CoCo C.
Google
This luxe boutique hotel in Gruyere (Yarra Valley region) was a pleasant impromptu overnight stay (impulsively booked a couple days prior for a quiet weekend away). I believe I may have nabbed the last available room as there are only 16 guest rooms & believed I secured one of their 'standard' rooms as the fancier ones had already been snapped up. Well, I was surprised to find out their basic rooms were far from standard and definitely much nicer than most upgraded 4-5 star hotel rooms in any capital city, spacious open rain shower, Nespresso pod machine, free standing deep bathtub included. The rooms were spacious, unbelievably clean (I have an unshakable habit of inspecting nooks, corners, drains, signs of infestations and previous guest damage upon check in) and it was immaculate, however having said that this is a boutique hotel and freshly built in 2023. The grounds have a modern feel, there is a cellar door on the premises and a restaurant serving mod Asian cuisine, this establishment also looks set up for scenic weddings, with a beautiful lake swimming with a resident pelican and ducks and lush backdrop, which our room opened up to. Our room was located in the 'basement', sounds terrible but in reality, was perfect, the building is built in reverse as to make use of the hill it sits upon for maximum scenery intake for the top level, there was a stunning fishpond at the base of the stairwell of the basement with the cutest array of goldfish, ranging from petite babies to well fed fatties, whenever we stopped to admire them they would swim up to us eagerly, probably expecting food, utterly adorable.
The vibe is relaxed, quiet, serene and modern, I loved the balance of welcoming but not intrusive professionalism of all staff. Check on and check out was extremely smooth and quick. We also received a complimentary voucher to redeem for a drink at the cellar door, but silly me, forgot about it, Breakfast is also complimentary, there is an a la carte menu of breakfast favorites with an Asian inspired twist such as scrambled eggs, poached eggs, fritters etc. also dumplings or congee and a small selection of pastries & juice you can help yourself to. I shouldn't complain but I would have loved if there was oat milk as an option for coffees (only soy & almond available). Loads of parking and close to other wineries such as St. Huberts, Chandon etc. Would love to come back again soon!