Michelle Potts samples gorgeous wine,farmhouse produce and listens to birdsong.
We're off again on another country sojourn. I'm working. He's relaxing. Well,eventually. Right now,the good doctor has that thousand-yard stare as I run through my obsessive-compulsive departure ritual,ending with a double tug at the deadlocked front door. There's rain on the radar,so I fling my new wellies in and we set the GPS for Milawa.
Two hours on,in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range,the sun's out. It's gorgeous. So we drop in at Sam Miranda winery to swirl,sniff,sip and savour some cool-climate Italian-style varietals. Next stop,King River Cafe for a light lunch. Blue cheese and cauliflower souffle with char-grilled witlof splashed in toffee-like balsamic dressing is delicious and good value. Ready for respite,it's not long before we grind to a halt on the gravel path outside Lindenwarrah,amid beautifully manicured gardens.
Check-in is fast and friendly,with an offer to book dinner,carry luggage,hand over pool towels and explain directions to the guests'car park a little further on.
Laden with luggage,we head down the hall of the two-level,40-room,country house hotel,passing a few"do not disturb"signs dangling from doorknobs,and climb up the stairs to Buffalo View Room 24.
Inside,it's spacious if a little sparse but very comfortable. Duck egg blue walls and caramel timber furniture contrast a comfy king-size bed dressed in crisp,high-quality linen. An all-white corner en suite is more utilitarian than aesthetic but Molton Brown bath products lift the luxe level. There's ample room in the wardrobe for clothes and travel bags,along with the soft white waffle-weave bathrobes,iron,ironing board and all the other amenities you'd expect from a good hotel. And if you're keen to stay in touch,wireless internet is complimentary.
As far as in-room treats go,Twinings teas,instant coffee and sweet shortbreads are gratis,and a well-stocked mini bar comes at a cost. The large flatscreen TV impresses the rugby tragic until he discovers no pay-tv. Joy oh joy - she screams silently - a sports-free weekend. Sliding glass doors open on to a shared balcony overlooking hectares of abundant merlot vines to distant Mount Buffalo.
And if sleeping in is on the agenda,white timber shutters shield you from the early morning sun. It's so tranquil it's blissful. All you hear is birdsong and the lapping of water in the ornamental pond - in contrast to the clatter and bang at home in the most renovated street in Melbourne.
A saunter round the grounds takes in the restaurant,courtyard cafe,cellar door,day spa,solar-heated outdoor pool,library and guest lounges. Hints of Morocco and Asia blend with plush country style,tribal sculpture and modern art,while floor-to-ceiling windows frame verdant vistas throughout the hotel.