By Erza S.T.

I can’t help thinking how our drive to the heart of the Hunter Valley wine country is so comparable to Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church’s trip to the Santa Barbara wine country in the movie “Sideways”. Driving for over two hours from Sydney to the Hunter Valley, while wine tasting all the way there, really brings you close to the essence of that movie. Luckily though, we didn’t have to stay in cheap motels like they did and instead we went to the other end of the luxury scale, the Tonic Hotel.

We were pretty much atrophied by the time we arrived there, as we got lost several times in Lovedale trying to find the hotel. When we finally arrived, there wasn’t a lobby or normal reception to greet us and instead we could only see eight cabins scattered in the wilderness around us. We were informed that cabin no. 2 was ours to occupy and given the password number to enter.

Though it just looked like an outback shed from the outside, the feeling totally changed the moment we arrived inside. Built in a modern Australian design, the cabins are built with corrugated iron, steel, glass and old timber wrapped in a pop-art minimalist style. Surrounded by designer furniture and products our cabin had two bedrooms, a complete kitchen, lounge and dining area with a fireplace plus a huge balcony looking over the stunning wilderness of the small lake and bush vista. This shed ain’t nothing but a cool shed that combines the rural valley and rustic nature with a global and groovy ambiance.

It is quite obvious that in Tonic Hotel they are trying to shower us with a lot of privacy, hence the “do it yourself” concept is implemented here. In order to do so they equipped this cabin with all the necessities that you might need. Broadband internet is available in the whole area together with state-of-the-art electronics for your entertainment. The bathrooms have twin sinks, deep baths, and heated floors perfected with Aesop toiletries. During our visit, the fridge was filled with Australia’s best dairy and fruit produce. Several bottles of red and white wine plus a bottle of champagne also available in the mini bar.

Once you are inside, you can easily go barefoot and enjoy the warmth of the heated, polished concrete floors, the luxury of whitewashed high-ceiling space and contemporary designer’s work – a striking red clock here and a splash of colour there, a textured throw rug on the lounge floor and fluffy slippers that immediately bring the word “cute” to mind.

Adults who enjoy a tranquil and serene ambiance will find this place to be the perfect haven for a weekend holiday, or even longer. The idea of having a quiet holiday for two in the middle of wine country in the luxury that this hotel offers is simply fantastic. Surrounded by plenty of great wineries and opulent fine dining establishments (including The Rock restaurant), it will surely make your stay here a memorable one.

I really took pleasure in knowing the fact that this is a ‘no child’ territory and thus peace and quiet from the surroundings really exists without any sound pollution. So wake up late, put on your fluffy slippers and bring your coffee out while sitting on the balcony to enjoy a morning breath of fresh air like it can only happen at the Tonic Hotel.

Tonic Hotel
251 Talga Rd
Lovedale
Hunter Valley
NSW Australia
www.tonichotel.com.au

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