This boutique lodge is completely nestled within the Surrey Hills and isn’t greater than a 10-minute stroll from an array of espresso outlets and eating places. Within the Forties, this was the headquarters of Paramount Footage (therefore the identify) and has been since became a comfortable lodge of 29 rooms with a classy artwork deco really feel; we had been even fortunate sufficient to have shark-themed decor in ours to have fun Paramount’s epic hit, Jaws.

The rooms really feel such as you’re in a trendy however homey loft and have coated indoor terraces that allow in sufficient mild so as to add an ethereal really feel to the place, with out you feeling overexposed in an enormous metropolis. To not point out the luxe picket tub within the rest room. For the 90s infants, the old-school cassette gamers are featured within the rooms, with a bunch of contemporary tapes to play in them, in addition to quite a lot of snacks and a condom (a cultured contact). For such a central location, it was surprisingly quiet – no visitors to maintain you awake right here. Plus, you’ve gotten a headstart to get within the queue for the coveted Paramount Espresso Mission Café pastries within the morning – which often finally ends up down the road – and you may even catch a film on the Golden Age Cinema & Bar on the decrease degree.

The place to eat in Sydney

For breakfast: Look no additional than the aforementioned Paramount Espresso Mission Café, which delivers the whole lot from hearty bacon-packed breakfast butties to wholesome home made granola.

For espresso: The Aussies take their espresso very significantly. It’s an artwork. As such, you might be by no means in brief provide of a cup of Joe. Our job was to attempt all of them, with out inflicting a caffeine crash. In the long run, Tuckerbox in Paddington ended up stealing my coronary heart with their completely roasted Americanos.

For sit-down meals: Franca is a classy and buzzy French brasserie in Elizabeth Bay that’s oh-so swanky. If the romantic decor wasn’t sufficient to attract you in, the traditional cocktail choices and Mediterranean-inspired menu will. The juicy Duck A L’Orange nestled on buckwheat was melt-in-your-mouth tender, while my dinner companion described the succulent Corn Fed Hen because the “finest rooster I’ve ever had” – a glowing overview if I’ve ever heard one. The standout dessert was the ethereal Passionfruit Soufflé, paired with very Heston Blumenthal-esque popcorn ice cream. All in all, it was nice vibes and nice meals.

If you happen to’re in search of one thing a bit spicier, El Primo Sanchez in Paddington is a enjoyable, informal restaurant and bar specialising in tequila (after all) and disco-ball decor. The pork stomach tacos are a should, whereas the Mexican twist on the standard burrata starter is smokey and good – sharing plates are the best way to go.

What to do in Sydney

Steal Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s date thought and make a journey to Sydney Zoo. I’ve by no means been one for zoos however this one is on an entire different degree. You may see each animal from penguins to dingoes and have the chance to see the nation’s well-known icon, the koala, up shut and private.

What higher place to lease a ship than Sydney Harbour? Set sail for a few hours and take a dip within the protected shores of Sydney. There’s no higher technique to see Sydney Opera Home in all its glory. High tip: Go in a gaggle for this one to assist hold prices down – get on Bumble Mates, ASAP.

We had been fortunate sufficient to go to over New 12 months and watch the fireworks from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, however even if you happen to’re not there for the countdown, this options some nice views of town and a healthful stroll to see a few of the unimaginable vegetation Australia has to supply – a really perfect expertise for any houseplant obsessive.

Journey to Hunter Valley

My data of Australian wine was restricted to bottles of Yellow Tail on supply with my Tesco Clubcard, so I had loads to be taught. Hunter Valley is the mecca of Aussie wine and is positioned in northern New South Wales, Australia. There may be nothing there however wine, so staying in a single day wasn’t an interesting choice. The opposite choice is to make the three-hour street journey from Sydney and do all of it in at some point however if you happen to’re going vineyard-hopping (as you must) attempting to determine who’s going to make the sacrifice to be the designated sober driver could be difficult.

Enter: AmazingCo’s personalised wine excursions. They picked us up from our lodge in a luxurious SUV and dropped us off at three vineyards all through the day. The expertise was fully customisable, we went for quite a lot of experiences to correctly showcase what Aussie wines have to supply. There’s an amazing quantity of vineyards, so to have the day mapped out for us was a blessing.

We visited the luxurious Audrey Wilkinson Winery and sipped on citrusy Sémillon and crisp Vermentino, then went on to Tamburlaine, which specialised in award-winning natural wines and at last Scarborough Wine Co, which showcased traditional Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with a spectacular view. Don’t fear, you additionally get a lunch stop-off – ours was at Kirkton Park – so you’ll be able to line your abdomen too. We got here away having learnt a lot about Australian wine and had the luxurious of getting a submit ‘girls who lunch’ snooze on the journey again to Sydney. It’s a good way to correctly see the wine varieties on supply, with out taking an excessive amount of day out of your packed Aus schedule.

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Byron Bay

Beneath two hours from Sydney is Ballina Airport (Byron Bay). The place you’ll discover an infinite quantity of surfers and probably, any of the Hemsworth brothers – yep, that is the place the best-looking household in Hollywood reside. What you received’t see, nonetheless, are any visitors lights or McDonald’s, which just about sums up the place.

The place to remain in Byron Bay

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Sustainability is really within the coronary heart of Crystalbrook Byron, and is surrounded by 45 acres of lush rainforest – so you actually do really feel such as you’re escaping the hustle and bustle. The suites themselves characteristic a rainforest backdrop and comprise the whole lot from a washer to an indoor-outdoor balcony and are a brief stroll from the lodge’s luxurious infinity pool. They even provide you with a $20 credit score in the direction of meals or drink if you happen to skip your day by day room clear and supply two complimentary morning periods of yoga, so you’ll be able to actually get within the Byron headspace.

There’s a non-public monitor that may get you on to the seashore in 10 minutes – it’s so shut I may even hear the waves from my room. It’s a 10-minute drive into city or you’ll be able to lease (without cost) one of many lodge’s bicycles or there’s a complimentary shuffle providers obtainable at sure occasions of the day. The workers had been extremely useful and the luxe again therapeutic massage I had on the Eléme Day Spa was the most effective I’ve ever had – it bought out all of the knots that had constructed up after my many hours of sitting in a tiny aeroplane seat.

The place to eat in Byron Bay

Searching for small plates and a superb vibe? Smoking Camel is positioned within the centre of city and options small plates of Center Japanese Delicacies and unreal cocktails. It’s enjoyable, busy and speedy in terms of service and lists the whole lot from BBQ prawns to spiced wagyu beef on their menu. I’d advocate sharing the whole lot with the desk for this one so you’ll be able to pattern the whole lot it has to supply (our hostess really helpful 9 dishes between 4 of us, which was excellent) – you actually don’t need to miss out on something right here.

Raes on Wategos is hands-down the most effective meals I’ve ever had in my life. It’s a 15 or so-minute drive from city and overlooks the long-lasting Wategos seashore. You may solely go for a 3 or six-course meal, so this isn’t one to go to if you happen to’re solely peckish and options conventional Australian delicacies with a Mediterranean twist. The curried Bay Bugtail (the Aussie’s reply to the lobster) was in contrast to something I’ve ever had, whereas the minty darkish chocolate pudding is one thing I nonetheless consider each day. Our Uber driver even mentioned Government Chef Jason Saxby was “the most effective cooks in Byron”, so there you might be.

Forest is the restaurant inside Crystalbrook Byron and isn’t simply your customary lodge restaurant. 80% of the components from these dishes are sourced inside a three-hour drive to assist minimise environmental impression and have honey and herbs from their on-site beehives and gardens. The recent oysters had been the standouts for me, whereas their number of natural and biodynamic wines was in contrast to something I’d come throughout.

What to do in Byron Bay

You may’t go to Byron Bay and never surf – I’m fairly positive it’s the regulation. Head all the way down to any of the seashores and also you’ll discover a surf teacher in a hut. Byron waves are arguably the very best, though, you may get in a heated debate with an Aussie about whether or not that’s the reality.

There are an amazing quantity of coastal walks to choose from in Byron. We ended up selecting the steep rainforest climb that led us to the long-lasting Cape Byron Lighthouse. Though the journey was virtually vertical (and missing in koalas as we’d been informed), the views from the highest had been unreal and definitely worth the climb, as Miley Cyrus would say.

Noosa

Noosa has an entire completely different vibe and is a little more fancy and family-orientated in comparison with Byron.

The place to remain in Noosa

Whereas there are luxurious resort choices (like Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort), we ended up choosing an Airbnb choice for this one and staying on the agricultural outskirts of city.

The place to eat in Noosa

Providing a contemporary tackle Asian delicacies is Gentle Years on the high of city. This vigorous spot is good if you’d like a wise informal dinner and cocktails for you and a few mates. Once more, it’s all about sharing plates right here. We couldn’t fault the traditional duck pancakes with a five-spice twist however the bao buns are the place it’s essential splurge. The eggplant katsu buns show veggie isn’t all the time boring, however the star of the present was the spicy Korean fried rooster bao; from the textures to the fiery style – I reminisce about these boa buns day by day.

Noosa Seashore Home Restaurant positioned subsequent to Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort within the centre is okay eating at its finest. The clear aesthetic and calm ambiance completely pair with the seasonal and recent menu. I’d go for the seafood right here, as they’ve the whole lot from freshly cooked mackerel, silky scallops and the Aussie’s favorite Moreton Bay Slipper Lobster on supply.

What to do in Noosa

Noosa Everglades are a once-in-a-lifetime expertise and plenty of packages supply shuttle providers from city to take you on the 40-minute journey to one of many departure factors (Boreen and Elanda). From there you can begin your day or half-a-day expedition by boat and have the choice to kayak across the Everglades to see the wildlife up shut and private. Not a lot of a kayak-er? There’s the choice to take a ship tour across the glades too.

Airlie Seashore & Whitsundays

Whitsundays iconic Whitehaven seashore needs to be on everybody’s bucket lists, however it’s not a direct route. For starters, it’s actually a seashore in the midst of nowhere and you may’t keep shut by – until you’re on a ship. So, earlier than you make the journey it’s a must to go to Airlie Seashore.

The place to remain at Airlie Seashore

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Coral Sea Marina Resort is completely positioned inside a 10-minute stroll to the buzzing strip however simply across the nook from the marina, which makes that early morning wake-up time to board a ship loads simpler. The lodge is away from the hustle and bustle of the principle road, providing you with the best tranquil setting to observe the sundown out of your balcony. The flats have a decked-out kitchen, so that you do have the selection of staying in and cooking if you want and a want flatscreen TV.

The poolside space immediately seems to be out onto the water, offering you with spectacular views of the shores and The Rocks Restaurant Bar seems to be out in the direction of the identical unimaginable view. There’s additionally complimentary parking on web site, a health club and even a non-public jetty (if that floats your boat).

The place to eat at Airlie Seashore

It’s slim pickings on the principle strip in terms of meals (lots of eating places are chains and kitchens shut as early as 8.30 pm), so I’d take the chance to enterprise out. Northerlies Seashore Bar and Grill is a 20-minute taxi journey from the city and takes you throughout to the opposite aspect of the island. Its relaxed seashore membership ambiance presents the whole lot from completely grilled beef burgers to freshly caught fish and has an entire bar devoted to providing you no matter cocktail your coronary heart wishes. Because it’s mainly proper on the seashore, mosquitos are a problem, however the restaurant presents you the chance to dose your self in bug repellent earlier than eating – good.

The place to go in Airlie Seashore

Venturing out to Whitsundays by boat is a should. We took a two-day crusing journey for this one, however I reckon you could possibly do all of it in a day (until you actually love an extreme quantity of snorkelling).

Snorkelling the Nice Barrier Reef is, after all, the principle hotspot right here, and sporting a sting swimsuit to guard you from the sting rays is obligatory – hold an eye fixed out for these jellyfish too. The seashore itself is spectacular however I’d additionally advocate you’re taking the path as much as the three viewpoints to soak up the great thing about this spot.