Spicers Hidden Vale Hotel Review | Hotels Above Par

"Sixty minutes out of Brisbane and you’re suddenly on 12,000 acres of bush where your phone feels irrelevant; I found the place more farmhouse with good taste than slick resort, with wide verandas, creaky timber floors, crackling fireplaces and skies that seem to go on forever. The old Queensland homestead is the social heart—guests drift through with a glass of wine, a chessboard, or nothing more than time to kill—while timber-and-stone cottages and cabins are scattered across the property, some tiny and intimate, others airy suites or multi-bedroom cottages with kitchens and verandas that feel like farmhouses you lucked into borrowing (insider tip: cottages 19–22 are where the kangaroos like to hang out at dawn). The property’s main draw is the bush itself, but there are thoughtful extras: two pools (an attention-grabbing infinity pool and a more forgiving second pool), tennis courts, a playground, surprisingly good hiking and mountain-biking trails, a rattling 4WD experience, and even a koala safari. Wellness here is embedded in the landscape—walk, bike, play tennis or simply sit on a porch with tea while kangaroos graze—and that relaxed approach is reflected in the vibe: a four-star retreat that feels like a luxury lodge meets Aussie bush escape, with rooms from cabins to cottages and rates starting around AUD $600+ per night; it’s about an hour from Brisbane and most guests I know never bother leaving, preferring day-trip options like Scenic Rim wineries or Main Range National Park only if they can tear themselves away."