Bộ=Southern Vietnam) though neither include meatballs. 

Xíu mại= meatballs although they’re different in flavour to mine, which taste more like bún chả patties. Xíu mại remind me of Southern Italian meatballs in tomato sauce.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, home to millions of Khmer, there’s bánh tằm xíu mại. Bánh tằm=silk worm noodles. They’re topped with meatballs, cucumber, daikon, carrot, fresh herbs, crispy fried onions. Difference: cold noodles doused in a sauce of coconut cream and fish sauce. 

Remove the meatballs, add chopped fried spring rolls and it’s Cambodia’s banh sung, which is a rice noodle salad similar to Vietnam’s bún chả giò :) 

Recipe here: (link in bio) https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-meatballs-and-rice-noodles-recipe/

For more on these culinary connections you’ll have to wait for our Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. In a hurry to know? Come support the project on Patreon. (link in bio)

#recipe #recipes #vietnamesefood #cambodianfood #asianfood #southeastasianfood #ricenoodles #rice #noodlebowl #meatballs #igfood #igfoodie #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #writingacookbook #writingacambodiancookbook #patreon #patreoncreator #grantourismo
It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour matches the furnishings of our rented apartment. So, no, I did not colour-coordinate the interiors to match our cat’s eyes. 

I keep getting DMs from pet clothing brands wanting to “partner” with Pepper and send her free cat clothes and cat accessories. Although she did wear a kerchief for a few years in her more adventurous fashion-forward teenage years, I cannot see this cat in clothes now, can you? 

#pepper #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #blackcatsrule #blackcatsmatter #cat #cats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #catlovers #catlove #catoftheday #catphoto #catpic #catpics #cambodiancat #cambodiancatsofinstagram #catlife #catloversclub #catoftheday #catgram #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catphotography #catsofig #catsoftheworld #catsofinsta #cats🐱 #siemreap #cambodia

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