The Lancemore Milawa- a great base for the King Valley Wine country 

There is something delightful about waking up in or adjacent to a vineyard for a good  style Country style breakfast,especially if you have had a brisk walk  or cycle around the village of Milawa to get the pancreatic juices flowing,…

I found my stay at the Lancemore Milawa to be a relaxing sojourn  which really enabled me to recharge my batteries,.. and plan my visit to the winemaking district of King Valley centred around Whitfield not 30 kms from the Lancemore. Being a Sydneysider unable to vist my favourite wine regions in Italy for two years due to Covid travel limitations,..,.I was on a quest to familiarize myself with the Italian varieties being grown and produced in the King Valley.

Whilst this property is not a  luxurious 5 star property or “super posh” ,..it is very functional and  eminently comfortable.  It is tastefully decorated and  furnished throughout. without being lavish,..and for me it reminded me of some of the modern style country hotels I have stayed in in Bordeaux region of France ,……I think when you are staying at a vineyard setting  in a place like this,.. you are really paying for the convenience and location. Of course you expect a comfortable bed with good linen and a few mod cons,..a modern bathroom,.. and when you are Tasting wine,..you really need a  good hearty Breakfast,..which is what I got here. Dinner too is important adfter after a hard days tasting! ,..but  if you are obsessed with  every little detail of the Hotel ,..as I see from a cursory glance at Trip Advisor,…and comparing it with other more Luxurious Hotels City Hotels or even those from the Lancemore group of Hotels .,..then you are missing the point of the whole exercise and barking up the wrong tree.

The key point about this Hotel is that “you are right there ,.smack bang in the middle of a vineyard ,..with access to all the exciting things the Milawa and King Valley districts have to offer” ,…and you can go about your Touring in a relaxed leisurely manner. The staff are friendly without being “obsequious” in that highly attentive fawning style that apparently some guests still expect.

You can go the the Brown Bros winery Tasting room literally across the road,.. or venture further a field to the Milawa Cheese shop and Milawa Bakery and Cafe ,.after your tasting,..or the there are other good restaurants such as the “King River Cafe” variously described as quaint in the middle of nowhere” in the next town of Oxley ,..which is pretty well booked out every night ,..by discriminating locals who recognize the quality of the modern and changing menu and the creative talent  of the chefs here.

It is said that “Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased”.  (John Steinbeck) and I would tend to agree as one month after my trip I am still regaling my Sydney friends and fellow wine afficionados with tales of my visit to  Milawa and King Valley gourmet regions in Victoria’s which seems to be strangely overlooked by Sydneysiders. 

Nonetheless I couldn’t disagree that  Lancemore Milawa, is a “tranquil country house hotel replete  with elegance and style and the  the perfect base to experience a rich bounty of world class food and wine, Australian history and breathtaking landscapes.”

Boutique accommodation in the King Valley

The rooms are as much an escape as the High Country itself, with quality furnishings and fittings that complement a relaxed, informal style – just as you would expect of a classic country house hotel surrounded by spectacular scenery and sensory adventures. They offer a range of rooms from the  Garden View or Sunset Rooms; to the picturesque Buffalo View Rooms and more indulgent Spa Suites,. After a day exploring historic villages and alpine wilderness, or tasting exotic food and world class wine, the Lancemore Milawa is a soothing retreat for rest and contemplation.Most of the rooms offer lovely panoramic views of the gardens or the surrounding vineyards.

\